As a suicide prevention initiative, this sign on the Golden Gate Bridge promotes a special telephone that connects to a crisis hotline.

A crisis hotline is a phone number people can call to get immediate over-the-phone emergency counseling, usually by trained volunteers. Such hotlines have existed in most major cities of the United States at least since the mid-1970s. Initially set up to help those contemplating suicide, many have expanded their mandate to deal more generally with emotional crises. They have also spawned similar hotlines to help counsel people in other circumstances, including rape victims, runaway children, homosexuals facing difficulties, and suchlike. Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the willful act of killing oneself. ... Suicide has been part of the history of the world - people of all walks of life had committed suicide over the years. ... // The following are lists of notable people who have definitely died intentionally by their own hand, regardless of the circumstances. ... Modern medical views on suicide consider suicide to be a mental health issue. ... Various human cultures may have views on suicide not directly or solely linked to religious views of suicide. ... This page concerns suicide. ... In ethics and other branches of philosophy suicide poses a difficult question, answered differently by philosophers from different times and traditions. ... There are a variety of religious views of suicide. ... For the 1987 film, see Right to Die (film) The term right to die refers to various issues around the death of an individual when that person could continue to live with the aid of life support, or in a diminished or enfeebled capacity. ... A suicide crisis, suicidal crisis, or potential suicide, is a situation in which a person is attempting to kill himself or is seriously contemplating or planning to do so. ... Modern medical views on suicide consider suicide to be a mental health issue rather than allowing that individuals can make a sane or reasoned choice to take their own life. ... Various suicide prevention strategies have been used: Promoting mental resilience through optimism and connectedness. ... Suicide watch is an intensive monitoring process used to ensure that an individual does not commit suicide. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A copycat suicide is defined as a duplication or copycat of another suicide that the person attempting suicide knows about either from local knowledge or due to accounts or depictions of the original suicide on television and in other media. ... Cult suicide is that phenomenon by which some religious groups, in this context often referred to as cults, have led to their membership committing suicide. ... For the program to kill people with disabilities in Nazi Germany, see Action T4. ... Forced suicide is a method of execution where the victim is given the choice of committing suicide or facing an alternative they perceive as worse, such as suffering torture; having friends or family members imprisoned, tortured or killed; or losing honor, position or means. ... An Internet suicide is a suicide pact made between individuals who meet on the Internet. ... Mass suicide occurs when a number of people kill themselves together with one another or for the same reason and is usually connected to a real or perceived persecution. ... A murder suicide is an act in which an individual kills one or more other persons immediately before, or while killing himself. ... Ritual suicide is the act of suicide motivated by a religious, spiritual, or traditional ritual. ... A suicide attack is an attack in which the attacker (attacker being either an individual or a group) intends to kill others and intends to die in the process of doing so (see suicide). ... A suicide pact describes the suicides of two or more individuals in an agreed-upon plan. ... Teenage suicide is the self-killing of a teenager. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Self-harm (SH) is deliberate injury to ones own body. ... Suicidal ideation is common medical term for the mere thoughts about and of plans of committing suicide, not the actual following through or act itself. ... Kurt Cobains alleged suicide note. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (3456x2304, 2297 KB) Summary Photographed by and copyright of (c) David Corby (User:Miskatonic, uploader) 2006 This is the suicide prevention message on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco California. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (3456x2304, 2297 KB) Summary Photographed by and copyright of (c) David Corby (User:Miskatonic, uploader) 2006 This is the suicide prevention message on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco California. ... Various suicide prevention strategies have been used: Promoting mental resilience through optimism and connectedness. ... The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening into the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. ... Psychotherapy is a set of techniques believed to cure or to help solve behavioral and other psychological problems in humans. ... One Brick volunteers help at a soup kitchen. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the willful act of killing oneself. ... Emotional redirects here. ... A runaway child is a minor who has left the home of his or her parent or legal guardian without permission. ... Since its coinage, the word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings. ...

Such services began no later than 1953, with Chad Varah, an English vicar, founding The Samaritans service, which soon established branches across the entire United Kingdom. In the United States, San Francisco Suicide Prevention[1] started a hotline "Call Bruce" in 1962. A similar service, Lifeline, was established in Australia in 1963. The Rev Edward Chad Varah CH CBE (born November 12, 1911) is a British priest known as the founder of The Samaritans (now known just as Samaritans) in 1953, the worlds first crisis hotline organisation, offering non-religious telephone counselling to those contemplating suicide. ... Samaritans (formerly The Samaritans) is a British and Irish-based registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in distress or at risk of suicide. ...

One criticism of suicide hotlines is that those who are determined to kill themselves are unlikely to call one. Also, those with social anxiety may not have the emotional resources to do so. There is no evidence that the presence of suicide hotlines reduces the incidence of suicide [2]. Social anxiety is an experience of fear, apprehension or worry regarding social situations and being evaluated by others. ...

Directories of Crisis Hotlines

General services

• A list of crisis hotlines in many countries. Former Befrienders International website - now maintained by Samaritans UK.
• Lifeline International - originated in Australia, now has affiliates in a number of countries including the United States.
• International Federation of Telephone Emergency Services - International federation covering mainly continental Europe.
• Suicidehotlines.com - directory of American crisis hotlines
• San Francisco Suicide Prevention has an excellent website with general information about suicide prevention.

World map showing the location of Europe. ...

Services for children and adolescents

• Samaritans offer confidential support to young people going through any form of distress, including self-harm or suicidal feelings. jo@samaritans.org
• National Youth Crisis Hotline 1-800-HIT-HOME -- Help not hassle
• Childline - UK - for children and young people in the UK - 0800 1111
• Kids Help Line Australia - 1800 55 1800
• Kids Help Phone - 1 800 668 6868 - 24/7 service available to Canadian youth.
• National Runaway Switchboard at at 1-800-RUNAWAY (or 1-800-786-2929) and http://www.1800runaway.org - For runaway and homeless youth in the U.S. and U.S. territories, as well as for their families and youth who are contemplating running away.
• The Trevor Project - 1 866 4U-TREVOR / The Trevor Helpline is the only U.S. 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention hot line aimed at gay and questioning youth.
• Teen Contact 972-233-TEEN Dallas, TX Hotline 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week,

07985560264 - Childrens Line for Self Harm. 24 hours a day - Free The Trevor Helpline is the only 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention hot line aimed at gay and questioning youth in the United States. ...