Help Is Here. You Do Not Have to Carry This Alone.
If you or someone you care about is experiencing active suicidal thoughts, overwhelming panic, or immediate danger, please reach out to one of the trained professional crisis lines below right now.
Direct Click-to-Dial Hotlines
Available across all networks in Sri LankaNational Mental Health Helpline
Managed by: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Angoda
Government-managed primary psychiatric emergency hotline staffed by trained medical nursing and mental health professionals for immediate crisis de-escalation and emergency referrals.
CCCline 24/7 Crisis Hotline
Managed by: Courage, Compassion, Commitment (CCC) Foundation Sri Lanka
A dedicated confidential crisis intervention service for anyone feeling overwhelmed, heartbroken, anxious, or contemplating suicide. Trained telephone befrienders provide immediate non-judgmental listening.
Sumithrayo Befrienders
Managed by: Sri Lanka Sumithrayo (Affiliated with Befrienders Worldwide)
Sri Lanka’s pioneer voluntary organization dedicated to befriending individuals who are lonely, depressed, or despairing. In-person visits also welcomed at 60 Horton Place, Colombo 07.
1990 Suwa Seriya Free Pre-Hospital Ambulance
Managed by: Suwa Seriya Foundation & Ministry of Health
For immediate medical emergencies, physical injuries, or acute poison ingestion requiring life-saving paramedic stabilization and hospital transport.
Emergency Action SOP: In Acute Distress
When intense panic or suicidal distress surges, critical thinking narrows. Follow these four concrete steps to stay physically safe.
Recognize the Acute Window
Intense waves of emotional distress usually crest and diminish within 20 to 30 minutes. Remind yourself: "My feelings are overwhelming right now, but this feeling is a temporary neurological state, not a permanent verdict."
Step Away from Means & Change Location
Move immediately to a different physical room, step onto a balcony, or sit in a public or family area. Put your phone in your pocket and step away from any harmful objects.
Call 1926 or 1333 Immediately
You do not have to know what to say. Just dial. You can say: "I am feeling overwhelmed and unsafe right now, and I need someone to talk to." The trained counselor will guide the conversation gently.
Engage Somatic Cold Stimulation
Splash cold water onto your face or hold an ice cube in your palm for 60 seconds. The mammalian dive reflex physically triggers the vagus nerve to rapidly slow your heart rate.
Clear Boundary: YANA is Peer Support, Not Emergency Medicine
You Are Not Alone (YANA) volunteers are deeply empathetic community listeners trained to offer warmth, validation, and companionship during life's quieter storms. We are not equipped to manage active psychiatric emergencies, psychotic episodes, acute self-harm, or overdose situations.
In those moments, professional medical personnel at 1926 and 1990 are equipped with medical ambulances, inpatient beds, and psychiatric doctors who can save your life. Please let them help you.