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Mental Health

Writer: Christopher Stockton
Christopher Stockton
Oct 3
10 min read

Updated: Oct 18

🚨 IN CRISIS RIGHT NOW?

Emergency or immediate danger: call 911. Suicidal thoughts or emotional crisis: call or text 988 (24/7, free, confidential). Veterans / service members: dial 988, then press 1 — or text 838255. Text HOME to 741741 — Crisis Text Line (24/7, free). Law enforcement can text BLUE to 741741. First responder peer line: Safe Call Now — (206) 459-3020 (24/7; answered by current/former first responders; families welcome). Law enforcement: COPLINE — 1-800-267-5463 (24/7; answered by retired officers). You don't need to be "bad enough." Reach out early. You can also stay on the line and just talk.

This page is for general education and peer support. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it is not a crisis service — nobody at Critical-Run monitors this website. In an emergency call 911; for a mental-health crisis call or text 988.

You carry it so others don't. Let's talk about carrying it.

Fire. EMS. Law enforcement. Dispatch. ER and critical-care nursing. Different uniforms, same job: showing up on someone's worst day, then going home and trying to be fine.

Critical-Run was built by and for people in that world. Gear covers your body. This page is about the rest of you.

Here you'll find:

  1. A verified directory of mental-health resources built for first responders — sorted by your role and what you need.

  2. Practical tools you can use today — takes minutes, no app required.

  3. Programs and printables you can download and share at the station, on the unit, or in the dispatch center.

Asking for help is not weakness and it isn't the end of your career. It's maintenance — the same as checking your gear.

Find help by what you need

  • Someone to talk to right now — 988 · Text HOME to 741741 · Safe Call Now (206) 459-3020

  • A peer who "gets it" — Safe Call Now · COPLINE (law enforcement) · NurseGroups (nurses) · Gold Line Support app (dispatch)

  • A counselor who understands first responders — NVFC Directory of Behavioral Health Professionals · Code Green Campaign state lists

  • Substance-use or treatment referral — SAMHSA 1-800-662-4357 · Safe Call Now referrals · IAFF Center of Excellence (IAFF members)

  • Help after losing a colleague — Blue H.E.L.P. (law enforcement) · C.O.P.S. 573-346-4911 (LEO line-of-duty loss) · 988

  • Help for a spouse/partner or family — Safe Call Now (families welcome) · COPLINE (families welcome) · NVFC First Responder Helpline (household members)

Resource Directory

Verified Oct 3, 2026. Numbers and programs change — if something doesn't connect, tell us at chris@critical-run.com and use 988 in the meantime. Listings are information, not endorsements or medical advice.

For everyone — crisis & referral

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. Free, confidential, 24/7/365. For anyone in emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, or worried about someone.

Veterans Crisis Line — Dial 988, then press 1; text 838255; or chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat. TTY 1-800-799-4889. Free, confidential, 24/7. For veterans, service members and their families — you do not need to be enrolled in VA care.

Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741. Free, 24/7, confidential; a trained volunteer Crisis Counselor texts back, usually within a few minutes. English and Spanish. (Standard text rates may apply on some carriers.) crisistextline.org

SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-HELP (4357); TTY 1-800-487-4889; or text your ZIP code to 435748. Free, confidential, 24/7/365 referral service for mental-health and substance-use treatment. English & Spanish. Referral service, not counseling. samhsa.gov

All first responders (fire, EMS, law enforcement, dispatch, corrections) & families

Safe Call Now — (206) 459-3020, 24/7/365. A confidential crisis and referral line staffed by current and former first responders (Peer Advocates). They'll listen, and can connect you to counseling and substance-use treatment. Open to first responders, emergency personnel and their families nationwide. safecallnow.us

The Code Green Campaign — A nonprofit directory of first-responder mental-health resources: crisis lines, trauma retreats, treatment centers and state-by-state provider lists. Good for finding something local. (Their list is volunteer-maintained; confirm details with each provider.) codegreencampaign.org/resources

Fire & EMS

NVFC Share the Load / First Responder Helpline — The National Volunteer Fire Council's behavioral-health program. The First Responder Helpline (24/7, confidential, master's-level clinicians, up to five phone coaching sessions, plus legal/financial/family referrals) is a benefit for NVFC members and their household family — the number is in the member portal. Membership is $24, and a free membership can be requested if cost is a barrier. nvfc.org/helpline

NVFC Directory of Behavioral Health Professionals — Searchable list of clinicians, chaplains and peer supporters vetted through the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, for fire, EMS, rescue and dispatch. nvfc.org/provider-directory

Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA) — Nonprofit offering workshops for fire, EMS and dispatch, a confidential self-screening for firefighters/EMTs, and help finding a counselor (847-209-8208). Not a crisis line. ffbha.org

IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery — Confidential treatment for PTSD, substance use, depression and anxiety, designed by firefighters, in Upper Marlboro, MD. IAFF members only. Call (855) 900-8437 for a confidential screening. Check insurance/financial details on their site. iaff.org/center-of-excellence

NAEMT EMS Mental Health page — A collection of EMS-focused mental-health links and guides. naemt.org (For crisis support use 988 or Safe Call Now.)

Law enforcement

COPLINE — 1-800-COPLINE (1-800-267-5463), 24/7/365. Confidential, anonymous-if-you-choose hotline answered by vetted, trained retired officers. For current and former law enforcement and their families. Not affiliated with any agency. copline.org

Crisis Text Line, law-enforcement keyword — Text BLUE to 741741 to let the counselor know you're in law enforcement. (Or HOME — either gets you a counselor.)

Blue H.E.L.P. — Honors officers lost to suicide, supports their families, offers training and works to reduce stigma. September 26 is National Law Enforcement Suicide Awareness Day. Not a crisis line. bluehelp.org

Badge of Life — Nonprofit offering first-responder wellness training and resources, built to reduce stigma. Not a crisis line. badgeoflife.org

Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) — Peer support, counseling access, and survivor weekends/camps for the families and co-workers of officers who died in the line of duty (including by suicide). 573-346-4911. concernsofpolicesurvivors.org

911 dispatch & telecommunicators

Gold Line Support — Nonprofit by and for 911 professionals. Offers a free peer-support and wellness app ("The Line") — anonymous access to a trained peer, self check-ins, and crisis lines one tap away. goldlinesupport.com

NENA Wellness Continuum — Mental health, peer-support, workplace and nutrition resources for the 9-1-1 community. nena.org/page/wellnesscontinuum

Also for dispatchers: the NVFC provider directory (dispatch included), FBHA's dispatcher workshop, and Safe Call Now.

Nurses & critical care

NurseGroups — Free, confidential, volunteer-led peer-support groups for nurses on Zoom, weekly on Wednesdays (10:30am PT / 1:30pm ET; occasional breaks — check the site). Not licensed therapy and not for crisis. nursegroups.org

American Nurses Foundation Nurse Well-Being Program — Free well-being training for all nurses, adapted from "Stress First Aid" (developed for military and first responders). nursingworld.org

Emergency Nurses Association — Healthy Work Environment — Guidance on nurse well-being, fatigue, moral distress and workplace violence. ena.org

In crisis? 988, Crisis Text Line (HOME to 741741), or Safe Call Now. Also check whether your hospital offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) — typically free, confidential counseling.

Not sure where to start?

Call or text 988 and say what's going on. Or call Safe Call Now (206) 459-3020 and ask for a counselor who works with your kind of job. You can't pick wrong.

Tools you can use today

These are everyday coping and wellness skills. They are not therapy or medical advice and don't replace professional care. If symptoms last more than a couple of weeks, get worse, or interfere with work/home — or you have thoughts of harming yourself — reach out to 988 or a licensed provider.

1. Grounding: 5-4-3-2-1 (about 2 minutes)

For when your head is still on the call, or you feel keyed-up, spiraling or numb.

Take a slow breath, then name:

  • 5 things you can see

  • 4 things you can feel/touch (steering wheel, boots on floor)

  • 3 things you can hear

  • 2 things you can smell

  • 1 thing you can taste (or one slow breath)

Say them out loud or silently. Notice details — color, texture, sound. If you're still wound up, repeat. Use it in the rig, at your desk, in the car after shift (before you drive).

2. Box breathing (1–2 minutes)

Used widely in high-stress professions to settle your body.

  1. Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds.

  2. Hold for 4.

  3. Breathe out slowly for 4.

  4. Hold for 4.

  5. Repeat for 1–2 minutes.

If holding your breath feels uncomfortable, skip the holds and breathe in for 4, out for 6. Longer exhales help signal your body to calm down. If you feel dizzy, stop and breathe normally.

3. Post-shift decompression routine (10–15 minutes)

Build a "transition" between work-you and home-you.

  1. Pause before you go in. Stay in the car or at the door for 60 seconds. Box breathing, 4 rounds.

  2. Shed the shift. Change out of uniform; wash hands/face or shower. Treat it like a ritual: "Shift is off."

  3. Refuel. Water and real food. Skip using alcohol to wind down.

  4. Name it. In 2–3 sentences (notes app, paper, or out loud): What was the hardest part? What went okay? What's one thing I'll leave at work?

  5. Move. 5–10 minutes: a walk, stretches, a few reps. Burn off the adrenaline.

  6. Connect. Text a peer, partner or friend — even "long shift, I'm good." Or hug the dog.

  7. Wind down. Dim lights, screens down, start your sleep routine (see below).

After a rough call: add a call or text to a trusted peer the same day — don't wait for it to "hit." Download the printable checklist.

4. Sleep for shift workers

Shift work disrupts the body clock, so sleep takes planning. Based on CDC/NIOSH shift-work guidance:

  • Protect a sleep window and keep it as consistent as you can — including days off, if possible.

  • After night shift: go to bed soon after getting home rather than staying up for hours. If you can, avoid being awake all day before the next night.

  • Make your bedroom a cave: dark (blackout curtains or eye mask), quiet (earplugs/white noise), cool.

  • Light is a lever: bright light early in the night shift helps alertness; cut bright light as the shift ends (sunglasses on the drive home are helpful — but don't impair your driving).

  • Nap strategically: a short pre-shift nap can help. Keep naps short.

  • Caffeine: use it early in the shift, not in the last several hours before sleep.

  • Alcohol may make you drowsy but wrecks sleep quality — go easy.

  • Tell your household your sleep window and set phones to Do Not Disturb (with an exception for emergencies).

  • Drive carefully when drowsy. If you're fighting to stay awake, don't drive — pull over, nap, or get a ride.

  • Trouble sleeping for weeks, nightmares, or heavy daytime sleepiness? Talk to a doctor — sleep problems are treatable.

5. Peer check-in script (30 seconds to start; no fixing required)

You don't need to be a counselor. You need to show up.

Notice → Ask → Listen → Connect → Follow up

  • Start easy: "Hey, that was a rough one yesterday. How are you actually doing?"

  • If they say "fine" and you're not buying it: "I've noticed you've been quieter lately. I'm not going anywhere — want to grab coffee?"

  • Listen. Don't fix, compare or minimize. Try: "That sounds heavy." "Thanks for telling me."

  • Ask directly if you're worried: "Are you having thoughts of hurting yourself or ending your life?" Asking does not plant the idea. It shows you care.

  • If yes: stay with them, call/text 988 together, or call 911 if there is immediate danger. Don't leave them alone. If a firearm or other means are nearby, help set up safe storage away from them.

  • Connect: "There are people whose job is to help with this. Want to call Safe Call Now together?"

  • Follow up within a day or two. A text counts: "Thinking of you. Coffee this week?"

  • If you're the one who needs the check-in: "Hey — I'm not doing great. Can I talk to you for a few minutes?" That's it. That's the whole script.

6. Signs to watch for — in yourself, your partner, your crew

Any one of these can happen after a hard stretch. A pattern that lasts 2+ weeks, gets worse, or shows up with hopelessness is a signal to get help.

In yourself

  • Sleeping much less or much more; nightmares; waking with the call replaying

  • Always on edge, jumpy, short fuse; or feeling numb/flat

  • Pulling away from friends, family, hobbies, the crew

  • Drinking more, using substances/pills to sleep, relax or "shut it off"

  • Trouble concentrating; making mistakes; dreading going to work

  • Constant fatigue; headaches; stomach issues; getting sick more

  • Guilt, shame, "I should have…" loops about a call

  • Feeling like a burden, trapped or hopeless

In a partner or family member

  • Withdrawing, going quiet, or being "there but not there"

  • Angry outbursts or irritability that are out of character

  • Not sleeping, or sleeping all the time

  • Drinking more; risk-taking; skipping things they used to love

  • Avoiding talking about work — or talking about nothing else

  • Saying things like "you'd be better off without me" or giving away belongings

Warning signs that need action now: talking about wanting to die or disappear; saying they feel hopeless or a burden; searching for ways to hurt themselves; sudden calm after a long low; saying goodbye; giving away belongings. Call or text 988. If there is immediate danger, call 911. Stay with the person.

Programs & printables

Short, free programs you can do in a few minutes a day, solo or with a buddy. Each one ends with a certificate. These are education and peer-style support, not therapy.

Free online programs

Free printable handouts (PDF)

Share your story / suggest a resource

Know a great resource we missed — or a number that changed? Tell us at chris@critical-run.com.

We don't diagnose, treat or monitor messages. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or call 911.

Disclaimer

Not medical advice. The information on this page is for general education and peer support only. It isn't a substitute for professional medical, psychological or legal advice, diagnosis or treatment. Critical-Run is not a healthcare provider and does not provide crisis services; no one monitors messages sent through this website. Listing a resource is not an endorsement or guarantee of service, availability or fit. Always seek the advice of a qualified professional about any health concern, and never ignore or delay seeking help because of something you read here.

In an emergency, call 911. If you are in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, call or text 988 (Veterans: dial 988 then press 1).

Resource details last verified October 3, 2026.

 
 
 

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