Which helplines can I call right now?
India has free, government-backed mental health helplines that operate around the clock. Tele-MANAS, run by the Government of India, is available 24x7 at 14416, is free, and offers support in multiple languages. KIRAN, at 1800-599-0019, is also free and answers calls 24 hours a day. iCall, a counselling service run by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, is available at 9152987821 from Monday to Saturday, 10am to 8pm. If someone is in immediate physical danger or has seriously harmed themselves, call the national emergency number 112 or go straight to the emergency room of a major hospital; emergency rooms accept psychiatric emergencies. These services are confidential and none of them needs a referral. Calling one is a reasonable step even if you are not sure the situation counts as a crisis, because trained counsellors can help you judge that too.
- Tele-MANAS: 14416 (Government of India, 24x7, free, multiple languages)
- KIRAN: 1800-599-0019 (24x7, free)
- iCall: 9152987821 (Monday to Saturday, 10am to 8pm, run by TISS)
- Emergency: 112, or the nearest major hospital emergency room
It is worth saving these numbers in your phone today, even if everything is fine. In a hard moment, not having to search for them is itself a relief.
What counts as a mental health emergency?
A mental health emergency is any situation where safety is at immediate risk. That includes someone talking about wanting to die or describing a plan to end their life, any act of self-harm regardless of how minor the injury looks, feeling unable to stay safe alone, sudden severe confusion or losing touch with reality, and any state in which a person could hurt themselves or someone else. Heavy alcohol or drug use can turn distress into danger quickly and deserves the same caution.
You do not need to be certain before you act. If your instinct says something is wrong, treat it as an emergency and call. Helpline counsellors would much rather take a call that turns out to be manageable than miss one that was not.
What can you do while waiting for help?
The first minutes matter less for what you say and more for the fact that you stay. A few simple steps hold most situations steady until professional help takes over:
- Stay with the person; if you are the one struggling, call someone and keep them on the line.
- Speak slowly and calmly, and listen more than you talk.
- If it is safe to do so, gently increase the distance between the person and anything that could cause harm.
- Do not argue, lecture, or promise to keep the situation secret.
- If someone has been physically hurt or the danger feels immediate, call 112 or go to a hospital emergency room without waiting.
How can you support someone else in crisis?
Ask directly. Asking someone whether they are thinking about suicide does not put the idea in their head; a calm, caring question more often brings relief, because it tells the person they no longer have to carry the thought alone. Take whatever they tell you seriously, even if they seem composed, and resist the urge to offer quick fixes or point out reasons to be cheerful. What helps most is simple: your presence, your patience, and your help with making the first call to a helpline or a doctor.
Afterwards, keep showing up. A message the next day, company at a follow-up appointment, a check-in the week after: these small acts carry real weight. Supporting someone through a crisis is heavy work too, so make sure you have someone to talk to as well, whether a friend, a counsellor, or another professional.
What happens after the crisis has passed?
The end of a crisis is the start of care, not the end of it. Most crises grow out of a treatable underlying condition, such as depression, PTSD, addiction, or severe anxiety, and the days that follow are the right time to have that assessed properly. A psychiatric evaluation looks at what led up to the crisis, whether medication would help, and what kind of ongoing support fits: talk therapy, counselling for the family, or regular reviews. Arranging that appointment soon, while everyone is still focused on getting help, makes it far more likely that the follow-through actually happens.
Recovery after a crisis is rarely a straight line, and a difficult week does not undo the progress that came before it. What matters is that there is a plan, a clinician who knows the history, and people around who know what to watch for.
Is Dr Vohra's an emergency service?
No. Dr Vohra's is not a crisis or emergency service, and this page is not a substitute for the helplines above. In an emergency, call Tele-MANAS 14416, KIRAN 1800-599-0019, or 112 first. What the clinic provides is follow-up psychiatric care once the immediate danger has passed: evaluation and diagnosis, medication management where needed, talk therapy and counselling, and support for families, in person at East Patel Nagar, New Delhi, or online via secure video and voice call across India. Sessions run in English and Hindi.
If you are arranging follow-up care for yourself or someone you love, reach out by phone, WhatsApp, or the contact form, and mention that the appointment follows a crisis so the team understands the context. You can read about how clinical care works, or find answers to common questions on the FAQ page.