Where to find help
It’s not always easy to seek help, let alone find the kind that works for us. Whatever kind of help you’re looking for – from crisis text lines to specialized support in your community, we’ve got you covered.
EARLY TREATMENT
The early stage of psychosis is when treatment provides the best chance for a full recovery. It is also a time when risks to health and wellbeing are highest, and the most dramatic declines to functioning kick in. Getting help in the very beginning offers a “smooth road” to recovery, helping to slow, stop and even reverse this decline.

How Early Treatment Leads To Recovery
Early psychosis treatment programs are built on the idea that treatment should be totally individualized. It’s a whole-person approach, focused on regaining function and improving symptoms by reaching for personal goals.
Programs are typically two years in length, taken outside of clinical settings (often meeting people at their homes or in the community).
With an emphasis on overall wellness, early treatment programs attempt to minimize high-side effect medications.
Early intervention treatment offers:
- Counseling for the whole family
- Individual talk therapy
- Lowest effective dose medication, where appropriate, and help managing them
- Assistance with school or work
- Brain training to address cognitive challenges
- Integrated substance abuse treatment, as needed
Check the map for a program near you, or you can find a downloadable list of programs here.
Following a long history of success overseas, early psychosis treatment is growing rapidly across the U.S., but unfortunately, many areas still lack services today. If there isn’t an early psychosis program in your area today, contact your nearest Early Treatment Center, even if it’s out of state. They may have referrals for nearby specialized counselors who may be able to help, even if not in a traditional program setting. Another good option is contacting your nearest university-based mental health care service and/or research labs.
If you’re looking for early psychosis treatment outside of the U.S., check this international listing.
GET HELP NOW
TEXT
- Crisis Text Line: Text “START” TO 741-741. Free, confidential, 24/7.
- Boys Town National Hotline: Text “VOICE” to 20121. Free for many carriers, 6PM to midnight CST, every day.
- Teen Line – teens helping teens: Text “TEEN” to 839863 between 5:30pm-9:30pm PST.
CHAT
- National Suicide Prevention Chat: 24/7.
- Boys Town National Hotline: Mon–Fri, 6PM to midnight CST.
TALK
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1‑800‑273‑TALK (8255), 24/7
- Ayuda en Español:1-888-628-9454.
- Boys Town National Hotline: 1-800-448-3000, 24/7.
- The Trevor Project: Support for LGTBQ youth 1-866-488-7386. Text and chat also available (see site).
- Teen Line – teens helping teens: (800) TLC-TEEN from 6pm to 10pm PST.
INTERNATIONAL & SPECIFIC ISSUES
GENERAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
Check these locator services for other kinds of support:
24/7 National Treatment Referral Routing Service: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance: Find A Pro
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Things that can help
Explore medication to meditation, and all the possibilities in between.