Need help now?

Start by picking an adult you trust. It could be a parent, whānau member, someone from school or a health professional like your doctor. Or you can try a helpline like Youthline or Lifeline that have trained professionals ready to listen. Part of the job of a doctor, nurse, counsellor and many other adults is to help young people who are feeling down, stressed, suicidal or just worried about what’s going on.

Sometimes it’s hard to ask for help and it can be difficult to know what to say. You could try saying something like “I want some help because of how I’m feeling”, “I’m feeling really bad and I don’t know what to do”, “I’ve been feeling suicidal” or “I think I am depressed/ stressed/ anxious and I need some help”. You could even give them your quiz results from the online mood quiz. Some people like to take someone with them or to write down what they are worried about before seeing a professional.

Remember, anything you say to a doctor or counsellor is confidential. This means they can’t tell other people what you’ve said unless they are really worried about your safety.

Try again. Try asking more clearly, or ask someone else for help. There are lots of different people who can help, so don’t give up.

Maybe try a different approach – if you tried your doctor, speak to a family member. Or if that didn’t work, try calling one of the helplines below. It is important that you know that what you are experiencing happens to lots of people and that it’s normal to ask for help.