Autistic Realms isn’t able to provide professional or crisis support. If you’re finding things hard, please reach out to people and services who can support you with the care you need and deserve.
Many of the services below let you text, email or chat instead of calling. You don’t need to find the perfect words before you reach out, and you can tell a helpline that you’re Autistic and how you communicate best.
On this page: Urgent help · Talk to someone now · If phone calls are hard · LGBTQIA+ and trans support · Children and young people · Worried about someone else · Coping and self-care · Helplines around the world · Support near you · Neuro-affirming practitioners · Autistic-led community organisations
If your life or someone else’s is in danger now
Please call your emergency number:
- UK: 999
- Ireland: 999 or 112
- US and Canada: 911
- Australia: 000
- New Zealand: 111
- Elsewhere: your local emergency services.
If speaking on the phone is hard for you, see If phone calls are hard for text and BSL options.
If you need to talk to someone right away
These services are free, confidential and non-judgemental, and open 24 hours a day unless it says otherwise.
UK
- Samaritans: call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
- Shout: text SHOUT to 85258
- NHS urgent mental health support: in England and Wales, call 111 and choose option 2. In Scotland, call NHS 24 on 111.
- Papyrus HOPELINE247 (for anyone under 35 having thoughts of suicide): call 0800 068 4141 or text 88247
Ireland
- Samaritans Ireland: call 116 123
- Text About It: text HELLO to 50808
- Pieta (crisis support from therapists, for thoughts of suicide or self-harm): call 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444 (standard text rates)
United States
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, or chat online
- Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741, or HOLA for Spanish
Canada
- 988 Canada: call or text 988
Australia
- Lifeline: call 13 11 14, text 0477 13 11 14, or chat online
- 13YARN (by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people): call 13 92 76
New Zealand
- 1737, Need to Talk?: call or text 1737
If phone calls are hard
Lots of Autistic people find phone calls difficult, especially when overwhelmed, in shutdown, or when speech isn’t available. You still deserve support, and there are other ways in.
- Text services: Shout, Text About It, Pieta, Papyrus, 988, Crisis Text Line, Lifeline and 1737 all have text options listed above.
- Email: Samaritans reply to jo@samaritans.org. Replies aren’t instant, so please use a text or emergency service if you need help straight away.
- Texting 999 in the UK: the emergencySMS service lets you text 999, but you need to register first. Text the word register to 999 and follow the instructions. It’s worth doing now, before you ever need it.
- BSL in the UK: 999 BSL connects you to an interpreter for emergency calls through its app or website, and NHS 111 has a BSL video service.
Some things that can help when you reach out: you can write down what you want to say first, or copy and paste it into a text. You can start by saying you’re Autistic and how you communicate best, for example that you’d rather text, need more time to answer, or find yes or no questions easier. You can ask the person to slow down, take a break, or end the conversation whenever you need to.
LGBTQIA+ and trans support
Many Autistic people are also queer or trans. These services are run by and for LGBTQIA+ communities.
- UK: Switchboard: call 0800 0119 100, 10am to 10pm every day, or use their online chat or email
- Ireland: LGBT Ireland National Helpline: call 1800 929 539, Monday to Thursday 6.30pm to 10pm, Friday 4pm to 10pm, weekends 4pm to 6pm, with online chat at the same times
- US: The Trevor Project (for LGBTQ+ young people): call 1-866-488-7386 or text 678-678
- US and Canada: Trans Lifeline (peer support by and for trans people): call 877-565-8860 in the US or 877-330-6366 in Canada
Children and young people
- UK: Childline (up to age 19): call 0800 1111 or chat online
- Ireland: Childline (up to age 18): call 1800 66 66 66 or text 50101
- UK, under 35: Papyrus HOPELINE247, listed above
If you’re worried about someone else
You can contact many of these services on behalf of someone you care about, including Samaritans, NHS 111 option 2, Pieta and Papyrus. If someone is in immediate danger, call your emergency number.
Coping and self-care
The Stimpunks Field Guide has neurodivergent-friendly ideas for regulation, coping and looking after yourself, including a printable coping card and a guide to safety planning.
Helplines around the world
Find A Helpline lets you search free helplines by country and topic.
Stimpunks keeps a list of international crisis hotlines and helplines.
Finding support near you (UK)
Hub of Hope, from the charity Chasing the Stigma, is a free directory of local, national, peer, community, charity and NHS mental health services. Search by your location and what you need.
Finding a neuro-affirming practitioner
Neurodivergent Practitioners, Thriving Autistic‘s neuro-affirming sister organisation, has a global directory of neurodivergent practitioners.
Autistic-led community organisations
These groups are run by and for Autistic and neurodivergent people. They offer community, advocacy and peer connection rather than crisis support, and many are small and volunteer-run, so replies can take time. For a longer list, see Nothing About Us Without Us: Autistic-Led Organisations, Charities and Social Media to Follow.
Australia and New Zealand
- Autistic Self Advocacy Network Australia and New Zealand (ASAN AUNZ)
Run by Autistic people, focusing on systemic advocacy.
Website: asan-aunz.org
Canada
- Autistics for Autistics Ontario (A4A)
A self-advocacy organisation led by Autistic adults.
Website: a4aontario.com - Neurodivergent Infinity Network of Educators
Contact: Karen Ann Timm, neurodivergentinfinity@gmail.com - London Autistics Standing Together (LAST)
Contact: Anne Lessnerkraus, londonautistics@gmail.com - Neurodivergent and Disability Alliance (Newfoundland and Labrador)
Location: St. John’s
Contact: Andrew Michael Dixon, e22amd@mun.ca
Europe
- European Council of Autistic People (EUCAP)
An umbrella organisation of European groups and organisations run by and for Autistic people.
Website: eucap.eu
Ireland
- AsIAm Ireland
Run by a neurodiverse team for Autistic people and their families.
Website: asiam.ie - NeuroPride Ireland
Run by and for neurodivergent people.
Website: beacons.ai/neuroprideireland
Mexico
- Autistas de México
Contact: Yadira García Rojas, autistasdemexicoac@gmail.com - Aü Comunidad Autista A.C.
Contact: Adriana Moncada (President), adriana.moncada@comunidadautista.org
Portugal
- Associação Portuguesa Voz do Autista (Aveiro)
Contact: Sara Rocha, geral@vozdoautista.pt
Scotland
- AMASE (Autistic Mutual Aid Society Edinburgh)
Run by and for Autistic people in Edinburgh and surrounding areas.
Website: amase.org.uk - ARGH (Autistic Rights Group Highland)
Based in the Scottish Highlands, working for Autistic rights and inclusion.
Website: arghighland.co.uk - AVATAR (Autistic Voice Advocacy, Training And Rights), Borders region
Website: avatar-borders.co.uk - Scottish Ethnic Minority Autistics (SEMA)
Run by and for Autistic Ethnic Minority people.
Website: sema.scot
United Kingdom
- Autistic Inclusive Meets
Run by and for Autistic people and families.
Website: autisticinclusivemeets.org - Autistic Parents UK
Run by and for Autistic parents.
Website: autisticparentsuk.org - Autistic UK
Representing Autistic people in the UK.
Website: autisticuk.org
United States
- Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
A national grassroots disability rights organisation run by and for Autistic people.
Website: autisticadvocacy.org
Find state-level groups: ASAN Affiliate Groups
Last checked October 2026. Numbers and opening hours may change, so please check each service’s website as well. If you spot a broken link or a number that has changed, please let me know. Best wishes, Helen