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If you are in need of immediate help, call 9-1-1.

Crisis Line

1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or 9-8-8

​Call 1-800-784-2433 or dial 9-8-8 if you are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including thoughts of suicide

310 Mental Health Support

310-6789 (NO AREA CODE)

Call for emotional support, information and resources specific to mental health.

Opioid Treatment Access Line

1-833-804-8111

Call for same-day opioid addiction support.

KUU-US Crisis Response Service

1-800-588-8717

Call for culturally-aware crisis support for Indigenous peoples in B.C.

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    • Healthy Living
      • Eating Well
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      • Self-Esteem
      • Loneliness
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    Youth Resilience

    Fostering resilience in the young people we care about is crucial for their overall wellbeing. By modelling resilience ourselves and by teaching it as a skill, we can help give young people the tools they need to meet challenges.

    Learn more
  • Mental health
    • Anxiety
      • What to Do About Anxiety
      • Panic Attacks
      • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
    • Depression
      • Symptoms of Depression
      • What to Do About Depression
    • Stress
      • Symptoms of Stress
      • Managing Stress
    • Seeking Help
      • Families Supporting Youth
      • Youth Supporting Themselves
      • Multi-Language Services in BC
    • Self-Harm
    • Suicide
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    Man looks out window pensively

    Anxiety, Stress, Depression. Understand the differences.

    Anxiety, depression, and stress are three common mental health concerns that can deeply impact our daily lives. But sometimes, when you’re not feeling well, it can be hard to figure out exactly why.

    Learn more
  • Substance use
    • Types of Substance Use
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      • Addiction and Health
      • Treatment and Recovery
    • Harm Reduction
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      • Respond to an Overdose
      • Naloxone
      • Drug Checking
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    Opioid Treatment Access Line: phone number 1-833-804-8111

    Get same-day support

    The Opioid Treatment Access Line makes it faster and easier to access life-saving medication with same-day support.

    Learn more
  • Articles

Main navigation

  • Wellbeing
    • Healthy Living
      • Eating Well
      • Staying Active
      • Sleep Habits
      • Mindfulness
    • Emotional
      • Resilience
      • Self-Esteem
      • Loneliness
    • Social
      • Stigma
      • Family
    Image
    young person talking to a group

    Youth Resilience

    Fostering resilience in the young people we care about is crucial for their overall wellbeing. By modelling resilience ourselves and by teaching it as a skill, we can help give young people the tools they need to meet challenges.

    Learn more
  • Mental health
    • Anxiety
      • What to Do About Anxiety
      • Panic Attacks
      • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
    • Depression
      • Symptoms of Depression
      • What to Do About Depression
    • Stress
      • Symptoms of Stress
      • Managing Stress
    • Self-Harm
    • Suicide
    • Seeking Help
      • Families Supporting Youth
      • Youth Supporting Themselves
      • Multi-Language Services in BC
    Image
    Man looks out window pensively

    Anxiety, Stress, Depression. Understand the differences.

    Anxiety, depression, and stress are three common mental health concerns that can deeply impact our daily lives. But sometimes, when you’re not feeling well, it can be hard to figure out exactly why.

    Learn more
  • Substance use
    • Types of Substance Use
      • Alcohol
      • Opioids
      • Stimulants
    • Addiction
      • Addiction and Health
      • Treatment and Recovery
    • Harm Reduction
      • Overdose Prevention
      • Respond to an Overdose
      • Naloxone
      • Drug Checking
    Image
    Opioid Treatment Access Line: phone number 1-833-804-8111

    Get same-day support

    The Opioid Treatment Access Line makes it faster and easier to access life-saving medication with same-day support.

    Learn more
  • Articles

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Mental Health and Substance Use Care in BC

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Finding Supports

When you’re looking for support, it can feel overwhelming.

When is the right time to ask for help? Who should you talk to and what should you say? What kinds of services are available? Where do you start?

There’s no wrong time or place to ask for help, and there are even services designed to help you find what you’re looking for.

If you need help right now, there are supports available 24/7:

  • HealthLinkBC.ca or call 8-1-1 to find services
  • Mental Health Crisis Line: 310-6789 (no area code needed)
  • Drug and Alcohol Information Referral Line: 1-800-663-1441
  • First Nations and Metis KUU-US Crisis Line: 1-800-588-8717
  • BC211.ca or 2-1-1 (call or text) for BC-wide social supports
  • Opioid Treatment Access Line at 1-833-804-8111

It's important to know that BC is experiencing a toxic drug crisis. Learn about ways to stay safer if you use drugs.

When you need it. And if you’re asking yourself this question, the answer may be ‘now’—after all, finding supports before you really need them is a great way to ensure your ongoing wellbeing. This website can help you locate services that can help keep you mentally and physically healthy through times of stress and respond to difficulties in your life with resilience.

If that doesn’t sound like a clear answer to the question, try this: if you think the way you’re feeling or the things you’re doing are changing your life in ways you don’t like—impacting your relationships, disrupting your work or school life, or lessening your enjoyment of life—it may be time to seek support.

There are also tools like the Mental Health Check In that can help you reflect on your mental, physical and social well-being. Families may also want to learn more about how to support their youth, or how youth can support themselves.

There are many ways to find to support in BC. For some people, a direct conversation might be the easiest way to get started—you can visit a clinic near you or contact a healthcare provider virtually, or speak to a family doctor if you have one.

Or you might prefer to call a service navigator to advise you on supports. The operators at 8-1-1 can help find the right services or suggest who you should talk to next.

If you’d rather do some research on your own, you can use our guided search  to find supports near you.

Describing how we’re feeling can be difficult at the best of times, and if you’re already not feeling your best, it can feel even harder. If you’re speaking to a healthcare professional or a peer support professional, you can work through the details with them directly—only you know how you feel, even if it’s hard to talk about.

If you’re using our Search function or doing some research online, here are some commonly searched terms you may want to look into.

  • Anxiety
    • Everyone feels worried or nervous from time to time, but if you’re having consistent, upsetting worries that interfere with your day-to-day life, you may want to speak to someone about anxiety. Learn more here.
  • Depression
    • If you feel consistently unhappy, tired, hopeless or withdrawn, especially when there isn’t an obvious cause, you may be experiencing depression. Medical professionals can help. Learn more here.
  • Stress
    • We all experience and respond to stress in different ways. If your stress feels unmanageable, there are supports and services to help. Learn more here.
  • Substance use concerns
    • People have used substances, including alcohol, cannabis, stimulants like caffeine, opiates and other drugs, for many thousands of years. If you find that your substance use is impacting your life negatively, it may be time to seek support. Learn more here.

There are many other specific situations and conditions you may be looking for help with. Talking with a professional, like a doctor at a clinic or an 8-1-1 operator, may help.

The kinds of services that are available depend on the kind of thing you’re seeking support with. For concerns about mental health or substance use, you might want to connect with a health professional, peer support worker, support groups or individual or group counselling.  Telephone helplines can also support you for more immediate concerns, or provide advice about what to do next.

Resources

Showing 6 Resources

Vancouver Coastal Health Virtual Health Care

Use Zoom to video conference with your health care provider in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.

Learn More

Island Health Virtual Care

Learn more about virtual health services available thorugh Island Health.

Learn More

Fraser Health Virtual Care

Fraser Health Virtual Health helps you connect with a health practicioner quickly online or over the phone. 

Learn More

Interior Health Telehealth Services

Using telehealth, patients can see and talk to a health care provider over a secure and private network.

Learn More

Northern Health Teleheath Services

Learn about telehealth in Northern Health and how it might help you connect to health care online. 

Learn More
Available B.C. wide

First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day

Free access to primary and mental health care closer to home for First Nations people who have limited or no access to doctors. 

Learn More
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Emergency Contact Information

Call 9-1-1 if you are in an emergency. For mental health support, call:

Crisis Line

Call 1-800-784-2433 or dial 9-8-8 if you are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including thoughts of suicide

Mental Health Support Line

310-6789 (no area code needed)

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Emergency Contacts

Crisis Line

1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or 9-8-8

Mental Health Support

310-6789