Samaritans is a nonprofit organization that provides emotional support to people experiencing distress, loneliness, emotional difficulty, or suicidal thoughts. Founded in the United Kingdom, the organization is widely known for providing confidential, nonjudgmental listening services to people who need someone to talk to.
Samaritans operates through a network of local branches and trained volunteers. People can contact the organization for emotional support without needing a diagnosis, referral, or specific reason for reaching out. Support is designed to give individuals a safe space to discuss difficult thoughts, feelings, experiences, and circumstances without judgment or pressure.
The Samaritans website also provides extensive information about emotional wellbeing, suicidal thoughts, self harm, loneliness, grief, supporting another person, and recognizing when someone may be struggling. Resources are available for individuals, families, workplaces, schools, healthcare professionals, researchers, and community organizations.
In addition to direct emotional support, Samaritans works on suicide prevention through research, public policy, education, partnerships, and awareness campaigns. The organization also provides guidance for responsible media coverage of suicide and resources designed to help organizations develop safer approaches to discussing suicide and self harm.
For the Resistance Directory, Samaritans is an important mental health and crisis support resource, particularly for people in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Visitors outside these areas should check the website’s guidance for finding appropriate emotional support services in their own country.
Key Features
- Provides confidential emotional support from trained volunteers.
- Offers support for people experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional distress.
- Provides information about self harm, grief, loneliness, and mental wellbeing.
- Offers resources for helping friends, family members, and other people who may be struggling.
- Conducts research and advocacy related to suicide prevention.
- Provides suicide prevention resources for workplaces, schools, and community organizations.
- Offers guidance for journalists and media organizations covering suicide and self harm.
- Maintains a network of local Samaritans branches and volunteers.
Best For
People seeking confidential emotional support, individuals concerned about someone they know, families, educators, community organizations, healthcare professionals, journalists, employers, researchers, and suicide prevention advocates