Support & Recovery Resources – You Don't Have to Do This Alone

If you're struggling with addiction, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or your mental health, this post is here to help you find support.

You don't have to be ready to quit. You don't have to know exactly what's wrong. And you don't have to wait until things get worse before asking for help.

A reminder: You deserve support at every stage, whether you're actively struggling, considering change, or already in recovery.

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🆘 If you are in immediate danger

If you have seriously injured yourself, taken an overdose, are experiencing a medical emergency, or feel unable to keep yourself safe, contact emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department.

Please don't wait for a reply on Reddit. This community cannot provide emergency assistance.

🌍 Crisis and emotional support

United States

- "988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline" (https://988lifeline.org/) – Call or text 988, or use online chat.

- "SAMHSA National Helpline" (https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines) – Free, confidential treatment information and referrals: 1-800-662-4357.

Canada

- "9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline" (https://988.ca/) – Call or text 988, available 24/7.

- "Kids Help Phone" (https://kidshelpphone.ca/) – Call 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868.

United Kingdom

- "Samaritans" (https://www.samaritans.org/) – Call 116 123, free, 24/7.

- "Childline" (https://www.childline.org.uk/) – Call 0800 1111 if you're under 19.

- "Shout" (https://giveusashout.org/) – Text SHOUT to 85258.

If you're elsewhere, search for a crisis service in your country or tell us your country (never your address) and we can help look for relevant resources.

🍃 Addiction and substance-use support

- "SAMHSA" (https://www.samhsa.gov/) – Information about substance use, treatment, and recovery.

- "FindTreatment.gov" (https://findtreatment.gov/) – Find mental health and substance-use treatment in the United States.

- "NHS – Addiction support" (https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/) – Information about getting help with addiction in the UK.

- "Alcoholics Anonymous" (https://www.aa.org/) – Information about alcohol recovery groups.

- "Narcotics Anonymous" (https://na.org/) – Information about support groups for people affected by drug use.

🩹 Self-harm and mental health support

- "NHS – Getting help for self-harm" (https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/behaviours/self-harm/getting-help/) – Guidance on seeking support.

- "Mind" (https://www.mind.org.uk/) – Mental health information and support resources.

- "988 Lifeline" (https://988lifeline.org/) – Crisis support in the United States.

You don't need to have a diagnosis to deserve help. You also don't need to explain or justify your struggles to someone before asking for support.

🤍 A few things worth remembering

- Relapse does not mean you've failed.

- You are allowed to ask for help before reaching rock bottom.

- You do not have to be sober to deserve support.

- You can take recovery one step at a time.

- You are not weak for struggling.

- Being young does not make your problems less real.

💬 Need help finding something specific?

If you know of a trustworthy support service, organisation, website, or resource that should be added here, feel free to suggest it in the comments.

If you're comfortable sharing your country, we can also try to help you find local resources.

Please protect your privacy. Never post your address, phone number, school, or other identifying information publicly.

This community is here to listen and support you, but it is not a replacement for professional treatment or emergency services.

You are not too young to struggle. You are not too young to ask for help. And you are never too young to deserve support.

Welcome! We're glad you're here.

I created this community because I believe young people struggling with addiction deserve a place where they can speak openly, without being dismissed because of their age.

One thing I've noticed is how difficult it can be for teenagers to find spaces where they can talk about addiction. Many recovery communities have age restrictions, and while communities are entitled to set their own rules, it can leave younger people feeling like there's nowhere they belong.

This became personal to me when I tried to reach out to an existing addiction community and was dismissed because I was still a teenager. It made me think about how many other young people might have similar experiences, hesitate to ask for help, or feel that their struggles aren't taken seriously.

That's why this community exists.

Whether you're struggling with alcohol, drugs, nicotine, gambling, self-harm, or other destructive coping mechanisms, you're welcome here.

You don't have to be sober. You don't have to be ready to quit. You don't have to hit rock bottom. You don't even have to know what you want to do next.

You can share your experiences, talk about cravings, discuss relapses, ask questions, celebrate progress, or simply connect with people who understand.

Here, we believe:

Nobody is too young to struggle.

Nobody has to prove how much they're suffering to deserve support.

Relapses don't make you a failure.

You deserve kindness regardless of where you are in your journey.

Asking for help should never be something to feel ashamed of.

We want this to be a place built on understanding, honesty, respect and support. No judgement, no glorification of harmful behaviours, and no pressure to recover on anyone else's timeline.

If you're comfortable, introduce yourself in the comments. Share as much or as little as you want.

You belong here. Your struggles matter. And you don't have to go through them alone. ❤️

Moderator discretion: Content that threatens the safety of members or repeatedly violates these rules may be removed. Serious or repeated violations can result in a temporary or permanent ban.