It is important to reach out when you are having trouble coping with the emotional stressors related to your illness, or other social circumstances that can complicate your continued care. Your healthcare team can play an important part in helping you maintain healthy coping skills.
Connect with 2-1-1
Contact 2-1-1 by telephone or online (confidential chat service) for more information and/or referrals to accessible counselling resources in your home community. You can also ask your social worker to assist you in locating resources in your community to support your emotional health and wellbeing.
Mental Health Help Line • 1-877-303-2624
The Mental Health Help Line provides toll-free 24/7 telephone service, which offers help with mental health concerns for Albertans. You can reach the Mental Health Help Line by calling 1-877-303-2624. This service is confidential and anonymous, and may provide information about programs and services aimed at supporting your mental health and wellbeing, as well as referrals to other agencies if needed.
Indigenous Persons
The Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate help to all Indigenous peoples across Canada. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to offer supportive counselling and crisis intervention. If you are experiencing distress and want to talk to, you can call the toll-free Help Line at 1-855-242-3310 or use the online chat service to connect with an experienced and culturally competent Help Line counsellor.
Drop-In and Short-Term Counselling
If you are experiencing emotional grief or require counselling due to your life circumstances and experiences, ask your social worker for assistance in locating the most appropriate resources or programs available to you in your home community. You can also refer to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) list of resources
Help Right Now • Distress Line
Reaching out for help is an important step. If you are feeling overwhelmed, talk to someone you trust about how you feel. For additional support right now, contact:
- Distress Line | Calgary (403) 266-4357
- Distress Line | Edmonton (780) 482-4357
- Distress Line | Southwestern Alberta (403) 327-7905
- Rural Distress Line 1 (800) 232-7288
- Kids Help Phone 1 (800) 668-6868
- Alberta Mental Health Helpline 1 (877) 303-2624
Access 24/7 Adult Intake Services • Edmonton Region
If you are located in the Edmonton region, you are able to access help 24/7 for a range of urgent and non-urgent mental health and addictions services. Provides a single point of access to adult addiction and mental health community based programs.
Access 24 / 7 provides a range of urgent and non-urgent addiction and mental health services including service navigation, screening, assessment, referral, consultation, crisis intervention, outreach and short term stabilization.
Phone intake through the access line and walk-in referrals are preferred. Outreach services are arranged when required. Professional referrals accepted but not required.
Trans Persons
Trans Lifeline is a 24/7 peer-support hotline available in Canada, staffed by trans people with lived experience. Trans Lifeline is primarily for trans persons in crisis. They provide support for those struggling with gender identity and thoughts of self-harm. Crisis support is available 24/7, counselling hours are subject to volunteer availability.
Call 1-877-330-6366 to connect with Trans Lifeline (Canada).
References:
The information on this page was adapted (with permission) from the references below, by the Cirrhosis Care Alberta project team (physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, registered dietitians, physiotherapists, pharmacists, and patient advisors).
This information is not intended to replace advice from your healthcare team. They know your medical situation best. Always follow your healthcare team’s advice.
References: