First aid
You are not alone! This page is here to help with urgent worries. Pick a topic below or try the quick calming tips and short videos if you feel overwhelmed or aren’t sure what fits.
Call 912 now
if you’re in immediate danger or badly hurt
Call or chat 918
You can also call or chat 918 (Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat 12:00-18:00) anonymously and for free for children, teens and young adults up to 25.
Chat 24/7 with 113
You don’t mind speaking English or Dutch? You can also chat 24/7 with 113 for suicide prevention.
Try now!
- Pause & breathe: tell yourself: “this feeling will pass.” Try breathing 4s in, hold for 4s sec and breathe out for 8s. Repeat 10X.
Cold reset: hold an ice cube or run put cold water on your face or body to calm your body. - Ground yourself 5-4-3-2-1: Name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste. Say it out loud.
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation: clench (completely) and then relax: hands → forearms → upper arms → shoulders → upper back → face → jaw → chest (gently) → belly → thighs → calves → feet
- Delay: tell yourself you will wait 10 minutes. Urges peak and then fade.
