Quick answer
Make a clear, bounded request while leaving room for an honest answer.
- Start with: Choose the right person
- Finish with: Agree what happens next
- Pause if: Specific requests are easier to answer
Primary sources for this guide: World Health Organization mental health guidance; Befrienders Worldwide support directory. Check the source that applies to your location and situation before acting.
Know when to escalate: If the situation involves immediate danger, suspected crime, serious health symptoms or a deadline with major legal or financial consequences, contact the appropriate local emergency service, official body or qualified professional.
A step-by-step plan
Choose the right person
Choose a person with the relevant ability, relationship and capacity. One suitable request is kinder than broadcasting private details widely.
Say what is happening in plain language
Describe the immediate situation and its effect in a few plain sentences. Share only the context needed to understand the request.
Ask for one specific form of help
Ask for a defined action, time or type of support. A bounded request lets the other person answer honestly.
If you need words for a specific, bounded request, use the Help Request Builder.
Agree what happens next
Confirm what they can do, when you will reconnect and what alternative you will use if they cannot help.
If support may be needed more than once, record contacts and next steps with How to Make a Personal Support Plan.
Common mistakes and warning signs
Use these checks as reasons to slow down and verify the situation. One warning sign alone does not settle every case.
- Specific requests are easier to answer
- A no is information, not rejection
- Urgent danger needs emergency support
Progress checkpoints
| Checkpoint | What you should have |
|---|---|
| Before acting | Choose the right person |
| Before finishing | Agree what happens next |
| Reason to pause | Specific requests are easier to answer |
Final checklist
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Sources and further verification
Rules and official processes vary by country and can change. Use the responsible organization for your location and situation. These starting points may cover a different jurisdiction.
Help.You editors structured this page around the task sequence, reviewed it for avoidable risk and checked that its claims stay within general informational scope. Read our content process.