Human support
Connect with a person
When you are ready to talk to someone, this is how human support will work. Reaching out is always your choice, and you decide how much to share.
How it will work
Nobody is pushed through these steps. You can stop after any one of them.
You tell us how to reach you
Just a contact method and a language. No account or password. A name, age band, state or anything else is optional.
A trained person looks at your request
A person, not a program, reads it and decides who is best placed to help. SAATHI does not diagnose and does not use automated scoring to decide how urgent you are.
You are matched with a verified service
This might be a counsellor, a school or college counsellor, a District Mental Health Programme team, a One Stop Centre, or an NGO that has passed our checks. You can ask for a woman counsellor.
They contact you the way you asked
On WhatsApp, a call, SMS or email, at the times you said are safe. If you said others use your phone, they will keep messages discreet.
You decide what happens next
You can pause, change who you talk to, or stop at any time.
You can stay anonymous
You never need to tell us who you are. Use any name you like: Doraemon, Chhota Bheem, Silvermist, Spider-Man, or your favourite character. No real name, no account, no password.
Reading and exploring SAATHI is completely private. Nothing you read, search or choose is stored.
If you ask for someone to contact you, only the counsellor who helps you sees what you chose to share, and only to reach you. SAATHI never sells your details, never shows them to advertisers, and never tells your family, school or employer.
You can ask us to delete your request at any time. See privacy.
The limits of confidentiality, in plain words
Counselling is private, but nobody can honestly promise secrecy about everything. A counsellor may need to involve other people if:
- you or someone else is in serious, immediate danger, for example, you are at risk of ending your life or of being seriously hurt;
- a child may be being abused or harmed. Under the POCSO Act 2012, anyone who knows of sexual abuse of a person under 18 must report it, and the counsellor will tell you if they have to;
- a court or the law requires information to be shared.
If this applies, they will tell you first where it is safe to do so, and share only what is needed.
Ask for someone to contact you
Online requests are opening district by district. If they are not open where you live yet, your request will not be sent. You can reach a trained counsellor today on Tele-MANAS, 14416.
Talk to someone today
Online requests are not open in your area yet, so your request was not sent. Your details have been cleared from this page.
If you need to talk to someone today, these services are free and real:
- 112Emergency Response Support System Police, fire and ambulance. Call if someone is in immediate danger.
- 14416Tele-MANAS Free national mental health support, 24 hours, in many Indian languages. Also 1-800-891-4416.
- 181Women Helpline Support and referral for women facing violence, 24 hours.
- 1098Childline For children in need of care and protection, or adults worried about a child.
- 14567Elderline National helpline for senior citizens.