Mental Health, Addiction, Recovery, Crisis & Domestic Violence Resources

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or crisis, call 911 or your local emergency number, or call/visit one of the following:

US-based:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 988. Available 24/7.
Crisis Text Line – Text “HOME” to 741741 to get started. Available 24/7.
National Domestic Violence Hotline – 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Available 24/7.
Other Crisis Lines (includes some outside the US)

Outside the US:
International Suicide & Emergency Hotlines

Counseling, Organizations, and Helplines

• Crisis Text Line – Text “HOME” to 741741 | Crisis Text Line serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support via a medium people already use and trust: text.
• NAMI Helpline – 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) | A free, nationwide peer-support service providing information, resource referrals and support to people living with a mental health condition, their family members and caregivers, mental health providers, and the public.
• Domestic Violence Resources List | An extensive list of resources gathered by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), covering a wide variety of needs for survivors.
• Annuity.org – Financial Abuse | Financial abuse is a lesser known, but critical component that abusers use to exert control over their victims. It can range from denying a spouse access to money to using scams or disingenuous motives to steal money from a senior. Financial abuse is very serious, but there are ways for victims to escape and recover from these situations.
• Annuity.org – Financial Help for Recovering Addicts | People in recovery have unique hurdles to restoring or establishing financial independence. Getting their finances in order may even trigger a relapse. But approached properly, people in recovery can follow a few specific steps to achieve financial independence.
• Psychology Today | Multi-national directory of verified mental health professionals. Search by location, type of therapy, faith, specific topics, gender, and more. Also provides content written by clinicians, experts, and researchers from across the fields of behavior and psychology.
• Christian Care Connect | Find a Christian counselor or coach near you. Powered by the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC).
• Christian Counseling & Education Foundation (CCEF) | Provides mental health and counseling resources from a Christ-centered perspective, including a blog, videos, audio, books, and more.
• Celebrate Recovery | Find a local faith-based 12-Step group in your area that builds a safe community for all habits, hang-ups, and hurts, including a focus on Mental Health.
• AddictionResource.net | Trusted resources and relevant information for individuals and their families struggling with substance abuse or domestic violence.
• Addictions.com | National directory of treatment centers, therapy assistance, and free addiction resources, by state.
• Rehab Spot | National directory of drug rehabilitation centers, in-patient and out-patient, as well as other resources. Listed by state and territory.
• Parent’s Guide to Fentanyl | This comprehensive guide equips parents with valuable information, including tips, warning signs, and helpful videos/articles. It empowers parents to protect their children from the dangers of fentanyl and make informed decisions regarding substance use.
• Protecting Children From Online Drug Dealers | In the digital age, online drug dealing poses a significant threat. Our resource provides essential tools to safeguard children, including the “Emoji code” to identify online drug dealing, insights into the dark web, and online safety measures.

“… I also feel like virtual helps you bond. When everything around you is artificial, you have to lean a little harder on the real people.” – How Quini the Squid Misplaced His Klobučar by Rich Larson

Organizations Aimed at People of Color

• Southeast Detox | New for 2023, this guide features dozens of resources to help Black women rise and thrive.
• Live Another Day | Live Another Day believes in equal access to life-saving mental health and substance use resources. This website provides extensive information on the best resources available.
• Louisville Addiction Center | Being a parent is hard, and BIPOC parents face unique challenges. This guide features 32 resources for BIPOC parents.

Mental Health for Nerd Culture

• Games and Online Harassment Hotline | Text “SUPPORT” to 23368 to get started. A free, text message-based, confidential emotional support hotline, created specifically for the gaming community.
• Take This | The mission of Take This is to decrease stigma and increase the support for mental health in the game enthusiast community and inside the game industry. If you’ve ever been to PAX, you may have seen or even visited one of their AFK rooms. They provide an extensive list of mental health resources and tools, as well as videos, blog posts, articles, a searchable clinician database, live Twitch seminars, and more.
• Take This Community Discord | A digital space for the Take This community to meet, relax, help one another, and connect over a love of games.
• Game to Grow | 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the use of games of all kinds for therapeutic, educational, and community growth.
• Geek Therapeutics | Teaching clinicians, social workers, professionals, parents, teachers, students, geek culture fans, and pro gamers how to use Geek Therapy to unlock the best version of themselves and others. Offering a therapist locator, training, books, podcasts, and more.
• Guardians Mental Health | Focused on promoting mental health awareness and meaningful resources throughout the gaming community. They provide first step support with gathering resources, peer support, and where to find a mental health professional near you.
• Beginner’s Guide to Mental Health | Talking about mental health shouldn’t be difficult. Here’s a brief guide to getting the conversation started.
• Mental Health Reminders and Taking Breaks | It’s a stressful and uncertain time, and if you’re feeling upset or anxious, know you’re not alone. Here are a few things you can do when you feel overwhelmed.
• Stack Up | Combating veteran suicide through gaming and geek culture.
• CheckPoint |  Provides mental health resources for gamers and the gaming community.

“What is grief, if not love persevering?” – Vision, WandaVision Episode 8

How to Support Others

• How to Help Someone in Crisis | A mental health crisis can take many forms, but no matter what kind of crisis someone might be going through, you can help. Make sure to stay with your loved one while they’re at risk and do not hesitate to get them professional help.
• Ways to Support a Survivor of Relationship/Domestic Abuse | How to provide emotional and material support to a person who has experienced abuse or violence in ways that protect their safety and empower them to be able to focus on their own growth and processing.
• How to Work Well With Others (and Their Mental Health Issues) | How you can help yourself be the awesome person you are by compassionately helping other people do the same.
• How to Help a Loved One with a Mental Illness | Family support (biological family or chosen) is vital to recovery. Here are some ways to care for yourself and help your loved one, even when they lack the ability or willingness to seek help.

“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary.” –Fred Rogers

Apps & Games

• SuperBetter | SuperBetter is a game and a tool, created by game designers and backed by science, that gamifies personal growth and resilience in the face of any kind of illness, injury, or health goal. You can learn more on the FAQ.
• Peaceful Video Games: 5 Titles That Will Boost Your Mood | Video games aren’t a substitute for speaking to your doctor or another health professional if you are struggling, but they can be an additional tool to add more peace in your life.
• Woebot App (iOS & Android) | Friendly AI-powered chatbot that provides clinically-validated therapy to address mental health challenges.
• With Them: Frontlines | A game created to help veterans struggling with PTSD and to help civilians see what fighting abroad is truly like.

LTN Series | The 12 Steps through the Lens of Nerd Culture

• Inside Out & Stepping Out of Denial by Iris Cruz | Step 1 | Taking a look at the dangers of living in denial and how running from your pain and problems just creates more of both.
• The Fellowship of the Ring & Our Powerlessness Over Temptation by Iris Cruz | Step 1 | Admitting that if our willpower were enough, we’d never give in to temptation, and how important it is to rely on God and accountability partners to help carry our burdens.
• This is an ongoing series. More coming soon.

LTN Articles

• 3 Nerdy Tips for Boosting Your Mental Health by Kate Kadowaki | Games have so much to teach us, and the skills we’ve learned from our nerdy habits can work for us in our everyday lives by improving our mental health. During my studies with my master’s degree in applied psychology, this area was intriguing to me and sparked a curiosity to see how us nerds can use games to our advantage.
• Social Distancing and Death Stranding by Joey Thurmond | (This article was created during the pandemic, though many of its points still ring true.) For many introverts, quarantine life amid the coronavirus can feel normal. But Death Stranding reminds us to value both alone time and in-person fellowship.
• Gaming for Connection by Justin Gabriel | Our world may be more “connected” than ever, but we should invest in lasting social capital to help protect ourselves and the people around us from isolation.
• There is Life After This by Madeline Turnipseed | Despite what you’ve done, despite what’s been done to you, you can continue to live. You can be forgiven. You can find a new purpose.
• Vulnerability and Community in Heroes in Crisis by Joe George | The superheroes in Heroes in Crisis stand out because of their weakness and need rather than their power or strength.
• Games are Good: The Power of Play by Stephanie Campoverde | Stephanie was less than excited when she was prescribed some playtime by her counselor, but she’s found that play is one of the most important things a person can do.
• Guide to Post-Con Blues by April-Lyn Caouette | Not only should the average con-goer take at least a few days to rest, they should allow themselves to need it. I’m learning to let myself take the time I need to get back to normal.
• Embracing Your Inner Fanperson: An Interview with Kat Stec of MiscatSquad by Madeline Turnipseed | Madeline Turnipseed interviews Katya Stec of MiscatSquad about the power of games and fandom to help us grow as human beings and how her faith informs her work.
• Asking for Help in Heroes in Crisis by Jonathan Reedy | Heroes in Crisis suggests that if you truly want to be like a Superhero, start at your weakness and look forward.
• Is Gaming Disorder a Real Thing? by Patrick Gann | The World Health Organization (WHO) made waves earlier this year by including an entry for “Gaming Disorder” in their plans for the 11th International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). The fault line for the current debate does not seem to concern whether excessive gaming/screen time is a problem in our society—undeniably, it is. The question is whether said overuse can be categorized as a “disorder” in the technical sense of the word: an abnormal condition, something that disrupts one’s life, health, and well-being.
• STAY-ing Connected in a World of Digital Distractions by Stephanie Skiles | STAY serves as an all-too-important reminder of the necessity of “checking in.”
• How Playing D&D Can Make Us Better Christians by Jaclyn Parrish | Jaclyn Parrish examines how playing D&D and other tabletop RPGs can promote mental, social, and emotional wellness and biblically-laudable character.
• How to Lose Friends and Manipulate People in WandaVision Episode 4 by Chris Fogle | We all put up walls but WandaVision episode 4 reminds us that we need friends who will love us enough to help us face reality.
• Gaming, God, and Learning to Thrive with Autism by Jeff Jackson, Jr. | Jeff Jackson, Jr. reflects on how tabletop gaming and Christian community helped him learn how to thrive with autism after many years of feeling alone.
• The Weight of Worth: Body Issues and Dignity in Endgame by Lisa Eldred | Lisa Eldred weighs in on what Endgame gets right and wrong about Thor’s weight gain and its connection to his and our self-worth.
• Why Do Furries Matter? by Joey Thurmond | The furry fandom is far more than its stereotypes suggest with a diverse community rife with genuine love, humbling honesty, and deeply personal creativity.
• Why We Can’t Shake Crunch and How We Can Do Better by Michael Mendis | How should we respond when we hear that those who made the games we love were pressured into working hours than demean their dignity as human beings?
• Our Minds Haunt Us in The Haunting of Hill House by Joshua Morris | The Haunting of Hill House exposes the monster inside of each of us.
• Can We Talk about Video Game Addiction without Judgment, Please? by Drew Dixon | Before we rush to defend video games from the powers at be, lets strive to have an honest conversation about video game addiction fueled by love of our neighbors.
• When People Can’t Be Vulnerable: A Reflection on Revenge of the Sith by Andrea Racoti | Of course Anakin’s fall was inevitable and dramatic, but could permission to be vulnerable have saved him?
• Games That Brought Us Peace by the LTN Writers | The writers at Love Thy Nerd would like to share some socially distanced activities that brought them peace: video games!
• When Video Games Become Something More by Eric “Flapjack” Ashley | Video games are often scapegoats for social problems, but they help Eric cope with his depression and social anxiety.

LTN Podcasts

• Back Row Morning Show 479: The Blip & Relying on Others | Radio Matt & Mo use “The Blip” from Marvel as a jumping off point for the need of accountability and and a support team.
• Back Row Morning Show 478: Heroes in Crisis | Radio Matt & Mo use the comic series “Heroes in Crisis” and several Marvel properties to examine why sometimes professional therapy is necessary.
• Back Row Morning Show 477: Moon Knight’s Mental Health | Radio Matt & Mo use Disney+’s Moon Knight to discuss denial.
• Back Row Morning Show 441 – 443: Encanto & The Cracks in the Family Madrigal | Isabella & Luisa | Julietta, Pepa & Bruno | Abuela & Maribel | Radio Matt & Mo examine each main character from Encanto and examine what kinds of mental health issues they may be dealing with.
• Back Row Morning Show 412: Is Nostalgia Good for Us? | Radio Matt & Mo discuss the effect nostalgia can have on our mental health.
• Back Row Morning Show 385 – 387: Tieranie Albright & the Importance of Online Community | Meet Tieranie | Why Online Communities Are Important | Nerds Matter | Radio Matt & Mo interview LTN Community Manager Tieranie “Silver” Albright about what drew her to online communities and why they are so important today.
• Back Row Morning Show 377: How to Spot Unhealthy Gaming in Kids | Radio Matt & Mo discuss how gaming as kids (and adults too) can become counter-productive – even addictive – if left unchecked.
• Back Row Morning Show 360: Intentional Community | Radio Matt & Mo discuss one of LTN’s 3 pillars sparked by a story of it in action in one of Mo’s kid’s life.
• Back Row Morning Show 338: Celebrate Recovery – The Legacy of John Baker | Radio Matt & Mo honor the late founder of the CR program and share why Celebrate Recovery plays such a large role in their lives.
• Back Row Morning Show 293: Twitch & Human Connection | Radio Matt & Mo discuss the growing popularity of Twitch Live Streams as a means to connect with others (originally recorded during the Pandemic).
• Humans of Gaming 175: Mxiety and on the Tangled State of Mental Health | Drew and Chris host author and streamer Maria “Mxiety” Shanley as part of our series celebrating women in the game industry. M, as she likes to be called, tells an amazing story of her youth: being kidnapped by her mother to Russia, public panic attacks that ended one career and helped push her on the path to the one she wanted, and how the movie Tangled changed her life.
• Church Nerds 77: Top Gun Maverick | Bubba & Anna use the new Top Gun sequel to discuss the role of anger and resentment in our lives.
• Church Nerds 55: Burnout | Bubba & Anna take a look at burnout, rage quitting, and all phases of emotional struggle in the world of gaming.
• Church Nerds 46: Nostalgia and Tradition | Bubba & Anna discuss how nostalgia and traditions can be good and bad for us, depending on the situation.
• Church Nerds 34: Better Together | Bubba & Anna share why gaming – and life in general – is better with a balance of solitude and community.
• Church Nerds 14: Tech Addiction | Bubba & Anna discuss tech addiction and the idea of tech fasting.
• Bible Thump 90 – 92: What To Do with Your Anxiety | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Drew Dixon wraps up his series from 1 Peter with a deep dive on the topic of anxiety.
• Bible Thump 18: Redefining Self-Worth | Drew Dixon shares how we should see our own worth and where that worth should come from.
• The MoMent 4: Boundaries | Megan Oaks brings a quick devotional on establishing healthy boundaries.

LTN Videos

• Back Row Morning Show: Moon Knight, the MCU & Mental Health | Radio Matt & Mo use the MCU as a jumping off point to discuss several aspects of mental health.
• Back Row Morning Show: Encanto & the Cracks in the Family Madrigal | Radio Matt & Mo examine each main character of Disney’s Encanto and their individual mental health struggles.
• LTNcon 2020: Caring for the Mental Health of the Otaku | Guest Speaker Cecilia Rose shares about the Mental Health struggles in the Otaku community.
• LTNcon 2020: The Otaku Identity Crisis | Guest Speaker Cecilia Rose and guests further discuss the mental health crisis in the Otaku community.
• Interview with Katya Stec of MiscatSquad on Faith, Acceptance, and Fandom | Love Thy Nerd editor Madeline Turnipseed interviews Katya Stec of MiscatSquad about the power of games and fandom to help us grow as human beings and how her faith informs her work.

Disclaimer

The above list of resources is not a substitute for professional advice or counseling. We at Love Thy Nerd want to point you towards resources that can help you and your loved ones, but we do not endorse any particular site, treatment, therapy, or resource. We provide these links at our sole discretion but have not necessarily vetted or fully reviewed any particular resource. We assume no liability for the use of the information or resources on these sites and encourage you to use your own best judgment when reviewing these resources.

This resource was originally compiled by April-Lyn Caouette and Madeline Turnipseed and posted April 14, 2021. Additional Resources were compiled and added by Rachel Knight and Radio Matt. Last Updated May 16, 2023.