Psychotherapy can be an powerful tool, but it isn’t your only option. Incorporating other treatment modalities or opting for a different approach altogether may be more effective for your indidivudal needs.

Mental health conditions, even when they’re temporary, can affect every area of your life.

This guide is intended to help you find the resources you need to restore your mental and physical well-being.

If you have medical insurance, you might find it helpful to contact your insurer. They can help you locate an in-network healthcare professional who can prescribe medications as part of your treatment plan.

If that’s not an option, you may want to search using a database operated by a reliable mental health organization:

  • American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatrists (AACAP): AACAP’s Find a Physician database allows you to search by city, state, province, and zip code to locate a psychiatrist for a child or adolescent.
  • American Psychiatric Association (APA): APA’s Find a Psychiatrist database allows you to tailor your search to include the general demographic the psychiatrist serves and whether they accept insurance payments.
  • American Society of Hispanic Psychiatry (ASHP): ASHP maintains a list of affiliated Hispanic providers in 20 states, plus Mexico City and Puerto Rico.
  • Black Mental Health Alliance: This nonprofit can help you locate a Black psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse in your area. Complete a brief, confidential questionnaire to get started.
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): NAMI has affiliate organizations in every state. Click on your state to find an affiliate near you and search for psychiatrists in your state.
  • Online provider locators: Healthline’s FindCare tool and services like HelpPRO can help you locate mental health professionals in your area.

If you’ve been prescribed medication for a mental health condition and you want to learn more about side effects, drug interactions, or warnings, you can find lots of information using these resources:

  • DailyMed: Maintained by the National Library of Medicine, this searchable database has up-to-date information on thousands of drugs approved or regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
  • FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS): This webpageTrusted Source includes quarterly reports about emerging risks and potential safety concerns.
  • MedlinePlus: Maintained by the National Library of Medicine, this searchable database has up-to-date information on thousands of drugs, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies.

Sometimes, people experiencing a mental health crisis can benefit from a short stay in a hospital or residential treatment facility.

Some facilities offer partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient programs that allow you to return home at night.

If you have medical insurance and it includes mental health coverage, contact your insurer to confirm whether the type of treatment is covered, what facilities are in your plan’s network, and what your out-of-pocket costs may be.

Most facilities have a specific treatment focus, such as eating disorders, complex psychiatric disorders, or substance use disorders. You might find it helpful to start your search using these resources:

  • Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA): ADAA has compiled a list of residential treatment centers that you can use as a starting point in your search.
  • American Residential Treatment Association (ARTA): ARTA maintains a database of 28 member facilities that can be filtered by state and program type.
  • International OCD Foundation (IOCDF): IOCDF’s Find Help tool allows you to locate in-person and virtual treatment providers nationwide that meet specific criteria, such as treatment strategy and clinic type.
  • National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA): NEDA maintains a directory of in-person and virtual treatment providers nationwide.
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): SAMHSA’s Find Treatment tool allows you to locate facilities nationwide that meet specific criteria, such as type of care and approach.

It’s widely understood that eating a balanced diet, developing a regular movement practice, and getting high quality sleep on a routine basis can benefit your overall health and well-being.

A growing body of research showsTrusted Source that mind-body interventions can have a particular benefit to your mental health. Common examples include:

  • art therapy
  • creative writing
  • dance therapy
  • deep-breathing exercises
  • meditation
  • music therapy
  • tai chi
  • yoga

These organizations can help you find specialized therapy provided by accredited professionals in your area:

Support groups can be a vital source of peer support, an adjunct to treatment, and a way for family members and loved ones to learn about mental health conditions and provide support.

You might find it helpful to start your search using these resources:

If other treatments haven’t delivered the results you need, your healthcare professional may recommend that you participate in a clinical trial of a new therapy.

If you’d like to participate in a study, you can begin by contacting nearby research hospitals and universities to see if any relevant projects need volunteers.

You can also reach out through these trusted organizations to see if you qualify:

  • National Library of Medicine: You can search for new and upcoming studies by entering a condition, treatment, or other keyword and filter the results by phase, type, and other criteria.
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center: NIH’s Search the Studies tool allows you to enter a diagnosis and filter by the center running it. Most studies are conducted in person in Bethesda, Maryland.
  • Research Match: This program funded by the NIH can pair you with studies based on your volunteer profile.

If you’re comfortable interacting with law enforcement, start by calling 911 or your local emergency services.

If you’re concerned about police intervention and don’t feel safe calling 911, check out the Don’t Call the Police directory to see what’s nearby. A community-based alternative may be better suited to your needs.

Some people find it helpful to contact a hotline in times of crisis. Hotlines typically provide time-sensitive support or recommendations for relevant local resources:

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call 988 (TTY: 711 then 988), text 988, or start an online chat to speak with a trained counselor.
  • BlackLine: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color can call or text 800-604-5841 for peer-to-peer support.
  • Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741, send a message to 1-443-787-7678 on WhatsApp, or start an online chat to speak with a trained counselor.
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 800-799-7233 (TTY: 800-787-3224), text START to 88788, or start an online chat to speak with a trained advocate.
  • National Sexual Assault Hotline: Call 800-656-4673 or start an online chat in English or Spanish to speak with a trained support specialist.
  • The Trevor Project: Young people in LGBTQIA+ communities can call 866-488-7386, text START to 678678, or start an online chat to speak with a trained counselor.
  • Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 then press 1, text 838255, or start an online chat to speak with a trained responder.

If you need help finding non-urgent information or just want to talk with someone, a peer-led “warmline” may be better suited to your needs:

  • NAMI HelpLine: Adults can call 800-950-6264, text HELPLINE to 62640, or email helpline@nami.org to speak with a HelpLine specialist.
  • NAMI Teen & Young Adult HelpLine: Young people can call 800-950-6264, text FRIEND to 62640, or email helpline@nami.org to speak with a HelpLine specialist.
  • StrongHearts Native Helpline: Native Americans and Alaska Natives can call or text 844-762-8483 to speak with a trained domestic and sexual violence advocate. You can also start an online chat by clicking the message bubble at the bottom right of your screen.
  • Teen Line: Teenagers can call 800-852-8336, text TEEN to 839863, submit an online form to connect via email, or post on the message board to speak with trained listeners who attend high school in Los Angeles.
  • The Trevor Project: People between the ages of 13 and 24 can sign up for TrevorSpace, an online social network for LGBTQIA+ communities worldwide.
  • Trans Lifeline: People who are transgender, nonbinary, or questioning can call 877-565-8860 to speak with a trained operator who shares in this lived experience.

If you don’t have adequate insurance through your employer, a private policy, or a family member, there are other ways to help finance the mental healthcare you need.

Many people qualify for government-funded health insurance programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare eligibility is usually determined by age or medical history, while Medicaid eligibility is based on income.

If you have questions about eligibility or enrollment, your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) can provide free, one-on-one assistance. Call 877-839-2675 to find a SHIP near you.

Regardless of whether you’re insured, you can access free or lower cost care at clinics funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Use HRSA’s Find a Health Center tool to find a clinic near you.

The following resources can help you find free or reduced-cost prescription medications:

For additional support, you might find it helpful to connect with the Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF). PAF offers free case management, direct financial assistance through the Co-Pay Relief Program, small grants for non-medical expenses, and more.

Enter your zip code into the Find Help search tool to identify an even broader network of social services near you.

Improving your mental health and overall well-being is an ongoing process. Finding the best tools and strategies for your individual situation can be time consuming and may feel overwhelming at times.

It’s important to remember that you aren’t alone in your journey. You’re worth the effort, and you deserve to be happy and healthy. All it takes is one click, one call, one connection to get started — and by opening this article, you’re already well on your way.