Support Resources

- Text line: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a live Crisis Counselor (can also utilize text line through WhatsApp or FB messenger) who will respond through their secure platform.

- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-8255 if you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or ideation to speak with a trained crisis worker in the Lifeline network who will listen and provide you with further resources.

- SAMHSA: Call 1-800-662-HELP to reach the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s national helpline and be connected with resources specific to mental and/or substance use disorders.

- National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-799-SAFE to reach a national call center that refers to local resources geared towards individuals struggling in abusive relationships.

- National Sexual Assault Hotline: Call 1-800-656-HOPE for nationwide referrals for specialized counseling and support groups for survivors of sexual assault.

- The Trevor Project: Call 1-866-488-7386 or text ‘START’ to 678-678 to be connected with a trained Trevor counselor who has a robust understanding of LGTBQ+ issues and will be there to listen to and support you anonymously.

- NAMI HelpLine: The National Alliance on Mental Illness provides this free nationwide peer-support service Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM ET at 800-950-6264. Their helpline staff and volunteers will listen, offer support, and speak from their own experience, even going as far as to help connect you with resources and referrals. They will not, however, attempt to give you any kind of clinical advice, similar to what we do at Chill Pill.

- Project Healthy Minds: Project Healthy Minds is a nonprofit organization that was founded with the mission of confronting our generations mental health crisis. On their resources page, they have a plethora of peer support groups where you can connect with individuals struggling with similar experiences to yours such as depression, disordered eating, identifying within the LGTBQ+ community, and beyond.

- BetterHelp: This online platform allows you to connect with a licensed professional therapist based on your needs and personality type after answering a few questions and setting up an account in their system. ****

- TalkSpace: Similarly to BetterHelp, TalkSpace is set up in such a way that you can be paired with a licensed clinical therapist who lines up with your therapy goals. Through their free downloadable app, you can attend virtual sessions (covered by many insurance plans) and even manage medications all in one place.

- Speak with your primary care physician: More often than not, primary care physicians can refer you to local, reputable mental health professionals, or at least point you in the right direction when looking for one.

- Explore your institution’s options and benefits: If you currently attend or belong to a university, institution, or workplace, inquire about their counseling and mental health support resources. And if there aren’t any or the existing few have accessibility issues, it is well within your rights to advocate for change and work with your institution to restructure this. Most likely the administration has good intentions but hasn’t quite figured out an approach yet.

Mindful Meditation

- With Headspace: (14 day free trial then $5.83 monthly)

- With Calm: (7 day free trial, then $5.83 monthly)

- With Insight Timer: (FREE)

- With Youtube: many different meditation videos available (FREE)

Distraction and Entertainment

- Through watching: television, movies, or even a funny TikTok that sums up your #mood.

- Through listening: podcasts, music, audiobooks, or perhaps your dad’s rant about the desperate state of our economy.

- Through reading: books, articles, magazines, maybe even an old birthday card from your bestie that always makes you smile.

Movement

- By practicing yoga / pilates: MWH is an incredible online subscription option (7 day free trial then $9.99 monthly) however there are also plenty of free at-home instructional videos on YouTube.

- By doing some cardio: Workouts such as running, cycling, kickboxing, swimming, circuit training, jump-roping, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) increase the flow of oxygen to your brain by increasing your heart rate.

- By simply walking: Get on your favorite pair of comfy shoes, grab some headphones, and soak up the serotonin that comes with moving your body and being outside.

Creative Outlets

- Through music: scream sing your favorite Taylor Swift song in the car, even if you’re tone deaf... trust us, it’s free therapy.

- Through art: doodle, sketch, scribble! Color outside of the lines! Feels good to put a pen (or pencil, or paint brush, or piece of chalk even) to paper, even if the last time you attempted a masterpiece was elementary school.

- Through expression: put on an outfit you feel good in, design your ideal hoodie, experiment with makeup; whatever you do- let YOU shine through.

Journaling

- With a physical journal: old-fashioned but works! Writing our thoughts down tend to give them less power, leaving us feeling a lot freer.

- With an electronic journal: don’t want to be burdened with carrying a pen and notebook around? No problem. Type your thoughts down, even if it’s on the notes app on your phone. You’ll feel lighter either way. And life hack: you can password lock them.

- With the voice memo app: if any form of articulating your thoughts onto paper feels taxing, try saying it out loud! Less work, but you still have your thoughts (and your exact tone of voice even) on record to come back to.

National Alliance for Eating Disorders: if you are struggling with thoughts of disordered eating, are currently struggling with an eating disorder, or are looking to support a friend, check out The Alliance for eating disorder help, support, and education.

- Hayley Caddes (our Founder and CEO) recommends Lumenate for mediation — in the past, she says, she struggled with meditation but this app changed the game for her; making the practice useful and even enjoyable. She also likes to journal in a less standard way: through voice memos. When she’s “too lazy” to write, and typing feels like work, this is the perfect alternative. Plus, she likes that she can go back and listen to them in the future to revisit how intensely she was feeling something at the time.

- Tori George (our Lead Engineer) says her mental health is significantly affected by her internal chemical factors such as staying hydrated and eating right. She also loves exercising with a hike/run and soaking up some vitamin D. In her free time she likes to watch something and hang out with friends that make me laugh. Lastly, she likes to use the Endel app that creates personalized soundscapes to help her focus and relax.

- Darlene Park (our Copywriting Intern) loves to unwind by taking a bubble bath and reading a book when she feels overwhelmed.

- Chloe Bown (our Community Manager) says her go-to coping mechanism on a rough day is taking a walk out in nature. Even if it’s a loop in Central Park she’s done five thousand times, she finds peace in being outside, moving her body, and tuning out the world with her headphones. More of a guilty pleasure, but she also loves winding down to some silly reality TV shows at night after a stressful day.

- Gina Seo (our Brand Strategy Intern) takes extra time for her skincare with a nice face mask when she’s feeling stressed and has found that listening to jazz music playlists helps her fall asleep. She’ll also occasionally do some two minute deep breathing exercises on her own in tense moments, go on a run to get those endorphins, or do some retail therapy on depop.