Support hotlines

When someone is in crisis around food, weight, or body image, knowing which number to call or text can be the difference between a bad night and a turning point. This page lists verified hotlines, text lines, and chat options organized by situation so you can find the right resource fast.

Why Hotlines Specifically for Eating Disorders Matter

General crisis lines are trained for suicidal ideation. Eating disorder hotlines are staffed by specialists who understand restriction cycles, binge-purge patterns, medical risk thresholds, and the specific shame that often keeps people silent. Calling the wrong line does not mean help will not come, but a specialist understands without needing explanation.

Eating disorders carry the second-highest mortality rate of any mental health condition after opioid use disorder, according to data from the National Institute of Mental Health. Early contact with a trained counselor meaningfully shortens the path to treatment.

US Hotlines Listed by Type

Crisis and Immediate Danger

If someone is experiencing chest pain, irregular heartbeat, severe dehydration, or has not eaten in several days, call 911 before any other resource. Malnutrition and electrolyte imbalance are medical emergencies, not only mental health situations.

Eating Disorder Specific

The NEDA Helpline transitioned to a chat-first model operated by Zencare in 2022. As of 2026, phone access has been partially restored for high-acuity calls. Verify current hours before relying on specific times listed anywhere, including here, because staffing changes seasonally.

Body Image and Self-Esteem Lines

Body image distress does not always reach clinical eating disorder criteria, but it still causes real harm, particularly in teens ages 12-17. The following resources address that space:

• Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741): Counselors are trained on body image conversations and do not require a clinical diagnosis to engage.
• Teen Line: Call 1-800-852-8336 or text TEEN to 839863. Staffed by trained teen volunteers, peer-to-peer, evenings only (6pm-10pm PT). Particularly useful for middle and high school students who feel more comfortable with a peer.
• 7 Cups: Free online chat with trained listeners. No diagnosis required. Available 24/7 for text-based support.

What to Expect When You Call

Most people who have never called a hotline imagine it will feel clinical or rushed. In practice, a first call to NEDA or Crisis Text Line typically looks like this:

1. You are greeted and asked if you are safe right now.
2. The counselor asks what is going on in an open-ended way, not a checklist.
3. You can share as much or as little as you want.
4. Near the end, the counselor will usually ask if you want information about local treatment options or next steps.
5. You are never required to give your name, location, or insurance information to get support.

Calls average 15-20 minutes. Text conversations run longer because typing takes more time, but there is no time limit imposed on either.

Resources Organized by Who Is Calling

For Teenagers

Teens face specific barriers: fear of parents finding out, school stigma, and uncertainty about whether what they are experiencing is serious enough to mention. All of the following accept calls from minors without parental consent:

• Teen Line (peer support, evenings)
• Crisis Text Line (anonymous, 24/7)
• NEDA Helpline (specialist counselors)
• 988 Lifeline (when safety is at risk)

Schools can also direct students to the school counselor as a first step. Many districts now have referral agreements with outpatient eating disorder clinics. Ask the counselor specifically whether the school has a mental health referral protocol, not just a general wellness program.

For Parents and Caregivers

Watching a child restrict food, obsess over weight, or express extreme body dissatisfaction is frightening. Parents often call hotlines themselves, which is appropriate. Counselors can help with:

• How to open a conversation without triggering defensiveness
• Identifying whether behaviors meet clinical concern thresholds
• Finding local therapists who specialize in adolescent eating disorders
• Understanding insurance coverage for eating disorder treatment under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act

The NEDA Helpline and Alliance for Eating Disorders both have counselors trained specifically for family callers.

For School Staff and Counselors

If a student discloses disordered eating behaviors to a teacher or coach, that person is typically not a mandated reporter for eating disorders the way they are for abuse. However, most school policies require referral to the school counselor. From there:

• Document the disclosure in writing, noting date, time, and exact language used
• Contact the school counselor the same day
• Do not promise confidentiality to the student before they share
• Avoid commenting on the student's appearance or weight, even positively

The National Eating Disorders Association offers a free educator toolkit downloadable from their website for school-based screening and referral protocols.

Understanding Levels of Care Before You Call

Hotline counselors often discuss levels of care. Knowing these terms ahead of time reduces confusion:

Most people start at the lowest level their condition safely allows. Hotline counselors can help identify which level fits based on what you describe.

After the Call: Next Steps That Actually Work

Many people call a hotline, feel better in the moment, and then do not follow through on next steps. The most common reason is practical friction: not knowing how to find an in-network therapist, not understanding insurance terms, or not knowing what to say at the first appointment.

Here is a short checklist that reduces that friction:

• Ask the hotline counselor to text or email you the names they recommend before hanging up (NEDA can do this)
• Call your insurance company and ask specifically for providers who accept your plan and specialize in eating disorders or body image, not just general therapy
• When you call a therapist, say: "I'm looking for someone with experience in eating disorders and body image work, are you currently accepting patients and do you take [insurance name]?"
• If cost is a barrier, ask about sliding scale fees; many eating disorder specialists offer them
• Community mental health centers in most US counties offer low-cost or free services with shorter waitlists than private practices

When Someone Refuses Help

This situation is common, particularly with adolescent patients and with adults who do not yet identify their relationship with food as a problem. You cannot force an adult into treatment unless there is an immediate medical emergency. What you can do:

• Keep the line of communication open without making food or weight the subject of every conversation
• Set limits around behaviors that affect you or others in the household without ultimatums
• Seek your own support through family therapy or the NEDA Family Support Group, which meets virtually and requires no registration fee
• Know the signs that signal a medical emergency: fainting, irregular heartbeat, extreme weakness, swelling in the face or hands, inability to keep fluids down

How Body Image Fits Into This

Body dissatisfaction is not a hotline-level crisis for most people who experience it. But it is often the first visible stage before disordered eating develops. Studies published through 2025 consistently show that teens with significant body image distress are three to four times more likely to develop a clinical eating disorder within two years than those without it.

That makes body image support a prevention issue, not just a wellness conversation. If a teen is spending more than 30-45 minutes per day thinking about their body, avoiding social situations because of how they look, or comparing themselves constantly to images online, that warrants a conversation with a counselor even without other eating disorder symptoms present.

Teen Line and 7 Cups both accept these conversations without requiring clinical framing.