🆘 Crisis Index — I Need Help RIGHT NOW

If you opened this book because something is wrong today, start here. Find your situation. Go to that page. Do the first thing it tells you. You can read the rest later.

Everything on this page assumes you are stressed and short on time, so each entry gives you the single most important action first.

Immediate danger

Situation Do this first Chapter
You are thinking about suicide or self-harm Call or text 988 (US Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). It is free, 24/7, and you do not have to be actively in danger to call. Ch. 18
Someone is hurting you at home 1-800-799-7233 (National Domestic Violence Hotline) or text START to 88788. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. Ch. 35
Medical emergency Call 911 or go to the nearest ER. An ER must treat you regardless of your ability to pay — that is federal law (EMTALA). Worry about the bill later; we have a whole chapter on beating it down. Ch. 16, Ch. 17
You have nowhere to sleep tonight Call 211 (dial 2-1-1) — free nationwide referral to shelter, food, and emergency assistance. Ch. 9
No food Call 211, or find a food bank at feedingamerica.org. SNAP applications can be expedited to 7 days if you have almost no income or cash. Ch. 2

Money emergencies

Situation Do this first Chapter
A debt collector is calling You do not have to talk to them today. Do not admit the debt is yours or make a payment on the phone. Request written validation of the debt in writing within 30 days. Ch. 5 → Collections
You're being sued over a debt Do not ignore it. Ignoring it guarantees you lose. File a written answer by the deadline on the paperwork, even a simple one. Free help: your local legal aid office. Ch. 5, Ch. 28
Your bank account is overdrawn Call the bank and ask for a fee refund — first-time refunds are granted more often than people expect. Then turn off overdraft "coverage." Ch. 3
You can't make rent this month Talk to the landlord before the due date, in writing. Then call 211 and search "[your state] emergency rental assistance." Ch. 10
You can't pay a bill at all Almost every creditor has a hardship program that is not advertised. Call and use the words "I want to ask about hardship options." Ch. 5
You haven't filed taxes in years This is fixable and you are very unlikely to go to jail. The IRS wants payment plans, not prosecutions. Start with the oldest unfiled year. Ch. 6 → If You Haven't Filed
Payday loan / title loan spiral Do not take another loan to pay the first. Call a nonprofit credit counselor (NFCC.org) today. Ch. 5 → Predatory Lending
Your paycheck is wrong or you weren't paid Document it in writing to your employer today. Unpaid wages are recoverable through your state labor department. Ch. 1, Ch. 28

Housing emergencies

Situation Do this first Chapter
You got an eviction notice Read the date on it. Do not move out just because you got a notice — a notice is not an eviction. You have a right to a court hearing. Call legal aid immediately. Ch. 10 → Eviction
Landlord changed the locks / shut off utilities This is almost certainly an illegal "self-help eviction" in your state. Call the police non-emergency line and a tenant rights organization. Ch. 10
Landlord won't fix something serious (heat, water, mold) Put the request in writing today, keep a copy, and photograph the problem. Then look up your city's code enforcement line. Ch. 10
You didn't get your security deposit back Most states require an itemized statement within 14–30 days. Missing that deadline can forfeit the landlord's right to keep any of it. Send a demand letter. Ch. 14
An apartment listing wants money before you see it Stop. That is a scam, always, with no exceptions worth risking. Ch. 9 → Scam Red Flags

Health emergencies

Situation Do this first Chapter
You got a huge medical bill Do not pay it yet. Wait for the EOB, then request an itemized bill. Errors are extremely common. Ch. 17
You have no health insurance and need care Find a Federally Qualified Health Center at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov — they charge on a sliding scale, sometimes $0. Ch. 15
Insurance denied your claim Denials are routinely reversed on appeal. You have a legal right to appeal, including an external review. Start with the denial letter. Ch. 15 → Appeals
You can't afford a prescription Check GoodRx, ask the pharmacist for the cash price, and search "[drug name] patient assistance program." Ch. 16
You need a therapist and can't pay for one Open Path Collective ($40–70/session), community mental health centers, and university training clinics. Ch. 18

Job emergencies

Situation Do this first Chapter
You just got fired or laid off File for unemployment today — benefits often date from when you file, not when you lost the job. Do not sign a severance agreement on the spot. Ch. 23
You just lost your health insurance with your job You have a limited special enrollment window (usually 60 days) to get marketplace coverage, which is usually far cheaper than COBRA. Ch. 23, Ch. 15
You got a job offer and have to answer fast Ask for the offer in writing and for time to consider — 2–5 business days is completely normal and asking will not lose you the job. Ch. 22
Something illegal is happening at work Write down what happened, when, and who saw it, and keep that record somewhere that is not your work computer. Ch. 28

Safety and scam emergencies

Situation Do this first Chapter
You think you were scammed / sent money to a stranger Call your bank immediately — speed matters enormously. Then report at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Ch. 32
Your identity was stolen Go to IdentityTheft.gov — it generates your recovery plan and affidavit. Then freeze your credit at all three bureaus (free). Ch. 30
Someone has your passwords / account is hacked Change the email password first — email is the master key to everything else. Then turn on two-factor authentication. Ch. 32
You got pulled over Hands visible, engine off, be boring and polite. You can decline a search. Argue the ticket in court, never on the roadside. Ch. 27
Car accident just happened Safety first, then 911, then photograph everything, then exchange insurance info. Do not say "I'm sorry" — it can be treated as an admission. Ch. 27, Ch. 31
Your home was broken into Do not go inside. Call 911 from outside. Ch. 31

The one-paragraph version of this whole book

If you remember nothing else: most adult emergencies are negotiable, appealable, or payable over time, and almost none of them are as final as they feel at 2 a.m. Bills get reduced. Denials get overturned. Deadlines get extended. Collectors settle. Landlords are bound by rules. The IRS makes payment plans. The single worst thing you can do with almost any scary piece of mail is ignore it, and the single best thing you can do is make one phone call and ask, out loud, "what are my options here?"

That question is the most powerful adult skill there is. Everything else in this book is detail.