I am in distress

Student Mental Health Services provides Distress Appointments but is not an emergency 24/7 crisis line. Please refer to the options below to determine the best resource for your concerns.

Use for immediate safety concerns, medical crises, or imminent risk of harm. This connects you straight to campus security and emergency services.

Get immediate help

Emergency

If you are experiencing or witnessing:

An immediate suicide plan or attempt.
A medical emergency.
Feeling unsafe due to an immediate threat or escalation in aggressive behaviour.
Safety risks related to substance use.

Suggested Actions:

On campus: 905.721.8668 ext. 2400 (Campus Security) 24/7.
Off campus: Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.

In addition, if you feel like you cannot wait 24 to 48 hours for support and feel unsafe due to risks related to suicide, self-harm, abuse, violence or sexual assault, please contact emergency services.

Use if you are feeling overwhelmed; this path guides you to booking a distress appointment with Student Mental Health Services.

Book an appointment

Distress appointments are available for students who have an urgent need to meet with a counsellor, and can be safe to wait 24 to 36 hours for an appointment.

Distress appointments support students facing:

Immediate risks to material safety (e.g. housing or food insecurity).
Increasing thoughts of suicide, self-harm, or harm to others.
Recent experiences of grief or loss.
Recent experiences of trauma, abuse or violence.
Other concerns that require immediate attention.

Suggested actions:

Book a distress appointment with Student Mental Health Services.
Use the Quiet Room at Shawenjigewining Hall, Room 320 (north Oshawa) or Charles Hall, Room 218 (downtown Oshawa).
Call a 24/7 Helpline.
- Suicide Crisis at 9-8-8 (call or text)
- Good2Talk at 1.866.925.5454
- DMHS Crisis Access Linkage Line: 905.666.0483 and 1.800.742.1890
- Distress Centre Durham: 905.430.2522 and 1.800.452.0688
- Durham Rape Crisis Centre: 905.668.9200
If you're able, practice breathing, grounding or self-compassion strategies to help regulate your nervous system.
Please review your safety plan if you have completed one during a previous appointment.

Please note that SMHS counsellors cannot provide medical notes for missed coursework or exams. If your mental health is impacting your ability to attend required classes or exams, please visit the Campus Health Centre or a medical clinic near you for a medical note.

Use to access a directory of 24/7 community helplines, support networks, and crisis resources across Durham Region and the GTA outside of standard working hours.

View 24/7 helplines

The community resources listed below can be reached 24/7. They provide a range of services including supportive listening and crisis/suicide intervention, community crisis response, and short-term crisis beds. All services are free and confidential.

Durham Region

Suicide Crisis Line: 24/7 Canada wide suicide crisis helpline. Call or Text is available.	9-8-8
Distress Centre Durham: Telephone crisis support, Community Contact Call-Out Program, Resource Centre, and Suicide Survivor Support Groups	905.430.0483 1.800.430.0688
Durham Mental Health Services: Offers various crisis supports to individuals experience a personal/situational crisis, short-term crisis beds, and community visits by a mobile crisis team	905.666.0483 1.800.742.1890
Durham Rape Crisis Centre: Offers confidential and non-judgemental support and information to individuals who have experienced any forms of sexual violence in their lives	905.668.9200
Lakeridge Health Crisis Intervention Team: Available by checking in with the Emergency Department Triage Nurse to see a member of the team	905.433.4384

Greater Toronto Area (GTA)

Distress Centre Toronto: Telephone crisis support and intervention	905.430.0483 1.800.430.0688
Gerstein Crisis Centre: A 24-hour community-based mental health crisis service providing telephone support, mobile crisis teams, and short-term residential crisis beds	905.666.0483 1.800.742.1890
Peel Crisis Services and COAST: Offers 24-hour crisis intervention services (phone and outreach) in Mississauga and Brampton	905.278.9036
Scarborough Hospital Mobile Crisis: Provides support and community to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis in Scarborough and East York	416.495.2891
St. Michael's Hospital Psychiatric Emergency Services: Provides crisis management and psychiatric assessment and treatment	416.864.5094
Toronto Rape Crisis Centre: Offers crisis intervention/support service to anyone who has experienced sexual violence/harassment, assault/incest survivors, family/friends of victims	416.597.8808
York Support Services Network Crisis Line: Supports individuals experiencing a mental health crisis in York Region and North York	905.898.6455 1.855.310.2673