Reaching out is hard, and whatever brought you here is reason enough. You may be living with depression that has taken the color out of things, drinking that has stopped feeling like a choice, or the strange loneliness of a city where everyone seems to be passing through. You don’t need a diagnosis or a referral to start.

Massachusetts has made this simpler than almost anywhere else. One number, 833-773-2445, reaches the state help line by call, text or chat, at any hour, in more than 200 languages, and you do not need insurance to use it. A licensed clinician answers, talks through what’s happening, and points you to care near you. If someone needs to be there in person, they can send a mobile team to your home or wherever you are.

In Boston, that in-person help comes from the Emergency Services Team at Boston Medical Center, reachable directly at 800-981-4357 around the clock. Their own advice is to skip the emergency room and call them first. They run same-day urgent visits, a mobile team based at 85 East Newton Street, and crisis stabilization units for both adults and young people, so a hospital admission isn’t the only place a hard night can end.

You don’t need to know which of these is right before you reach out. Whether you’re calling for yourself or for someone you love, the Mental Health Hotline can help you talk it through and find a place to start, at 866-903-3787. More Massachusetts mental health resources are gathered on the state page.