And where to donate if you can give help.
As the war between Israel and Hamas ramps up, the news gets more and more heartbreaking. While it’s hardest on the families who have had their loved ones killed or kidnapped, simply consuming the media coverage can be hard to take in alone.
Photos of the unfolding horrors have flooded social media, telling the stories of unimaginable loss, pain, and destruction. The conflict has entered its third week, and it’s already considered the deadliest fighting in decades, with thousands of casualties already and more to come.
It has also exposed some serious divisions here in the U.S., with tense demonstrations in cities and across college campuses. Columbia University, for example, had to shut down after an Israeli student was attacked on campus.
While all of this happening simultaneously can make one feel powerless, no one is alone in that experience. There are some easy ways to seek mental health support, so we rounded up a few helpful resources if you need them — plus, advice about where to offer aid to the Middle East, for those who are in the position to give support.
Where to seek mental health support
Thanks to this global non-profit, a crisis counselor is just a text away. To start, simply send an opening word like “start” or “hello” to 741741. While the first two messages are automated, they will connect you with a volunteer who isn’t a professional, but has been trained to address these kinds of concerns.
If texting isn’t your thing, you also could opt to speak through WhatsApp or chat with someone through crisistextline.org.
National Alliance on Mental Illness
Looking for some general mental guidance? Well, the National Alliance on Mental Illness – aka NAMI — is a solid place to start as the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization.
NAMI’s hotline is available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Just call 1-800-950-6264 or text “HelpLine” to 62640. There is also an option to chat online with a volunteer via their website.
If you’re not looking for immediate help, you might want to check out the Mental Health Coalition, which is made up of leading organizations like Mental Health America. Its website offers a handy resource library that allows you to browse a database to learn about various coping skills and seek support for whatever you current stresses are. Getting started is as simple as answering a few questions about yourself to receive results tailored to your needs.
How to find support in your area
If you’re interested in more localized help, Find a Helpline serves up verified support lines by country, region, and topic. Powered by the mental health company ThroughLine and Google, you can trust that it’ll help you connect with reliable support that fits your needs, whatever they may be.
How to help victims of the Israel-Hamas War
While stress and anxiety manifest differently for everyone, sometimes it helps to take productive steps to address the problem that’s leaving you feeling overwhelmed. If you have the means to give, on-the-ground humanitarian groups working tirelessly to respond to the violence in the Middle East could use all the assistance they can get. Here are a few trusted groups worth offering a donation.
The International Committee of the Red Cross
As a “neutral, independent humanitarian organization,” the International Committee of the Red Cross has immediately offered aid to help both Palestinians and Israelis impacted by the violence. Funds are already going towards sending medical supplies to Gaza and helping to identify missing people.
IsraAID, the largest humanitarian aid organization in Israel, is collecting donations to help victims through its Emergency Response Fund. These donations will go towards everything from finding shelter for those evacuating from Israel’s Gaza border region to training local mental health specialists on the ground.
“Our plan is constantly updating as humanitarian needs on the ground develop,” the group states on its donation page. “We are committed to supporting the urgent and long-term needs of communities living through devastating crisis.”
Palestine Children’s Relief Fund
For more than 30 years, the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund has been providing medical and humanitarian relief to Arab children, “regardless of their nationality, politics, or religion.” Donations would help provide vital medical and mental health support for kids in Gaza, along with necessities like food, water, and shelter.
