Mental Health Resources

A slightly overhead perspective of two disabled Black women (one wearing compression gloves, and the other in a power wheelchair) holding hands while on sitting across from each other on a coffee date.

The Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) can affect both physical and mental health. In addition to managing the physical symptoms of EDS and HSD, it is important to take time to focus on your mental and emotional well-being. The stress of managing a chronic illness and having to fight for care can be frustrating and emotional. People with EDS and HSD have higher rates of anxiety and depression, but there are resources available to help. Below is a compiled list of global mental health resources to help you in building your own coping strategies. This resource library will continue to be developed and updated with more resources as they become available. 

Unable to find what you are looking for? Please reach out to our helpline for additional resources. If you are in a mental health crisis, please reach out to a crisis line for support.  

Suicide/Crisis Hotlines

Global Resources

  • Find a Helpline (International): a directory of free, confidential, helpline or hotline options that offer chat, text, or phone services. 
  • MiNDbank– WHO (International): an online platform providing access to international resources for mental health, substance abuse, disability, general health, NCDs, human rights, development, children and youth, and older persons. 
  • International Resources – ISPMHN (International): a list of international mental health resources. 

General Mental Health Resources

  • Inclusive Therapists (International): a directory of social justice-oriented professionals that strive to dismantle discrimination, stigma, racism, classism, ableism, sanism, and white cishetero-patriarchy in the mental health field. 
  • International Foundation for Premenstrual Disorders (International): an organization that strives to inspire hope and end suffering for those affected by premenstrual disorders through peer support, education, research, and advocacy. 
  • International OCD Foundation (International): an organization that ensures that no one affected by OCD and related disorders suffers alone. Provides help, healing, and hope. 
  • International Bipolar Foundation (International): an organization that focuses on mental health awareness and provides education, resources, and supportive connection for all who are touched by bipolar disorder.  
  • Postpartum Support International (International): an organization that provides current information, resources, education, and advocates for further research andlegislation to support perinatal mental health. 
  • Students with Psychosis (International): an organization that empowers students and advocates living with psychosis worldwide through community building and collaboration.  
  • Anxiety and Depression Association of America (United States): an association that helps improve the quality of life for those with anxiety and depression through evidence-based educational resources, professional practice, and scientific research. 
  • Open Path Psychotherapy Collective (United States): a nonprofit nationwide network of mental health professionals dedicated to providing in-office and online mental health care — at a steeply reduced rate — to clients in need. 
  • Mental Health Foundation (United Kingdom): an organization that aims to find and address the sources of mental health problems so that people and communities can thrive. 
  • Mental Health Europe (Europe): an organization working towards advancing a human–rights, community-based, recovery-oriented, and psychosocial approach to mental health and well-being for all. 

Chronic Illness and Chronic Pain Resources

  • International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) (International): a list of resources for those living with chronic pain. 
  • Ben’s Friends (International): a nonprofit that creates communities for rare disease patients worldwide, so they have a safe, supportive place to connect with others like them.  
  • Creative Healing for Youth in Pain (International): an organization that provides educational resources, support groups, and creative healing strategies for teens with pain and their parents. 
  • WebMAP Mobile (International): an interactive app that provides a cognitive behavioral program designed to help teens cope with chronic pain and increase their ability to do things that are important to them.
  • Multiple Chronic Conditions Resource Center—Chronic Pain (United States): a list of resources for healthcare professionals, patients, and policymakers with current updates on policy and practice for patients living with more than two chronic conditions.  
  • The American Chronic Pain Association (United States): an organization that facilitates peer support, education, hope, and motivation for individuals living with pain and for those treating pain conditions.  
  • Pain Connection (United States): an organization that empowers, educates, connects, and advocates for individuals living with chronic illnesses or serious injuries that cause pain, as well as their caregivers and clinicians. Provides a network of support groups, educational resources, and events, and more.  
  • The Pain Community (United States): a nonprofit organization that engages patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, and researchers to improve access to effective pain management. 
  • Pain Concern (United Kingdom): an organization that provides support for people in pain and those who care for them. Offers a helpline. 
  • PainUK (United Kingdom): an alliance of charities providing a voice for people in pain. 
  • Chronic Pain Australia (Australia): a nonprofit organization advocating to reduce the social and economic barriers to those who live with chronic pain.  

Parents and Caregiver Resources

  • F.E.A.S.T. (International): an international, non-profit organization of, and for, parents and caregivers of loved ones affected by eating disorders. 
  • 24/7 Parent Stress Line (United States): a toll-free, confidential helpline for parents who need to discuss issues related to their children. Trained volunteer counselors answer the Parental Stress Line and offer support, empathy, encouragement, information, and referrals. 
  • Give an Hour (United States): an organization that creates resilient communities of support for rare disease caregivers and families. Provides one-on-one peer support, group support, professional training, and research to build a sustainable support system for rare disease caregivers. 
  • Center for Parent and Teen Communication (United States): an organization working to ensure every caring adult has the knowledge and skills to promote positive youth development and foster strong family connections. 
  • Caregiver Action Network (United States): a non-profit organization providing education, peer support, and resources to family caregivers across the country free of charge. 
  • Pain Concern (United Kingdom): an organization that provides support for people in pain and those who care for them. Offers a helpline.  
  • Family Lives (United Kingdom): a helpline for parents who need family support services.  
  • Children 1st Parentline (Scotland): a helpline for parents who need emotional, practical, or financial support. 
  • Parentline (Australia): a helpline that provides free counseling and support for parents. 
  • Raisingchildren.net.au (Australia): a list of parent helplines and hotlines. 

Youth

  • Creative Healing for Youth in Pain (International): an organization that provides educational resources, support groups, and creative healing strategies for teens with pain and their parents.
  • American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (International): a list of international organizations for children’s mental health. 
  • Ditch the Label (International): a charity that provides support for persons aged 12-25 struggling with things like mental health, relationships, bullying or identity. 
  • WebMAP Mobile (International): an interactive app that provides a cognitive behavioral program designed to help teens cope with chronic pain and increase their ability to do things that are important to them.
  • Be Strong (United States): a charity that serves youth, parents/guardians, educators, and communities by hosting educational events, recruiting and equipping student representatives, supporting on-campus student-led initiatives, and by providing social, emotional, and resilience skill-building training. 
  • Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (United States): an organization that provides evidence-based information about ADHD, support for individuals and families affected by ADHD, and advocates for equity, inclusion, and universal rights.  
  • Child Mind Institute (United States): a nonprofit providing gold-standard evidence-based care for children and families, delivering educational resources to millions of families each year, training educators in underserved communities, and developing breakthrough treatments. 
  • Childline (United Kingdom):  a helpline for anyone under 19 needing support.  
  • YoungMinds (United Kingdom): an organization fighting for children and young people’s mental health. Offers a parent helpline and webchat.  
  • Kids Helpline (Australia): a free, confidential, 24/7 online and phone counseling helpline for people aged 5 to 25.  
  • Kids Help Phone (Canada): a 24/7, mental health helpline offering free, confidential support to young people in English and French.  

LGBTQIA+ Resources

  • It Gets Better Project (International): a nonprofit organization with a mission to uplift, empower, and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth around the globe. 
  • Rainbow Railroad (International): an organization that helps at-risk LGBTQI+ individuals get to safety.  
  • Gender Spectrum (International): an organization working to create a gender-inclusive world for all children and youth through helping families, organizations, and institutions to increase their understanding of gender. 
  • MASGD (International): an organization that supports, empowers, and connects LGBTQ+ Muslims. 
  • JQ International (International):  an organization that provides inclusive support and resources for LGBTQ+ Jews, their families, and allies through a helpline. 
  • LGBT Community Center Directory (International): a directory of international LGBT+ community centers.  
  • Trans Lifeline (US and Canada): a crisis and peer-support hotline, staffed by trans people, for trans people. 
  • LGBT National Help Center (United States): an organization that provides vital peer support, community connections, and resource information and offers a helpline. Focuses on sexual orientation and/or gender identity and expression. 
  • PFLAG (United States): an organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and their families. 
  • The Trevor Project (United States): a helpline that provides information & support to LGBTQ 
young people 24/7, all year round. 
  • Mental Health – Stonewall Japan (Japan): an organization that connects Japan’s LGBTQIA+ International Community. 

Neurodiversity Resources

  • Autistic Self Advocacy Network (International): a nonprofit that works to empower autistic people across the world to take control of their own lives and the future of the common community. Seeks to organize the autistic community to ensure their voices are heard in the national conversation about them.
  • Therapist Neurodiversity Collective (International): a directory for non-compliance-based, trauma– informed, neurodiversity paradigm-aligned therapists. Drives a radical agenda of acceptance and equitable inclusion and delivers high-quality free and low-cost neurodiversity-affirming education and professional development.
  • Neurodiversity Hub (International): an organization that provides resources for neurodivergent students.
  • Understood (United States): a nonprofit shaping the world for difference. Provides resources and support so people who learn and think differently can thrive — in school, at work, and throughout life.
  • Autism Society (United States): an organization that connects the autism community to the resources they need through education, advocacy, support, information and referral, and community programming. 
  • Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (United States): the national clearinghouse for the latest evidence-based information on ADHD. 
  • Counseling and Autism Spectrum Support (United Kingdom): a counseling and support service that was designed to support neurodiverse people and to assist their families, friends, teachers, and other supporters. 
  • The ADHD Foundation (United Kingdom): a charity organization that advocates for those living with and impacted by ADHD, Autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia (DCD), Tourette’s syndrome, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and any related physical and psychological health concerns. 
  • National Autistic Society  (United Kingdom): an organization that helps the 700,000 autistic people in the UK and their families. 
  • Amaze (Australia): an organization that builds autism understanding in the community, influences policy change for autistic people and their families/supporters, and provides independent, credible information and resources to individuals, families, professionals, government, and the wider community. 

Resources for People of Color

  • South Asian Therapists (International): an organization that helps mental health providers serve the mental health needs of the South Asian diaspora. 
  • Prioritizing mental health for BIPOC communities: Resources and support (United States): a comprehensive list of resources to assist BIPOC individuals in their mental health journey. 
  • Asian Mental Health Collective (United States and Canada): an organization that works to normalize and de-stigmatize mental health within the Asian community. 
  • Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective  (United States): a national training, movement-building, and grant-making institution that is dedicated to the healing, wellness, and liberation of Black and marginalized communities.  
  • National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (United States): a healing justice organization committed to transforming mental health for queer and trans people of color. 
  • Therapy for Black Men (United States): a directory for therapists that provide judgment-free, multiculturally competent care to Black men. 
  • Therapy for Latinx (United States): a directory for resources for the Latinx community to heal, thrive, and become advocates for their own mental health. 
  • AASHNA Counseling and Psychotherapy (United Kingdom): an affordable therapy service providing long-term therapy for individuals diverse in culture, social background religion sexuality, age, gender, disability, and other diversity, who struggle to access culturally sensitive therapy. 
  • The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network (United Kingdom): a community of counselors and psychotherapists of Black, African, Asian, and Caribbean Heritage in the UK. 
  • Diverse Cymru (United Kingdom): a Welsh charity committed to supporting people faced with inequality and discrimination because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Provides resources for Black and Minority Ethnic mental health. 
  • European Network Against Racism (Europe): an organization that provides a toolkit on race and mental health at work. 

Substance Use Resources

  • Alcoholics Anonymous (International): a fellowship of people who come together to solve their drinking problem. Free of cost, no age or education requirements to participate. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about their drinking problem. 
  • Narcotics Anonymous- World Search (International): a global, community-based organization with a multi-lingual and multicultural membership. Offers recovery from the effects of addiction through working a twelve-step program, including regular attendance at group meetings. 
  • Marijuana Anonymous (International): a fellowship of people who share the experience, strength, and hope with each other to solve a common problem and help others to recover from marijuana addiction. 
  • In the Rooms (International): a global online community who share their strengths and experience with one another daily through addiction recovery groups. Provides live meetings, discussion groups for recovering addicts, and many other tools.  
  • SAMHSA (United States): a free, confidential, 24/7, 365 days/year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. 
  • Never Use Alone (United States): an organization that provides substance use harm reduction advocacy, education, outreach, training, and direct support services to people who use substances, caregivers and advocates. Offers a 24/7 lifeline. 
  • Start Your Recovery (United States): a website bringing together experts in substance use disorder treatment from leading nonprofit, academic, and government institutions. 
  • Government of Canada/ Gouvernement du Canada (Canada): a list of resources that provide help with problematic substance use. 
  • Adfam: Useful Organizations (United Kingdom): a national charity tackling the negative effects of drugs and alcohol on family members and friends. 
  • Rehab 4 Addiction (United Kingdom): an advisory and referral service for people with alcohol, drug, and behavioral addiction. Works closely with rehabilitation centers and outpatient clinics to match your addiction with the appropriate rehabilitation center.
  • Australian Government – Australian Institute of Family Studies (Australia): a list of web resources on drug and alcohol abuse. 
  • The New Zealand Government (New Zealand): a list of resources for help with mental health and addiction. 

Eating Disorder Resources

  • Eating Disorders Review (International): a list of national and international eating disorders associations. 
  • Eating Disorders Anonymous (International): a Twelve-Step fellowship of individuals (founded in 2000 by sober members of AA) who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problems and help others to recover from their eating disorders. 
  • National Eating Disorders Association (United States): an organization that supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care. 
  • ANAD (United States): an organization that provides free peer support services to anyone struggling with an eating disorder, regardless of age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or background.  
  • Project Heal (United States): an organization that provides life-saving support to people with eating disorders who the system fails. 
  • National Alliance for Eating Disorders (United States): a free helpline for those struggling with an eating disorder, M-F, 9 am–7 pm Eastern Time.  
  • Beat Eating Disorders (United Kingdom): a national helpline to help end the pain and suffering caused by eating disorders. 
  • Seed Eating Disorder Support Service (United Kingdom): an organization that supports, advises, and signposts sufferers, carers, and loved ones appropriately by giving people the tools to enable them to cope with eating disorders. 
  • Butterfly Foundation (Australia): an organization that supports anyone in Australia concerned about eating disorders or body image issues. Offers a helpline.  
  • National Eating Disorders Collaboration (Australia): an organization that helps build the system of care for people experiencing eating disorders and their families and supports. 

Disclaimer: The Ehlers-Danlos Society is a 501(c)(3) health advocacy organization. The Ehlers-Danlos Society does not provide medical and mental health advice or treatment. Information provided by The Ehlers-Danlos Society is not a replacement for care from a doctor, therapist, or other health care provider. If you believe you may have a medical or mental health emergency, call your country’s emergency number immediately.

It is important to note that The Ehlers-Danlos Society does not have any ownership or direct financial interest in any of the specific organizations or groups listed above. There are no formal listing criteria, and The Ehlers-Danlos Society does not endorse, recommend, or certify any of these individuals. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, if you have resources that you would like included please contact us.

Photo credit: Affect the Verb

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