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ntal health is tarts with a text
Crisis Text Line’s AI-enabled, volunteer-powered model transforms moments of distress into engines of resilience
S ometimes, a single message changes everything. For John, reaching out to Crisis Text Line marked the moment he chose hope over silence. At 16, he was overwhelmed by anxiety and thoughts of suicide. One night, terrified and alone, he sent a text. Within seconds, a trained volunteer responded – offering empathy, calm, and connection. That conversation saved his life. Today, John is one of the thousands of volunteers who has turned their lived experience into lifelines for others. Crisis Text Line’s mission begins with moments like John’s – and extends far beyond them. It’s a global blueprint for how ordinary people, empowered by technology and guided by science, can deliver extraordinary impact. The urgent crossroads: a global mental health emergency The world stands at a pivotal intersection. On one side lies a growing mental health emergency; on the other, a rapidly changing technological era quietly reshaping what it means to be human.
Half of all people will experience a mental health challenge in their lifetime. One in eight currently lives with a mental disorder, yet in many regions only one in fifty receives care. Global spending on mental health is insufficient, and the workforce gap remains vast. The cost of untreated conditions is projected to exceed $6 trillion annually by 2030, draining productivity, stability, and social cohesion. Suicide alone claims 740,000 lives every year – one every 43 seconds – and is a leading cause of death among youth. As AI takes over routine cognitive tasks, the skills that remain uniquely human – problem- solving, emotional regulation, empathy, and resilience – have become essential for human development and economic wellbeing. Yet, as Tej Parikh warns in The Human Mind Is in Recession, these skills are eroding. Constant distraction, automation, and social fragmentation are weakening brain health and emotional literacy, which societies depend on to thrive. This convergence of a worsening mental health gap and declining human connection poses both
AUTHORS
Margaret Meagher Chief Impact Office Crisis Text Line
mmeagher@crisistextline.org,
Tracy Costigan VP of Impact Evaluation and Storytelling Crisis Text Line
tcostigan@crisistextline.org
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