These services have different structures; some are aimed at specific issues or diagnoses, while others are aimed at several topics related to mental health.
Many organisations offer support through peer-to-peer services, where you can get in touch with others who have experience with the issue personally or as a friend or family member of someone who has experienced the issue.
Call 113
In acute risk of suicide, call 113 immediately. It is safer to call one time too many than one time too little.
Mental health helplines, chat and messaging services
Mental Helse
Mental Helse offers a helpline and an online service for anyone who needs someone to talk to. Hjelpetelefonen (in norwegian) is a telephone helpline, and Sidetmedord.no (in norwegian) is a chat service run by Hjelpelefonen. On Sidetmedord.no you can share your thoughts and feelings with other users through various forums or with professional counsellors through the messaging service.
Information:
- Telephone number: 116 123
- You will be talking to: Employees / volunteers (peers)
- For: Everyone
- Service hours: 24/7
Mental Helse Ungdom (Youth Mental Health Norway)
Mental Helse Ungdom (Youth Mental Health Norway) (in norwegian) has a chat service aimed at young adults who need someone to talk to.
Information:
- You will be talking to: Volunteers / peers
- For: Young adults between 18 and 36
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Kirkens SOS
Kirken SOS Norge (in norwegian) provides a helpline, chat and messaging service. At Kirkens SOS you will be able to talk to a sympathetic peer who can offer support and comfort.
Information:
- Telephone number: (+47) 22 4000 40
- You will be talking to: Volunteers / peers
- For: Everyone
- Service hours: 24/7
If you need someone to talk to – specific target groups
Mental Helse (Mental Health Norway) runs three helpline services for specific groups of people:
Ungdomstelefonen (Youth helpline)
Ungdomstelefonen (in norwegian) is a helpline, chat and messaging service aimed at young people who need someone to talk to about sexuality, gender, identity, feelings, being in love or sex.
Information:
- Telephone number: (+47) 400 00 777
- You will be talking to: Young volunteers between the ages of 18 and 30, who know what it's like to be young, in love, insecure or queer.
- For: Young people who need someone to talk to about sexuality, gender, identity, feelings, being in love or sex.
- Service hours:
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- Telephone: Tuesday–Thursday between between 18:00–22:00
- Chat: Mon–Thurs + Sun between 18:00–22:00
Rådgivning om spiseforstyrrelser (ROS) (Eating Disorder Counselling)
ROS (in norwegian) provides advice and guidance on eating disorders via chat, phone, Teams and in person. ROS also caters to friends and family of persons with an eating disorder.
Information:
- Telephone number: (+47) 948 17 818
- You will be talking to: Employees and volunteers / peers / professionals / persons who have experienced eating disorders or experience as a close friend or family member
- For: Persons who are currently suffering from an eating disorder or have had one in the past, as well as their family/friends
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Bipolarlinjen (Bipolar helpline)
Bipolarforeningen Norge (The Bipolar Association Norway) (in norwegian) offers the Bipolarlinjen helpline for people with a bipolar disorder and their family/friends.
Information:
- Telephone number: (+47) 21 99 65 00
- You will be talking to: Volunteers / peers
- For: People with bipolar disorders and their family/friends
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Blå Kors – Talk to someone about gambling or gaming addiction
Blå Kors provides support and advice through their phone, chat and e-mail service Hjelpelinjen, for people struggling with gambling og gaming addiction.
Information:
- Telephone number: 800 800 40
- You will be talking to: Health professionals
- For: People with gambling or gaming addiction
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
RUSinfo
Oslo Municipality’s welfare agency (Velferdsetaten) runs the Rusinfo service (in norwegian) - a nationwide information service about drug/alcohol use and support services that offers guidance and advice through a helpline, chat and inquiry service.
Information:
- Telephone number: 915 08 588.
- You will be talking to: Specialist consultants
- For: People with alcohol/substance abuse problems, their family/friends and others who have questions about substance use
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Amathea – Talk to someone about abortion and pregnancy
The Amathea Foundation provides a low-threshold helpline and chat service for anyone who needs someone to talk to about about abortion and/or pregnancy, as well as mental health issues related to abortion and/or pregnancy.
Information:
- Telephone number: (+47) 906 59 060
- You will be talking to: Health professionals
- For: Anyone who needs someone to talk to about pregnancy and/or abortion
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Family members and friends of someone suffering from disease, or if you have lost someone to disease
PIO-senteret in Oslo
PIO-senteret (Pårørendesenteret i Oslo) (in norwegian) runs the national counselling hotline for all family members or friends of someone suffering from a disease, regardless of diagnosis. PIO-senteret also offers guidance by e-mail. In Oslo, the service offers individual support, support groups and classes.
Information:
- Telephone number: (+47) 22 49 19 22
- You will be talking to: Professional counsellors with direct experience
- For: All friends and family members of someone suffering from a disease, regardless of diagnosis
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Pårørendesenteret i Stavanger
Pårørendesenteret i Stavanger operates a helpline, chat and e-mail service for adults and children who are family members/friends of someone who is suffering from a disease. The website ungeparorende.no (in norwegian) is for people under 18 years of age, while parorendesenteret.no (in norwegian) is for adults.
Information:
- Telephone number: (+47) 90 90 48 48
- You will be talking to: Professional counsellors
- For: All family/friends of someone suffering from a disease, regardless of diagnosis
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Barn av rusmisbrukere
BAR (Barn av rusmisbrukere) (in norwegian) offers a chat service on barnavrus.no. BARsnakk is for people who have grown up with family members or relatives with alcohol or substance abuse problems, or know someone who has alcohol or substance use problems, and would like to talk to someone about their experiences. BAR also offers individual video calls.
Information:
- You will be talking to: Peers
- For: People who have grown up in a family with alcohol or substance abuse problems
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Ivareta – for family/friends who are affected by someone who has alcohol and substance abuse problems
Ivareta operates the family helpline Pårørendetelefonen (in norwegian). Pårørendetelefonen is a support helpline where you can talk to other people who have experience with a family member or friends who has alcohol or substance abuse problems.
Information:
- Telephone number: 800 40 567
- You will be talking to: Peers
- For: Family/friends of persons with alcohol or substance abuse problems; people who have lost someone to alcohol or substance abuse
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
For Fangers Pårørende (FFP) (The Organisation for Families and Friends of Prisoners)
The Organisation for Families and Friends of Prisoners (FFP) (in norwegian) offers a helpline, chat, e-mail service and individual digital calls, providing support and advice for family members and friends of someone who is in custody or prison or serving a community sentence.
Information:
- Telephone number: (+47) 22 11 41 30
- You will be talking to: Professional counsellors
- For: Family and friends of someone who is in custody, in prison, who is about to serve a sentence in prison, is serving a community sentence or wearing an ankle monitor.
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Landsforeningen for etterlatte etter selvmord (LEVE) (The national association for people who have lost someone to suicide)
Landsforeningen for etterlatte etter selvmord (LEVE) (in norwegian) is a nationwide organisation that offers peer-to-peer talks for people who have lost someone to suicide. The service is available in person or digitally/over the phone. LEVE also offers bereavement support groups.
Information:
- (+47) 22 36 17 00 (the secretariat)
- You will be talking to: Peers
- For: People who have lost someone to suicide
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Violence and abuse
Vold- og overgrepslinjen (The helpline for victims of domestic violence and abuse)
Vold- og overgrepslinjen is a helpline and chat service for victims of domestic violence and abuse. The service is run by Krisesentersekretariatet and Oslo Crisis Shelter (Oslo Krisesenter).
Information:
- Telephone number: 116 006
- You will be talking to: Professional counsellors
- For: Anyone who is a victim of violence and/or abuse
- Service hours: 24-hour telephone helpline. See the organisation’s website for chat opening hours.
National helpline for older people who are victims of violence
Vern for eldre (Protective Services for the Elderly - PSE) operates the national helpline for older people who are victims of violence. The service offers guidance and help to anyone over the age of 62 who is a victim of violence or abuse.
Information:
- Telephone number: 800 30 196
- You will be talking to: Professional counsellors
- For: Persons over the age of 62 who are a victim of violence, threats, violations and/or abuse, as well as friends/family and others who suspect abuse of an elderly person
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Dinutvei.no
Dinutvei.no is the Norwegian national information and support service for rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence. It includes an online Questions & Answers service, and is run by the Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (NKVTS).
Information:
- You will be talking to: Professional counsellors
- For: Victims of domestic violence/abuse, perpetrators of domestic violence or abuse, family/friends and others who care and need help and advice.
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Sexual abuse helpline
Sismo Vestfold (Senter mot incest og seksuelle overgrep i Vestfold (Vestfold Centre against Incest and Sexual Abuse) (in norwegian) operates a helpline for victims of sexual abuse. The Centre also offers temporary accommodation, individual support, family sessions and various group offerings.
Information:
- Telephone number: 800 57 000
- You will be talking to: Professional employees at Senter mot incest og seksuelle overgrep i Vestfold (Vestfold Centre against Incest and Sexual Abuse)
- For: Boys, girls, women and men who are victims of incest and sexual abuse, as well as family/friends of victims of incest and sexual abuse
- Service hours: 24/7
DIXI Ressurssenter mot voldtekt (Resource center for victims of rape)
DIXI Ressurssenter mot voldtekt (in norwegian) is a resource centre for victims of rape, and provides a low-threshold service for people who are victims of rape or know someone who is. DIXI offers individual support, self-help groups and support by e-mail or Skype calls, as well as assistance in communicating with the public support system and free legal assistance.
Information:
- Telephone number: (+47) 22 44 40 50
- You will be talking to: Professionals; some of whom are also victims of rape
- For: Victims of rape and their family/friends
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Senter for seksuelt misbrukte menn (SSMM) (Centre for sexually abused men)
Senter for seksuelt misbrukte menn (SSMM) is a support organisation that offers a helpline and self-help services to men who are victims of incest and sexual abuse, as well as their family/friends.
Information:
- Telephone number: (+47) 22 42 42 02
- You will be talking to: Peers
- For: Men who have been subjected to incest and sexual abuse as a child or teenager; guardians/caretakers and partners
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Stiftelsen Kirkelig Ressurssenter mot vold og seksuelle overgrep
VAKE – Stiftelsen Kirkelig Ressurssenter mot vold og seksuelle overgrep is a church-based service which provides a meeting and support place for women and men who are victims of violence and/or sexual abuse. You can receive support by phone, at VAKE’s premises or outdoors.
Information:
- Telephone number: (+47) 23 22 79 30
- You will be talking to: Professional counsellors
- For: Victims of abuse, sexual abuse, and violence, as well as their family/friends
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Politiets støttesenter for kriminalitetsutsatte (The police support center for victims of crime)
Politiets støttesenter for kriminalitetsutsatte offers support for victims of crime (PDF), such as violence, sexual assault or violations of your personal freedom.
Information:
- Telephone number: 800 40 008
- You will be talking to: employees of the police service
- For: Victims of crime
- Service hours: See the organisation’s website
Somatic illness
Living with a somatic illness can put a strain on your mental health. Having proper information and insight into your own illness can empower you to live life to its fullest in your daily life.
Talking to professionals with expertise in the disease, or peers who have the same diagnosis as you, can prove to be helpful and provide answers to any questions you may have. We recommend that you look into whether the relevant patient organisation for your illness has a helpline or related services.