At YouTube, we take the health and well-being of all our creators and viewers seriously. Awareness and understanding of mental health is important and we support creators sharing their stories, such as posting content discussing their experiences with depression, self-harm, or other mental health issues.
We do not, however, allow content on YouTube that promotes suicide, self-harm, or is intended to shock or disgust users.
What to do if you find this content
If you come across content in which someone expresses suicidal thoughts or is engaging in self-harm, please contact local emergency services immediately for help and flag the video to bring it to our immediate attention.
What to do if you need support
If you are depressed, having thoughts of suicide, or self-harming, know there is help and you’re not alone. Many people turn to suicidal thinking and self-harm as ways to cope with painful emotions. Talking to a specialist can help you identify healthy, effective coping strategies and develop skills to manage difficult feelings.
Below is a list of suicide prevention organizations dedicated to helping those in need in different countries and regions. The websites www.befrienders.org and suicide.org also have extensive lists of organizations.
| Australia |
13 11 14 1800 55 1800 |
|
| Argentina | Centro de Asistencia al Suicida - Buenos Aires |
135 (desde Capital y Gran Buenos Aires) (011) 5275-1135 (desde todo el país) |
| Brazil | Centro de Valorização da Vida | 188 |
| Belgium |
0800 32 123 1813 |
|
| Bulgaria | Български Червен Кръст | 02 492 30 30 |
| Czech Republic | Psychiatrická léčebna Bohnice - Centrum krizové intervence | +420 284 016 666 |
| Denmark | Livslinien | 70201201 |
| France | S.O.S Amitié | 09 72 39 40 50 |
| Finland | Suomen Mielenterveysseura / Kansallinen kriisipuhelin | 09-2525-0111 |
| Germany | Telefonseelsorge | 0800-1110111 |
| Greece | ΚΛΙΜΑΚΑ | 1018 801 801 99 99 |
| Hong Kong | 香港撒瑪利亞防止自殺會 | 2389 2222 |
| Hungary | S.O.S. Telefonos Lelki Elsősegély Szolgálat | 06 1 116-123 |
| India | आसरा AASRA |
91-9820466726 |
| Ireland | Samaritans | 116 123 |
| Israel | ער"ן - עזרה ראשונה נפשית | 1201 |
| Italy | Samaritans Onlus | 800 86 00 22 |
| Japan | こころの健康相談統一ダイヤル | 0570-064-556 |
| New Zealand | Lifeline New Zealand | 0800 543 354 |
| Netherlands | Stichting 113Online | 0900-0113 |
| Singapore | Samaritans of Singapore | 1800-221-4444 |
| Spain |
93 414 48 48 717 003 717 |
|
| South Korea | 한국자살예방협회 | 1393 |
| Taiwan | 生命線協談專線 | 1995 |
| Thailand | กรมสุขภาพจิต กระทรวงสาธารณสุข | 1323 |
| United Kingdom | Samaritans | 116 123 |
| United States of America |
1-800-273-8255 Text HOME to 741-741 |
If you are looking for educational resources about self-harm, visit the following websites:
- Visit www.selfinjury.com: S.A.F.E Alternatives is a network and educational resource base committed to helping end self-harming behavior.
- Visit www.sioutreach.org: SiOS is an outreach initiative providing information and resources about self-harm to those who self-harm, those who have recovered, and those who want to help.
Guidelines for posting mental health-related content
YouTube users should not be afraid to speak openly about the topics of mental health or self-harm. However please don’t post content on YouTube if it fits any of the descriptions noted below:
- Promoting or glorifying suicide
- Providing instructions on how to self-harm or die by suicide
- Graphic images of self-harm posted to shock or disgust viewers
This Community Guidelines policy applies to videos, video descriptions, comments, live streams, and any other YouTube product or feature. Please note this is not a complete list.
What happens if content violates this policy
If your content violates this policy, we’ll remove the content and send you an email to let you know. If this is your first time violating our Community Guidelines, you’ll likely get a warning with no penalty to your channel. If it’s not, we may issue a strike against your channel. If you get 3 strikes within 90 days, your channel will be terminated. You can learn more about our strikes system here.
We may terminate your channel or account for repeated violations of the Community Guidelines or Terms of Service. We may also terminate your channel or account after a single case of severe abuse, or when the channel is dedicated to a policy violation. You can learn more about channel or account terminations here.