Last checked: November 1, 2026
If someone is in danger now, call 911
Call 911 if your loved one is unconscious, not breathing well, having a seizure, very confused, or may harm themselves or someone else. Call 911 for a suspected overdose too, even if they seem to recover. Stay with them until help arrives.
Withdrawal can also be an emergency. Stopping alcohol or benzodiazepines (sedatives such as Xanax or Valium) suddenly can cause seizures and can need a hospital.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- Call or text 988, or chat at chat.988lifeline.org.
- Available 24 hours a day, every day. Free and confidential.
- For emotional distress, thoughts of suicide, and alcohol or drug use concerns. You can also call if you are worried about someone else.
- Text and chat are available in Spanish. More at 988lifeline.org.
SAMHSA National Helpline
- Call 1-800-662-4357 (1-800-662-HELP). TTY: 1-800-487-4889.
- Free, confidential, and open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in English and Spanish.
- It gives referrals to local treatment, support groups and community services. It does not provide counseling.
- Run by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. See the National Helpline page.
Poison Control
- Call 1-800-222-1222. It connects you to your local poison center, where a nurse, pharmacist, doctor or other poison expert can help.
- Call if you think someone took too much of a medicine or drug, or mixed substances, even if you are not sure.
- If the person is unconscious or has trouble breathing, call 911 first.
- The line is funded by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. See poisonhelp.hrsa.gov.
When your loved one refuses help: the Marchman Act
Florida’s Marchman Act lets a court order assessment and treatment for a person with a substance use disorder in some situations, even if they refuse. Under s. 397.675, Florida Statutes, the person must have lost control over their substance use, and either be unable to recognize their need for care because of it, or be at serious risk of harm to themselves or others. Refusing treatment on its own is not enough.
This is a legal process with real consequences, so it helps to understand it before you act. Read the Marchman Act explained. If there is danger right now, call 911.
Abuse or neglect in a program
To report abuse, neglect or exploitation, the Florida Department of Children and Families directs people to the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873. To raise a concern about a licensed treatment provider, see our guide to checking a DCF license, which links to DCF’s complaint portal.
When it is not an emergency
If you have a little time, our guide to helping a loved one accept treatment is a calm place to start.
Luxury Rehab Florida is an independent guide, not a crisis service. We do not answer calls or monitor messages. The numbers above are run by public services, not by this site.