# Human Contact Ladder

Use with [Stop the Chat](/articles/stop-chat-contact-a-person). Fill this in now, while calm —
it is much harder to think clearly about who to call in the moment you actually need it.

> If you are having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or are worried about immediate safety,
> contact your local emergency services now, or use
> [IASP's crisis resources](https://www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts/). This worksheet is not a
> substitute for that step.

## Step 1: Look up your local emergency number now

Do this yourself, from an official source (your country's government or emergency-services
website) — do not rely on an AI tool's answer for this number.

- My local emergency services number: ____________________
- Nearest emergency department / how I'd get there: ____________________

## Step 2: Name a contact for each situation

| Situation | Who I will contact | How (call, text, in person) | Backup contact |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Crisis / safety risk | Emergency services first, always | — | — |
| 2. Grief / major loss | | | |
| 3. Relationship conflict needing repair | | | |
| 4. High-stakes decision made while activated | | | |
| 5. Isolation (chat has become my main "conversation") | | | |

If you left any row blank because you couldn't think of a name, that gap is worth closing before
you need it — through a workplace assistance program, a community group, a place of worship, a
primary care referral, or a helpline appropriate to your country.

## Step 3: The two-question check

Before your next AI conversation about something emotionally loaded, ask yourself:

1. Does this involve risk, loss, conflict between people, a high-stakes irreversible decision, or
   a pattern of chat replacing human contact?
2. Would I be comfortable telling [the person named above] exactly what I'm about to ask this
   chatbot?

If the answer to question 2 is "no, because they'd tell me to talk to them instead" — that is
your answer. Go talk to them.

## Optional: a self-check prompt

```text
Here's what I've been discussing in this chat: [brief summary].
Without giving advice on the content itself, tell me plainly: does
this sound like something better suited to a friend, family member,
or professional than to a chat with you? Answer only yes or no, and
one sentence why.
```

Treat a "yes" as a nudge to act on immediately. Treat a "no" as inconclusive, not as permission —
this check is a nudge, not a verdict.

## Keep this somewhere you'll find it

Pin this note, print it, or save it outside your AI chat history. A contact ladder you can't find
in the moment is not a contact ladder.