What to Do in a Mental Health Crisis

A mental health crisis is when you’re in serious emotional distress, feeling suicidal, or feeling at risk of hurting yourself or someone else. If you’re able to do so, immediately tell a parent, caregiver, or other trusted adult. They can talk with you and decide what course of action to take: calling for help or taking you directly to the emergency department.

If you or a friend is having a mental health emergency and you cannot get help from a trusted adult, you can:

• call or text 988, the nationwide Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• call 911.

Call or text 988

988 provides free, confidential, 24/7 support for people in distress. Depending on where you live, a Lifeline crisis counselor may be able to connect you with a local crisis support team for help. Or they may refer you to 911 if there is no local crisis support team.

• Voice, text, and chat options are available in English and Spanish. To connect with a Spanish crisis counselor
  • dial 988, then press “2.”
  • text “AYUDA” to 988
  • visit Opens in a new tabhttps://988lifeline.org/es/chat/
• Youth who choose to connect with an LGBTQ+ crisis counselor can:
  • dial 988, then press “3”
  • text “PRIDE” to 988
• Youth who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have hearing loss can choose to:
  • Use their preferred relay service or dial 711, then 988
  • Call, text, or chat on 988 through their Deaf, Hard, or Healing Loss page (see Opens in a new tablink)
  • text 988
  • chat on Opens in a new tab988lifeline.org
• Young people who are veterans can choose to:
  • dial 988, then text “1” to be connected to the Veterans Crisis Lifeline
  • text the Veterans Crisis Lifeline directly at 838255
  • chat with the Opens in a new tabVeterans Crisis Line.

Call 911

When you’re having a mental health crisis, a police dispatcher can talk with you about what’s happening, assess the situation, and decide what to do. They can also dispatch a crisis intervention team (CIT) if one is available in your community, or police can transport you to the hospital.

Yet you may feel hesitant to call 911, particularly for people of color and in communities that have had difficult experiences with police.

If the best option is to call 911, here are some tips for you and anyone who might be helping you:

• Tell the dispatcher that this call is about a mental health crisis. Give as much information as you can about the mental health history and/or diagnosis.
• Ask if your community has a crisis intervention team (CIT) officer or a youth crisis team.
• When police arrive, say, “This is a mental health crisis” and remain calm yourself. Do not yell or get too close to the officer. Let them know helpful information, and if they are not there for you then step out of the way.
• Be aware that police are responsible for your safety and for those around you. Sometimes that means an officer may try to physically restrain you.

Planning for a crisis

No one plans to have a mental health crisis. But if you’re struggling with your mental wellness or living with a mental health condition, it helps to have an emergency plan in case you ever need one. An emergency plan, as shown in the example from NAMI, should include the specifics listed. A parent or guardian may need to help with some of the information.

Consider sharing your emergency plan with people you trust so that they will know how best to help you if you are in crisis. Keep your plan easy to access on your phone or in a visible spot in your home.

Every plan will be individualized, but some common elements include:

• Person’s general information
• Contact information for family
• Contact information for health care professionals
• Strategies and treatments that have worked in the past
• A list of what might make the situation worse and a list of what might help
• Current medication(s) and dosages
• Current diagnoses
• Person’s treatment preferences
• Contact information for nearby crisis centers or emergency rooms
• Contact information for adults the person trusts
• Safety plans

Opens in new tab Download this full crisis plan from NAMI