What to Do in a Mental Health Emergency: 5 Vital Steps

In 2018, an estimated 19.1% of American adults struggled with mental illness. That represents roughly one in five adults. For many, depression and anxiety may come in waves or last for a short period of time. For others, mental illness may be longterm and harder to manage.

Regulating your mental health often involves the assistance of mental health professionals who can provide proper medication and therapy. If you don’t ask for help, you are at an increased risk of having a mental health emergency.

If you or a loved one is at risk of having a mental health emergency, it is important to know the appropriate steps to take to avoid harm. 

Read on to learn 5 important steps to take when you or someone you love is having a mental health emergency.

What Constitutes a Mental Health Emergency?

A mental health emergency occurs anytime someone becomes or could become a danger to themselves or others. There are a number of reasons why this may happen. There are also a number of signs that indicate that you or someone else needs help.

Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and bipolar disorder are among the most common mental health disorders that can escalate. Suicidal, homicidal, or otherwise intrusive thoughts are indicative that someone is having an emergency. Manic behavior, paranoia, or hallucinations that cause questionable decision making also indicates that you or someone else needs serious assistance. 

These are just a few examples of what can cause a mental health emergency and what that may look like. The following steps are applicable to all mental health emergencies.

5 Steps to Take in a Mental Health Emergency

It can be difficult to make the right choices in any emergency situation, especially if it is your own mental illness that is flaring up. Remind yourself often of these steps and keep any important phone numbers on hand. In addition, inform anyone who is close to you and that you trust of your emergency plan. 

1. Assess the Situation

If you notice any intrusive thoughts coming in, assess the situation. What may have triggered this mental health emergency? 

If the issue is related to your medication, make sure that you are taking the proper dosage. If the situation has not escalated too far, see if you can get in contact with your psychiatrist. 

If you are not in a position to do so, proceed to steps two and three.

2. Call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline

If you have suicidal thoughts but feel that you won’t act on them, consider calling the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, which can be reached at 1-800-273-8255. They have mental health professionals available to speak around the clock seven days a week. Talking to a crisis counselor can help you to find the relief you need in the moment.

If you’re unsure of whether or not you have suicidal thoughts, ask yourself the following questions:

Have I thought of death as a solution to my current problems? Have I considered the method I would use, where I would attempt the act, and when I would attempt the act? Have I written anything down for loved ones indicating that I have taken my own life?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you are experiencing suicidal thoughts and should seek help.

3. Seek Emergency Medical Care

In some cases, calling the Suicide Hotline is not enough. Erratic or dangerous behavior is an indication that a person needs immediate medical care. 

If possible, bring your loved one to the emergency room in your own car. It is advisable that you bring along another trusted individual to try to keep your loved one calm and prevent driver distraction. 

If it is not possible, you will need to call an ambulance. It is of the utmost importance that someone else is there with the person experiencing a mental health crisis who can communicate with EMTs. There have been instances of false assumptions made by emergency responders leading to endangerment or death.

4. Make a Follow-Up Mental Health Care Plan

After the immediate mental health emergency has been addressed and you have reached some level of stability, it is time to make a follow-up mental health care plan. This plan should consist of both proactive and preventative techniques and solutions.

For example, consider a blended psychological treatment that includes more than just medication. You may consider cognitive behavioral therapy, neurofeedback therapy, or other forms of therapy that address moderate to severe mental health issues.

5. Reach for Healthy Coping Mechanisms

Do your best to reflect upon the situation after the fact. Can you pinpoint what triggered the mental health emergency?

It is important that we seek out healthy coping mechanisms that can help us regulate our emotions and overall mental wellbeing. There are a variety of coping mechanisms that you can learn from a therapist or psychiatrist. 

Examine any coping mechanisms you may turn to now. Are they harmful? For example, substance use or “self-medication” may alleviate some of our mental illness symptoms in the moment but they are harmful in the long run.

Develop a routine that allows you to replace some of your harmful coping mechanisms with something healthier and more effective.

Wellness Involves Mental Wellness

Have you or someone you love has experienced a mental health emergency? If so, it is important that you consider ways that you can avoid the same outcome in the future. Developing a mental wellness plan is a great way to cope with any mental health issues you may be experiencing. 

If you care about your physical health, make sure that you put as much effort into regulating your mental health. After all, it is important that we tend to body, mind, and spirit. For more information on physical health and fitness, take a look at some of our other posts.