Mental Health Crisis: What It Is and How to Help

Are you or a loved one experiencing a mental health crisis? Read on to learn how to proceed.

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Has your mental health taken a turn for the worse? Are you in a situation where you’re concerned for your safety and well-being? A mental health crisis can escalate quickly, so it’s important to take action quickly, whether you’re seeking help for yourself or a loved one who’s in crisis.

Read on to learn more about what a mental health crisis is, what to do if you’re having one, what to do if your loved one is in crisis, and more.

What is a mental health crisis?

A mental health crisis is a scenario where someone’s mental health is severely compromised, and it has escalated to a point where they urgently need mental healthcare.  

“A true mental health crisis is any situation in which a person’s behaviors, emotions, reactions, or thoughts put themselves or others at risk of harm, or when these symptoms interfere with their ability to function during their normal day-to-day life,” says Kathleen Douglass, LCPC, a Charlie Health Primary Therapist. 

What is considered a mental health crisis?

The following scenarios are considered mental health crises:

• Thoughts about harming yourself or others (with intent to do so)
• Having suicidal thoughts (especially with intent to do so)
• Recklessness that poses a threat to yourself or others 
• Psychosis symptoms (such as seeing things or hearing voices, especially if they’re telling you to hurt yourself or someone else)
• Inability to take care of yourself
• Inability to go to school or work due to your symptoms 

Any of these reasons is cause to seek help. 

Recognizing the warning signs of a mental health crisis 

According to Nicole Lonano, MS, a Charlie Health Group Facilitator, the following signs may be associated with these mental health crises:

• Sudden extreme isolation
• Loss of interest in hobbies
• Inability to fulfill obligations
• Rapid mood swings
• Uncharacteristic anger, irritability, or intense agitation
• Drastic changes in sleep patterns
• Rapid weight loss or gain
• Poor hygiene
• Unexplained physical ailments
• Irrational thoughts
• Signs of paranoia/hallucinations and losing touch with reality

If you notice these signs in yourself or a loved one, don’t ignore them. 

What to do in a mental health crisis

If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis right now, here’s what to do. “The first thing to do is to not feel ashamed that you find yourself in crisis and to seek help,” says Douglass. “Reach out to your support system for help. Prioritize self-care. Attend to basic needs. Follow any safety plans if you have one.”

Call or text a crisis intervention service, such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (AKA the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) or go to the nearest emergency room. 988 is available 24/7, 365 days a year. 

988 can talk you through the crisis and de-escalate it to help you feel safer and more in control. Depending on where you live, a crisis counselor may be able to dispatch a mobile crisis team to come to you in person and help. Additionally, if there is a crisis stabilization unit nearby, you can go to one of these. A 988 crisis counselor can help you find one.

Still not sure who to call for help? Here’s a quick decision guide:

• Not in immediate danger? Call or text 988.
• Need someone in person at home? Call 988 and ask for a mobile crisis team.
• In an immediately life-threatening situation? Call 911 and request professionals with mental health training. 

What is the mental health crisis hotline?

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a helpful resource for people struggling with mental health crises. However, it’s important to know what these crisis counselors can and can’t do. 

What crisis counselors can do

Crisis counselors from 988 are a helpful resource for anyone navigating a mental health emergency or emotional overwhelm. They function as a vital bridge between immediate distress and long-term stability by performing the following roles:

1. Provide immediate emotional support

Offer compassionate, non-judgmental listening to people experiencing mental health distress, suicidal thoughts, or substance use issues.   

2. Assess safety and risk

Counselors can evaluate risk levels, Lonano says. For example, they might provide lethal means counseling, which assesses if someone has a plan to hurt or kill themselves and if they have the means to do so. From there, the counselor can work to prevent immediate harm.

3. De-escalate crises

Crisis counselors are trained to use specialized techniques to reduce the intensity of a crisis, helping callers feel more stable and safe, Lonano says. 

4. Connect to local resources

They can help you find mental health services outside of the crisis line, such as local mental health providers, mobile crisis teams, or services for food/shelter, Lonano says.

5. Follow-up with you

A counselor may call to check in on you, usually within 24 hours, says Lonano.

6. Support family and friends

On top of supporting the individual in crisis, these counselors can support the loved ones who are helping out. 

What crisis counselors cannot do

While 988 is a powerful tool for stabilization, it is important to understand the specific boundaries of their service. These counselors are trained for short-term intervention rather than ongoing care, and their primary focus remains on safety during an immediate window of distress.

1. Provide physical rescue

The counselors themselves do not travel to the caller’s location, Lonano says, but they may be able to dispatch a mobile crisis team. 

2. Guarantee confidentiality in emergencies

“While largely confidential, they cannot maintain confidentiality if they must intervene to prevent imminent, life-threatening harm, such as involving emergency services,” says Lonano.

3. Provide long-term therapy

A crisis counselor is not your therapist. “They cannot offer ongoing treatment, traditional therapy, or manage long-term mental health conditions,” Lonano says. 

4. Prescribe medication

These counselors are not medical providers, so they can’t provide medical treatment or prescribe you medication.

How to help someone else in a mental health crisis

It can feel scary if you’re with someone who is having a mental health crisis, but it’s important to stay calm. Focus on staying present and doing your best to help them. 

Most importantly, if you know that someone is currently taking steps towards taking their own life or is about to, call 911. Other than that, here’s some advice:

1. Listen to them

First, you want to understand exactly what they’re dealing with. Lonano says you should aim to listen without judgment. 

2. Ensure safety

If your loved one is having thoughts of harming themselves in any way, Lonano advises you to remove potential means of self-harm, if possible. 

3. Seek crisis support

One of the best things you can do is reach out to someone trained in crisis management. If there is not immediate danger you can call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), and the crisis counselor can walk you through the next steps, depending on the type of crisis your loved one is dealing with. Or, you can encourage them to call or text 988 themself, and stay with them while they do so. 

If there is immediate danger (such as a weapon or violence), Lonano suggests calling 911 and explicitly requesting an officer trained in mental health emergencies or a crisis intervention team (CIT). These are teams that are specifically trained in mental health crises who are focused on getting people the help they need. 

4. Don’t leave them alone

Lonano recommends staying with them until professional help arrives (if applicable).

What to do after a mental health crisis

After experiencing a mental health crisis, it’s important to seek care so you can prevent further crises. A mental health crisis rarely occurs in a vacuum — and there’s probably something else going on. It’s likely that you’re dealing with an underlying mental health condition (whether diagnosed or not), such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia, for example. Or, there may be recent major stressors, trauma, or substance abuse that contributed to the crisis. It’s crucial to determine and address these underlying causes. 

“After a crisis, recovery is a process that will take continued support and learning new skills in order to help prevent another crisis from occurring,” says Douglass. “This is why following up with an outpatient mental health team is so important after a crisis. It provides that extra safety net for us to lean on and to help monitor us in the hopes that we are able to prevent a crisis from happening again.” Or, in more severe mental health crises, a medical or mental health professional may recommend hospitalization to help you stay safe and feel better. 

How Charlie Health can help

If you or a loved one is struggling with your mental health, Charlie Health can help. Charlie Health is a virtual behavioral health provider delivering high-acuity treatment for kids, teens, and adults facing serious mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Our innovative treatment model combines clinical expertise, group connection, and measurement-based care to support long-term healing. This is a good option after an emergency room admission or hospital stay — or if someone is experiencing a mental health crisis while they’re in once-weekly therapy.  With the right support, managing your mental health and relationships is possible. Fill out the form below to start healing today. for kids, teens, and adults facing serious mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Our innovative treatment model combines clinical expertise, group connection, and measurement-based care to support long-term healing. With the right support, managing your mental health and relationships is possible. Fill out the form below to start healing today.