If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911. For crisis support, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. For urgent mental health support in Charlotte, call Anuvia at (704) 376-7447.
Mental health crises can happen to anyone, regardless of whether they’re currently in treatment or have a history of mental health challenges. Knowing how to recognize a crisis, where to get immediate help, and what resources are available can be life-saving information for you or someone you care about.
What Constitutes a Mental Health Crisis
A mental health crisis is any situation where someone’s mental or emotional state puts them or others at immediate risk of harm. This goes beyond feeling stressed, sad, or anxious. It involves acute symptoms that require immediate professional attention, and knowing how to recognize them matters enormously.
Immediate safety concerns include:
- Thoughts of suicide or plans to harm oneself
- Threats or plans to harm others
- Psychotic symptoms like hallucinations or delusions that impair judgment
- Severe substance use that creates immediate danger
- Complete inability to care for basic needs (eating, hygiene, safety)
- Manic episodes involving dangerous or reckless behavior
Warning signs that a crisis may be developing:
- Talking about wanting to die or having no reason to live
- Researching methods of suicide or giving away possessions
- Dramatic mood changes or sudden improvement after a period of depression
- Increased substance use or reckless behavior
- Social withdrawal and isolation from family and friends
- Expressing feelings of hopelessness or being trapped
Immediate Crisis Resources
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 for free, confidential support 24/7. The Lifeline provides crisis counseling and support for people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, as well as guidance for family and friends.
Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor via text message. This service is available 24/7 and can be helpful for people who prefer texting over talking.
National Sexual Assault Hotline
Call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) for confidential support from trained staff members who can provide crisis intervention and referrals to local resources.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788 for confidential support regarding domestic violence situations.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for information and referrals for substance use treatment and mental health support. Available 24/7 in English and Spanish.
When to Go to the Emergency Room
Emergency rooms can provide immediate safety and stabilization during mental health crises, though they’re not ideal for ongoing mental health care. Consider the ER when:
- Immediate safety is at risk due to suicidal or homicidal thoughts with specific plans
- Psychotic symptoms are severely impairing judgment or creating safety concerns
- Severe substance intoxication or withdrawal that could be medically dangerous
- Complete inability to function or care for basic needs
- No other crisis resources are immediately available
What to Expect in the Emergency Room
ER staff will conduct a mental health assessment to determine immediate safety needs and appropriate next steps. This may involve:
- Questions about suicidal or homicidal thoughts
- Assessment of substance use
- Evaluation of ability to care for yourself safely
- Determination of whether hospitalization is necessary
The ER can provide immediate stabilization and safety, but ongoing treatment will typically need to be arranged through outpatient providers or specialized programs.
Crisis vs. Urgent Mental Health Needs
Not every mental health concern requires emergency intervention. Understanding the difference can help you get appropriate help at the right level.
Crisis situations require immediate intervention to ensure safety. These involve imminent risk of harm to self or others.
Urgent situations are serious but not immediately life-threatening. These might include:
- Significant worsening of depression or anxiety that’s affecting daily functioning
- New or worsening symptoms that are concerning but not immediately dangerous
- Need for medication adjustments due to side effects or lack of effectiveness
- Relationship or family crises that are causing significant distress
For urgent situations, same-day or next-day appointments with mental health providers are often more appropriate than emergency services.
How to Help Someone in Crisis
If someone you care about is in crisis, the most important thing you can do is stay calm and take the situation seriously. Dismissing threats of suicide or self-harm, even if the person has made them before, can be deeply damaging. Every expression of crisis deserves a real response.
Listen without trying to fix. Let the person say what they need to say without arguing them out of their feelings or minimizing their distress. Your presence and attention are more valuable in that moment than any solution you might offer.
If you believe someone is at immediate risk of harm, don’t leave them alone. Stay with them or make sure someone else can until professional help arrives. If you can safely remove potential means of harm, such as medications or other dangerous items, do so. And don’t try to handle a serious crisis on your own. Call 988, contact 911, or take the person to an emergency room. These situations require professional intervention, and reaching out for help is the right call, not a failure.
After the immediate crisis has passed, follow up. Check in regularly and help connect them with ongoing mental health support. The period after a crisis is a vulnerable one, and consistent presence from people they trust makes a real difference.
What NOT to Do During a Crisis
It’s worth knowing not just what to do in a crisis, but what to avoid. If someone shares suicidal thoughts with you, don’t promise to keep it secret. While respecting someone’s privacy matters, their safety has to come first.
Avoid trying to talk someone out of suicidal feelings with reassurances like “you have so much to live for.” As well-intentioned as that is, it often makes people feel more misunderstood rather than less alone. Similarly, don’t be afraid to ask directly about suicide. It’s a common fear that asking the question plants the idea, but research consistently shows the opposite is true. Asking directly gives people permission to be honest and signals that someone cares enough to ask.
Don’t leave someone alone if you genuinely believe they’re at serious risk, even if they ask you to. And don’t try to manage the situation entirely by yourself. A mental health crisis is not something one person should navigate alone, and calling for professional help is always the right move.
Planning Ahead for Crisis Situations
If you or someone you care about has a history of mental health challenges, creating a crisis plan ahead of time can be extremely helpful:
- Identify warning signs that typically precede a crisis for you or your loved one
- List emergency contacts including family, friends, and healthcare providers
- Include crisis hotline numbers and local emergency resources
- Specify preferred hospitals or treatment facilities if hospitalization is needed
- Document current medications and any medical conditions
- Include insurance information and identification
Follow-Up After a Crisis
The work doesn’t end when the immediate crisis does. In fact, the period that follows is one of the most important for preventing another one. Scheduling a follow-up with a mental health provider within 24 to 48 hours gives the person a chance to process what happened and begin adjusting their care plan while the experience is still fresh.
If medications were prescribed or adjusted during the crisis, ensuring they’re being taken as directed matters. So does addressing the underlying factors that contributed to the crisis through ongoing therapy rather than treating the crisis as a standalone event. Building stronger support systems and coping strategies, and continuing with safety planning, are what turn a crisis response into a foundation for longer-term stability.
How Anuvia Supports Crisis Situations
We’re committed to supporting our clients through difficult times. Same-day appointments are available for clients experiencing urgent mental health needs, allowing us to provide immediate support when situations are deteriorating but haven’t yet reached emergency levels. We incorporate safety planning as part of ongoing treatment for clients with crisis history, helping them identify early warning signs and develop specific strategies for managing difficult moments.
When clients require higher levels of care than we can provide, we coordinate closely with emergency services and hospitals to ensure smooth transitions and continuity of care. After any crisis situation, we prioritize immediate follow-up to help clients process their experience, adjust treatment plans as needed, and prevent future crises. We also provide family support and education about crisis recognition and response, helping loved ones understand warning signs and know how to respond appropriately when someone they care about is struggling.
Supporting Your Own Mental Health
The best crisis intervention is crisis prevention. Consistent care during stable periods is what builds the resilience needed to navigate harder ones.
Maintaining regular mental health appointments even when you’re feeling well helps catch potential problems early and keeps you connected to support before things become urgent. Taking medications as prescribed and communicating openly with your provider about side effects or changes in how you’re feeling ensures your treatment stays effective over time.
The people around you matter too. Strong relationships with family, friends, or a support group create a network that can provide help during difficult periods and may notice warning signs before you do. Developing healthy coping strategies for stress and difficult emotions, whether that’s through exercise, creative outlets, relaxation techniques, or other activities that work for you, gives you tools to draw on before situations reach a crisis point. And paying attention to your own early warning signs, the subtle shifts that tend to precede harder periods, and seeking help before things escalate is one of the most important things you can do for your long-term wellbeing.
Remember: Crises Are Temporary
Mental health crises can feel all-consuming in the moment, but they are temporary. With the right support, people move through them. Many people who have experienced serious mental health crises go on to live full, meaningful lives, not in spite of having asked for help, but because they did.
If you’re reading this during a difficult time, please know that support is available right now. You don’t have to be certain things are bad enough to reach out. Reaching out is always the right call.
In an immediate crisis, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. For crisis support, call or text 988. For urgent mental health support in Charlotte, call Anuvia at (704) 376-7447. We’re here.