What is a Crisis?
A mental health crisis is where a person has a rapid deterioration in their mental health. You may feel you are no longer able to cope or be in control of your situation. You may have feelings of harming yourself or even contemplating ending your life. You could also experience hallucinations and hearing voices that are not there.
If you are in a crisis you need to seek help immediately. Our therapy services are not suitable for use in a severe mental health crisis.
If you have a preexisting mental health condition and are under a psychiatric team you may already have a Crisis Care Plan - If you have one check the details of who you can contact to support you in a crisis.
Are You Thinking of Harming Yourself?
Occasionally you may feel an urge to harm yourself as a way of dealing with intense feelings. If you are contemplating harming yourself you can:
- See/talk to your GP
- Talk to a person you can trust
- Contact the Samaritans on their 24 hour free telephone helpline at 116 123 or by emailing jo@samaritans.org
- Tips on helping yourself can be found here on the Mind website.
Have you harmed yourself ?
- If you have injured yourself and it is an emergency you should call 999 or go to your nearest A and E department.
- If you have injured yourself and it's not an immediate emergency you can call 111 for advice. Keep your wounds clean and use clean dressings.
Are You Thinking About Ending Your Life?
If you feel you are in immediate danger:
- Call 999
- Go to your nearest A and E department.
If there is not an imminent risk to yourself but you are having suicidal thoughts you can:
- See/ talk to your GP
- Contact your crisis team if you have one. More information on this can be found here on the Mind website.
- Talk to a person you can trust
- Contact the Samaritans on their 24 hour free telephone helpline at 116 123.
- Help on dealing with suicidal thoughts can be found here on the Help Guide website.
- If you are male, specific support can be found at CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) www.thecalmzone.net or on their helpline tel: 0800 58 58 58
Are You Having Thoughts About Harming Others?
Occasionally people can experience scary thoughts about harming other people. Whilst these thoughts are frightening, remember you do not have to act on them. If you have had thoughts like this before, try and remember what helped you last time that stopped you acting on them. If you feel you are at imminent risk of harming someone:
- Dial 999
- Go to your nearest A and E
If it is not an emergency you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or contact your local Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team if you have one. More information on this can be found here on the Mind website.
Are You Having Disordered, Confusing or Unusual Thoughts or Feeling Overwhelmed or Really Unhappy About Something?
Emotions can occasionally take over our lives. If you are feeling overwhelmed by anything or finding it hard to make sense of the thoughts you are having or if someone around you is concerned by your thoughts or actions you can speak to someone you trust or you can:
- See/talk to your GP
- Talk to a person you can trust
- Contact the Samaritans on their 24 hour free telephone helpline at 116 123.
- Conact Saneline (www.sane.org.uk/) on 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm -10.30pm daily).
- Call Mind Info line (www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helplines/) on 0300 123 3393.
- For severe anxiety issues you can call the No Panic helpline (www.nopanic.org.uk) on 0844 967 4848 (5p/min charge applies 10am-10pm daily).