When to Go to the ER for a Mental Health Crisis: Signs It’s Time for Emergency Help
If necessary, would you recognize the signs of a mental health crisis or know when to go to the emergency room?
Many people worry they’re overreacting or not “sick enough” to need emergency mental health care. Yet this fear and uncertainty can delay urgent or even life-saving treatment. Often, many people don’t realize that mental health ER visits are relatively common. In fact, the CDC reports show more than one in twenty ER visits are mental health-related.[1]
Knowing what to do during a mental health crisis is crucial. This guide explains signs that emergency help may be needed, exploring topics such as:
- What a mental health crisis is.
- When to go to the emergency room with mental health issues.
- What happens when you go to the emergency department for support.
- Where to seek immediate and on-going help for mental health challenges.
What Counts as a Mental Health Crisis?
A mental health crisis, sometimes called a “psychiatric crisis”, happens when someone becomes emotionally overwhelmed to the point that their safety or ability to function is seriously affected.
The following sections take a closer look at the causes and signs of a mental health crisis.
What Causes a Mental Health Crisis?
A mental health crisis may appear suddenly or build gradually over time. In both cases, someone may eventually reach a point where even a small stressor tips them into crisis.
Some examples of events that may contribute to a crisis include:[2]
- Conflicts with friends or loved ones.
- Breaking up with a partner.
- Loneliness.
- Losing a job.
- Starting or stopping medication.
- Stress.
- Grief.
- Trauma.
Regardless of the events that may trigger a crisis, it can be helpful to know the symptoms to keep watch for.
Mental Health Crisis Signs
A mental health crisis can look different from person to person, but some common warning signs include:[2][3][4][5][6]
- Feeling like you’re losing control.
- Fear, worry, nervousness, or depression.
- Feeling emotionally stuck or overwhelmed.
- Feeling unable to cope with everyday life.
- Extreme anxiety or panic attacks.
- Rapid mood changes or unusually intense emotional reactions.
- Isolating yourself from work, family, or friends.
- Severe changes in sleeping patterns, such as staying awake all night or oversleeping during the day.
A mental health crisis can happen even without a previous mental health condition. However, recognizing the warning signs early can help people seek support sooner.
When to Go to the ER for a Mental Health Crisis
Emergency rooms can provide the emergency psychiatric care adults require when a crisis affects safety or self-care.
The key psychiatric emergency symptoms to watch for include:
Suicidal Thoughts
Suicidal thoughts or indicators may include:[2][7][8]
- Making plans to carry out suicide.
- Feeling unable to stay safe.
- Having access to objects needed to carry out a suicide plan (such as firearms or a stockpile of medications).
- Feeling helpless or hopeless.
- Giving away prized possessions.
- Calling people to say goodbye.
- Taking dangerous risks in the hope of being harmed.
Severe Panic Attacks or Extreme Anxiety
Severe anxiety and panic attacks may require emergency care. The key is recognizing when anxiety becomes an emergency and feels medically dangerous or unsafe.
A panic attack may feel like you are having symptoms of a medical emergency, such as a heart attack. Therefore, you should seek emergency care if you’re experiencing the following symptoms for the first time and you’re unsure of what’s causing them:
- Rapid or pounding heart
- Chest pain
- Dizziness or fainting
- Shortness of breath
Psychosis or Losing Touch With Reality:
Psychosis or losing touch with reality should always be treated as an emergency mental health crisis and warrant a trip to the ER. Some of the symptoms of psychosis include:[9]
- Hearing voices.
- Seeing things.
- Feeling extremely paranoid.
- Confusion.
Extreme Emotional or Behavioral Changes
Severe changes in behavior or self-care can also be a red flag that someone needs emergency support. This includes:[2][3][4][5][6][9]
- Becoming aggressive or completely withdrawn.
- Stopping eating or drinking.
- Being unable to care for themselves safely.
These signs of a mental breakdown emergency should be treated as seriously as a physical medical emergency.
However, there are some mental health conditions and symptoms that can leave people feeling unsure whether or not they should seek emergency help.
When Should I Go to the Hospital for Depression?
People often wonder whether depression requires hospital care because symptoms vary in severity. Some symptoms feel manageable, while others become severe enough to require emergency support. While many people with depression can be treated through outpatient support, hospital care is sometimes necessary for safety.
One of the biggest signs that emergency help is required is when depression leads to thoughts of suicide or self-harm. If you feel unable to stay safe, have made plans to end your life, or are taking unnecessary risks, it’s important to seek immediate help for a mental health crisis.[10]
Severe depression can also affect someone’s ability to function on a daily basis. Warning signs indicating it’s time to seek urgent mental health help for depression include when a person:[10]
- Stops taking essential medications.
- Stops eating or drinking properly.
- Becomes unable to care for themselves.
You don’t have to wait for things to feel “bad enough” before seeking help. If depression feels unbearable or your symptoms are suddenly getting worse, seeking support for a mental health crisis is the safest option.
When considering seeking help from an emergency department, many people often wonder what happens when they go to the ER for a mental health emergency.
Mission Connection is here to help you or your loved one take the next steps towards an improved mental well-being.
What Happens in a Crisis Intervention Emergency Room?
Emergency rooms handle all possible types of emergencies, which means they are often loud and busy, and feel like chaotic places. With this in mind, it becomes easier to see how someone could feel overwhelmed in this environment at the best of times, let alone when experiencing a mental health crisis.
Knowing what to expect in advance often helps to ease feelings of overwhelm and allows you to access the support you need. While each emergency department may differ in its exact processes, the following sections give you a basic step-by-step guide of what to expect.
1. Arriving at the Emergency Room
When you arrive at the ER for a mental health crisis, you’ll likely be seen by a team of nurses, doctors, and a psychiatrist who will carry out a comprehensive assessment. You’ll be asked questions about your current symptoms, when they started, your mental health history, and any relevant medical diagnoses.[9]
2. Risk Assessments
If you’ve gone to the ER because you’re having thoughts of suicide, you’ll also be assessed for risk of harming yourself. Some of these questions might feel uncomfortable to answer, but it’s vital that you respond to them as honestly as possible so that you get the right support. This important information helps your medical team determine the level of care for your needs.[9]
3. Psychiatric Evaluations
You might also have a psychiatric emergency evaluation with a clinician to confirm any pre-existing or new diagnoses. This evaluation can also inform your treatment plan.
During the evaluation, you may be asked if you are presently under the care of a treatment team. If you are, then providing the ER care team with your current treatment professional’s details means the emergency clinicians can update them on your care.[9]
4. Completing Paperwork
Although it may seem like a menial task when you are in a moment of crisis, paperwork or questionnaires about your insurance and medical history need to be filled out. This ensures that everything is in order and you are covered for any potential treatment or follow-up support.
5. Treatment and Support
Depending on the results of your assessments and evaluations, you may be offered immediate treatment and support, such as crisis counseling or medication. Or, you might be asked to take a physical exam to help the team rule out other medical issues potentially contributing to how you feel.
Based on your diagnoses, symptoms, and risk assessments, you may be discharged from the ER with a recommendation to follow up with a mental health professional within a specific time period. Alternatively, in more critical cases where safety is a concern, you might be admitted to a hospital so that you can receive specialized care and treatment.[2]
Not every mental health crisis requires a trip to the emergency room. There may be other settings more suitable for providing you with the support you need. So a big question many people have is, “Where can I go when I think I need urgent mental health care?”
ER vs Urgent Care for Mental Health
Depending on where you live, there may be several mental health services you can access when you feel like you need immediate help and support. These options include:[2][11][12]
Hospital Emergency Departments or Emergency Rooms (ER)
As discussed, the ER may be appropriate for a mental health emergency. Emergency rooms can help people whose mental health crisis puts either their safety or the safety of other people at risk. While you may face a long wait, you will often receive a full assessment, evaluation, and treatment, along with appropriate recommendations for ongoing support. The ER is the most appropriate place to go when there is a risk of immediate danger, intention to carry out suicide, or signs of psychosis.
Urgent Care Facilities and Emergency Psychiatric Clinics
These dedicated facilities are usually separate from ER rooms and provide on-site mental health assessments, psychiatric evaluations, and care recommendations for people in crisis. It’s worth noting that urgent care facilities don’t tend to allow people in for treatment who are extremely aggressive or incoherent, or who need emergency medical attention. This is because there may be other settings more appropriate for their needs.
Mobile Crisis Teams
These are teams of specialized mental health clinicians who can travel to you and provide on-site care and pre-screening assessments, and connect you with community-based programs and other services.
Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT)
CITs are made up of law enforcement officers who have been trained to recognize and reduce the intensity of a mental health crisis to help keep you safe. They are also familiar with community-based mental health resources and can put you in contact with them for further support.
Crisis Stabilization Units (CSU)
CSUs are small inpatient facilities that offer 24/7 care for people in mental health crises to help them stabilize and return home as soon as possible.
Crisis Hotlines
There are several hotlines and phone numbers you can call, depending on the mental health crisis. These include:
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 24/7 confidential support for anyone in a mental health crisis.
- 911: If there is a risk of immediate danger and either urgent medical care or law enforcement is needed.
- Veterans Crisis Line: A 24-hour confidential resource available to veterans and those who support them. Call 988, then press 1.
Get Supportive Care for Mental Health
At Mission Connection, we understand that going through a mental health crisis can feel frightening and overwhelming. Please know you don’t have to deal with it alone – we are here to help.
If you have experienced a mental health crisis and are in need of mental health treatment for long-term recovery, our expert care team offers compassionate, flexible, and professional outpatient treatment.
With locations in California, Virginia, and Washington, we provide various support options that fit into your schedule. These include in-person outpatient treatment, telehealth services, and a hybrid program that combines in-person and virtual care.
We also offer a range of payment options because we believe that getting the help you need should always be within reach. Mission Connection accepts insurance and is in-network with most major providers.
Our friendly team is ready to help you through this challenging time and support you on your healing journey. Get started online or call us at 866-833-1822 to take the first step toward lasting well-being.
