If someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can play an important role in de-escalating the situation to protect the safety of yourself, the individual in crisis, and others.
A mental health crisis describes the personal experience of emotional disturbance and distress that may put the individual in crisis or the people around them in danger. A person in crisis may struggle to communicate their thoughts and feelings. Stay calm, express your support, and ask how you can help. Be patient, give them space, and remember to gently announce your actions before initiating them. If you believe that you or the person in crisis may be at risk of harm, seek help from a mental health professional.
Overview
A mental health crisis describes the personal experience of emotional disturbance and distress that may put the individual in crisis or the people around them in danger. If someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can play an important role in de-escalating the situation.
A person in crisis may struggle to communicate their thoughts and feelings. Stay calm, express your support, and ask how you can help. Be patient, give them space, and remember to gently announce your actions before initiating them. If you believe that you or the person in crisis may be at risk of harm, seek help from a mental health professional.
Seeking Help
If you don’t believe there is an immediate danger, reach out to a psychiatrist, therapist, or doctor who is familiar with the person in crisis. This professional can help assess the situation and offer actionable advice. You can also contact your local mental health crisis response team. While some communities already have a three-digit phone number for mental health services, a national number is expected to be available in 2022.
If you believe there is an immediate danger, call 911. Tell the operator that someone is experiencing a mental health crisis and explain the nature of the situation, your relationship to the individual, and whether or not any weapons are involved. It can also be helpful to include any known medical history, including diagnoses or medications. Ask the operator to send someone who is trained to respond to mental health crises, like a crisis intervention officer.
If law enforcement responds to your call, reiterate the information you shared with the 911 operator as soon as they arrive. Remind the officers to view the situation as a mental health crisis and be clear about what you want to happen. If the person in crisis has no history of violence, be sure to point that out. After the officers have been informed of the situation, let them decide the course of action.
Remember, the police are responsible for determining if a possible crime has occurred and they reserve the power to arrest the individual in crisis. However, the police should not do anything that may further escalate the situation, like threatening the individual with force.
Questions & Answers
What should I do if I see police using excessive force with someone having a mental health crisis?
- Film it. Share it. Then turn in the evidence to the proper law enforcement professional.