Mental Health Crisis
It's not usually feasible to see a therapist during a crisis. It is advisable to have a plan and resources if you think this could happen. The following four steps can be a starting point.
2. Connect to Your Community
The second line of defense is the safe people in your life. Do you have close family or friends that you can talk to and feel supported? Are you a member of any support groups? Do you have a sponsor? Reach out!
1. Personal Resources
The first line of defense in a mental health crisis is your own personal resources, which ideally should be figured out in advance. These can be activities like breathing exercises, cardio workouts, going for a walk, getting out in nature, journaling etc.
3. Reach out to Professionals
Reach out to professional organizations that are designed for crisis help. 988 is the national hotline for people in crisis. The Alachua County Crisis Center is ideal if you live within Alachua County 352-264-6789. This Crisis Center also has therapists that may be able to provide in person therapy (call ahead).
4. Seek Inpatient Services
Lastly, If none of the other resources are helping and you fear that you may hurt yourself or others, reach out to inpatient services for evaluation. This should always be a last resort as it can be a challenging experience in itself, but it has the most protections from harm and it has medicinal interventions. UFHealth, HCA , and Meridian are in Gainesville, FL. Otherwise, dial 911 within the United States.
