CRISIS HELP
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If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org to reach the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Line.
Crisis Resource Guide
What is a mental health crisis?
Any situation in which an individual's behaviors, accidentally or on purpose, leads a person to hurt themselves or others; or potentally renders them unable to care for themselves or function.
What are the signs? Can include but are not limited to:
- Inability to perform daily tasks
- Suicidal or homicidal thinking and/or behavior
- Acute psychotic symptoms
- Sudden changes in mental status and violence
- Mood swings
- Isolation from school, work, family and friends
- Psychosis or loses touch with reality
- Increased agitation
- Abusive behavior
- Paranoia
Managing your self-care/avoiding a mental health crisis:
- Plan ahead, evaluate the situation, organize your thoughts and specific concerns and prepare prior to meeting with your therapist or psychiatrist. Learn more.
- Managing Your Recovery. This booklet includes information on illness self-management, coping strategies, and wellness tools.
- Support and Education.
What a family member can do:
- Navigating a Mental Health Crisis provides important, potentially life-saving information for people experiencing mental health crises and their loved ones. This guide outlines what can contribute to a crisis, warning signs that a crisis is emerging, strategies to help de-escalate a crisis, a sample crisis plan, available resources and so much more.
- 988 Information Guide
- What to Do in a Psychiatric Crisis in Maryland
- How to File a Petition for an Emergency Evaluation
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Crisis Hotlines in Maryland:
- 988: 988 is finally available nationwide! This new, three-digit number is an easy to remember way for people to connect with help and support during a mental health, substance use, or suicide crisis. Anyone in a mental health crisis can call, text, or chat with 988 and be connected to trained crisis counselors in the 988 Sucide and Crisis Lifeline network.
- Maryland's Statewide Information and Referral (for emergency mental health services): 211 press 1 or text zip code to 898-211.
- Listings by County.
- Crisis Text Line - Text "NAMI" to 741741.
- Go to a safe place and dial 911 to ask for immediate assistance if the situation is life-threatening or if serious property damage is occuring.
Recorded Webinars:
Planning Ahead: Helping Families and Individuals Avert a Mental Health Emergency presented by Bette Stewart.
NEW: Fact Sheets!
These fact sheets are based off our recorded webinars. Please feel free to use and distribute as you see fit: