If you’re in immediate danger or having thoughts of hurting yourself or others, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room right away.

When you’re in the middle of a mental health crisis – whether it’s suicidal thoughts, a panic attack that won’t stop, or feeling completely overwhelmed and unsafe – there are people specifically trained to help. Crisis intervention services are available 24/7 and free to use when you can’t wait for a regular appointment or don’t know where else to turn.

Get Help Right Now

Call 988 – The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline connects you to local crisis centers with trained counselors. This isn’t just for suicide risk – they help with any mental health emergency, anywhere in the US.

Text HOME to 741741 – The Crisis Text Line connects you with crisis counselors through text messaging if calling feels too difficult.

Call 211 – Connects you to local mental health crisis services in your area, including mobile crisis teams that can come to you.

What Crisis Services Look Like

Crisis intervention comes in several forms, depending on what you need and what’s available in your area. The most immediate option is crisis hotlines, where trained counselors are available 24/7 to talk you through whatever you’re experiencing. These aren’t just suicide prevention lines – they’re for any mental health emergency where you need immediate support.

Crisis text lines work similarly but through messaging, which some people find less intimidating than phone calls. You can text when you’re having a panic attack, feeling suicidal, or just overwhelmed to the point where you can’t function.

Other Crisis Options

Mobile crisis teams bring help directly to you. If you’re having a psychiatric emergency at home, work, or anywhere else, these teams can come to your location. They include mental health professionals who can assess the situation and provide immediate support without automatically taking you to a hospital.

Crisis respite programs offer short-term residential support – usually a few days to a week – when you need more intensive help but don’t require psychiatric hospitalization. Walk-in crisis centers let you get immediate help without an appointment, often within hours.

Finding Crisis Help When You Need It

Local Crisis Resources

To find mobile crisis teams or walk-in crisis centers in your area, try calling your county’s mental health department or 211, which connects you to local social services. Many areas have crisis programs, but they’re not always well-publicized.

Emergency rooms can provide crisis intervention, though the experience varies widely. Some hospitals have dedicated psychiatric emergency services with mental health professionals on staff, while others may keep you waiting for hours.

When to Use Crisis Services

Crisis intervention is for those moments when your usual coping strategies aren’t working and you need immediate help. This might include times when you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, experiencing severe panic attacks, feeling completely overwhelmed by depression, or just feeling unsafe and not knowing what to do.

You don’t need to be actively suicidal to use crisis services. If you’re struggling to get through the day, feeling hopeless, or scared by your own thoughts or feelings, crisis counselors can help you figure out what to do next.

Don’t Wait Until It’s “Bad Enough”

Many people worry about bothering crisis workers with problems that don’t seem “serious enough.” Crisis counselors consistently say they’d rather talk to someone who’s struggling than have that person suffer alone or reach a more dangerous point.

Crisis services can help you safety plan, connect with ongoing mental health resources, or just get through a particularly difficult night. The goal isn’t to solve all your problems in one conversation, but to help you get to a safer place emotionally.

Having crisis intervention numbers saved in your phone before you need them means you won’t have to search for help during your most difficult moments.