At Rescue, we consider any mental health issue that requires immediate attention a crisis. If you’re experiencing a disruption in your ability to carry out daily activities—tasks you were previously able to perform with little or no difficulty—or having difficulty maintaining a meaningful relationship, it’s possible you’re combating a mental health issue.

Other symptoms include acute depression lasting for two weeks or more, or worryingly cluttered or disorganized thought patterns. Left unaddressed, such issues could lead to a mental health crisis and cause you to become a threat to yourself or others.

Mental health crises can result from stress or other external pressures, or occur because of a chemical imbalance or a worsening long-term mental health issue. Here are a few warning signs that could indicate that you may be headed towards a crisis:

• Prolonged and/or frequent episodes of emotional rawness and/or crying
• Persistent feelings of hopelessness and/or despair
• Not caring of oneself, including not eating normally or causing self-harm
• Not caring properly for others, including children and other loved ones
• Impaired functioning when trying to carry out processes or activities which you once took for granted, including deviations in your sleep routine
• Irrational or delusional thoughts, including hallucinations
• Psychotic tendencies which may put you or another party at risk of harm

If you feel a desire or need to harm yourself or someone else, you should call Rescue as soon as possible. Also call if you see a loved one acting irrationally or dangerously. Furthermore, if your mental health situation—or that of a loved one—has degraded to the point where you or that person no longer possess basic coping or living skills, contact us quickly. If you need information and are not sure where to turn, we are here to help 24/7.

When you call Rescue, our professionals will begin by attempting to determine your exact needs. If possible, we’ll ask you to relay your physical and mental medical history in detail, including any medications you’re currently taking. At this time we’ll also need to discuss any professional care you might have received in the past, including what that care was meant to address, who performed it, where it was performed, and for how long it was performed. Finally, we’ll ask you to explain, in as much detail as possible, your current symptoms. Your information gives us the ability to discern exactly what you might need from Rescue, including what your unique needs are and what further actions will need to be taken.

NOTE: If you’re facing an emergency and you don’t have this information on hand or cannot confidently relay it, don’t worry. Call Rescue anyway. If you’re having a crisis the most important thing is to get support as quickly as possible. We can always gather this information later.

When you call Rescue we’ll ask you to describe your symptoms as clearly as possible. We’ll want to know your overall difficulties and how those issues are currently affecting you. For example, are you crying uncontrollably, having trouble sleeping, or considering self harm? That information can help us determine how we can best assist you and understand the urgency of your situation. Please report any unusual behaviors or changes in mood or functionality to us in full so that we can understand exactly what Rescue can do for you.