Crisis Resources

What Is a Mental Health Crisis?

There are moments in life when emotional pain becomes overwhelming and unbearable. It can be hard to determine — especially when we’re assessing ourselves — whether our mental health challenges have reached the level of a crisis.

A mental health crisis is when your safety, or someone else’s safety, may be at risk, or when emotional distress feels unmanageable without immediate support. Sometimes a crisis builds gradually, and other times it can happen suddenly after a stressful or traumatic event.

A crisis does not mean you are weak, “crazy,” or failing. It means your current level of distress has exceeded the coping tools and support available to you right now. You’re not alone. There are people who want to help, and support is available. If you’re questioning whether you’ve “reached that point,” please don’t wait for things to get worse before reaching out. You are not a burden, and you do not have to keep suffering in silence. Seeking support is an act of care, courage, and survival.

Here are some examples What a mental health crisis can look/feel like:

Thoughts of harming yourself, especially with intent or a plan
Thoughts of harming someone else
Feeling unable to keep yourself safe/cope or losing hope
Struggling to care for yourself
Severe panic, dissociation, or loss of contact with reality
A suicide attempt or self-harm
Feeling stuck in an unsafe relationship or dangerous situation

If you are experiencing any of the above, weekly virtual therapy is not the right level of care in that moment. You deserve immediate, in-person support. Though not an exhaustive list, below are some resources that can help for in-the-moment needs.

Travis County & Austin Area

Integral Care – 24-Hour Crisis Helpline
Call 512-472-4357 (HELP)
Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (MCOT) is available wherever someone needs help — at home, work, school, clinics, or in the community.

Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES)
24/7 walk-in urgent psychiatric care clinic
Services for adults and children include safety planning, short-term crisis stabilization (up to 90 days), medication support, and connection to ongoing care.

Located at:
Richard E. Hopkins Behavioral Health Building
1165 Airport Blvd., Second Floor
Austin, TX 78702

Support for Specific Situations

Substance Use/Addiction Support

OSAR (Outreach, Screening, Assessment & Referral)
Call 844-309-6385
OSAR provides free and confidential screenings for substance use concerns and helps connect individuals to appropriate treatment and recovery services. This can include detox, residential treatment, outpatient programs, and community-based support.