By the clinical team at Next Step Psychiatry • Lilburn, GA
What Constitutes a Psychiatric Emergency
A psychiatric emergency is any situation where a person's mental health symptoms create an immediate risk of harm to themselves or others, or when they are unable to care for themselves due to psychiatric symptoms. This includes active suicidal ideation with a plan or intent, homicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms causing dangerous behavior, severe agitation or aggression, acute intoxication with psychiatric symptoms, severe medication reactions, and any situation where a person has lost contact with reality to the degree that they cannot ensure their own safety.
What to Do in a Crisis
If you or someone you know is experiencing a psychiatric emergency, call 911 for immediate danger. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988 for crisis counseling. The Crisis Text Line is available by texting HOME to 741741. Georgia also has mobile crisis teams that can come to your location through the Georgia Crisis and Access Line at 1-800-715-4225. For children and adolescents, you can also contact the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities crisis line. If the situation is not immediately dangerous but you need urgent psychiatric care, many emergency departments have psychiatric crisis teams, and some areas have dedicated psychiatric emergency departments.
What Happens at the Emergency Room
If you go to the emergency room for a psychiatric crisis, you will be triaged based on the severity of your symptoms. A medical evaluation rules out physical causes of psychiatric symptoms such as infections, metabolic abnormalities, or drug reactions. A psychiatric evaluation assesses your current mental state, risk level, and need for hospitalization. You may be given medication to reduce acute distress, agitation, or psychotic symptoms. The ER team will determine whether you need inpatient psychiatric admission, can be discharged with outpatient follow-up, or would benefit from a partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient program.
After the Emergency
The period immediately following a psychiatric emergency is critical. If you are discharged from the ER, follow-up with a psychiatrist within one to three days is strongly recommended. Ensure you have any prescribed medications filled and understand how to take them. Remove access to lethal means at home if suicidality was the concern. Activate your support network and let trusted people know what happened. Create a safety plan with specific steps to follow if you begin to feel unsafe again. The transition from emergency care to outpatient treatment is a vulnerable period, and having a clear plan reduces the risk of another crisis.
Ongoing Support at Next Step Psychiatry
At Next Step Psychiatry, we understand the urgency that follows a psychiatric emergency. We offer prompt follow-up appointments for patients discharged from emergency departments and can begin or adjust medication management quickly. We accept walk-in urgent appointments when possible and offer telepsychiatry for patients who cannot easily travel. If you or a loved one has recently experienced a psychiatric crisis, please call our office at 678-437-1659 to schedule an urgent follow-up. Timely psychiatric care after a crisis can prevent recurrence and start you on the path to stability.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Our board-certified psychiatrists are here to help. We accept most major insurance plans including Medicare, Medicaid, Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and United Healthcare.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 911 or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.