Preparing for Mental Health Crisis

So, there was a mental health crisis, either for yourself or someone you love. That means there is a chance there could be another crisis in the future. While crisis by definition is unpleasant and unpredictable, and you may not feel like talking about it, it makes sense to think about, “What could we have done better?”

During a period of stability, sit down together as a family or with a therapist and outline a plan that could help the next potential crisis situation go more smoothly. Gathering necessary contact information is a starting point but discussing self care strategies and preferences for the person in crisis, roles and approaches for family members and friends, how to make someone feel safe, and where to reach out for professional assistance can all be part of the discussion.

NAMI offers the graphic below that outlines how to create a crisis plan. “A crisis plan is designed to help individuals and families address escalating symptoms/behaviors and prepare for oncoming crises. These plans should be written down and stored in a safe location; developed by the person with the mental health condition and their family and friends; and updated whenever there is a change in diagnosis, medication, treatment or providers.”

Everyone’s experience of behavioral health symptoms is unique, and each individual deserves to be supported in ways that work for them. This planning process recognizes that and helps bring the preferences to light.

Template for a Crisis/Safety Plan

SocialWorkTech.com, designed for social workers, offers a downloadable template that includes helpful conversation starters for making a Safety Plan. Planks in the process include:

  • Step 1: Warning Signs of a Crisis

  • Step 2: Activities I Can Do by Myself to Try to Take My Mind off of Things

  • Step 3: Taking My Mind off of Things

  • Step 4: People I Can Call for Help

  • Step 5: Ways That Supportive People Can Help Me Stay Safe

  • Step 6: I Can Call These Very Important Phone Numbers

  • I Have Great Strengths to Get By

Check out the “A New Kind of Safety Plan” page on the SocialWorkTech website, socialworktech.com/2017/05/16/safety-plan/, and/or download the template in the button below.


Crisis Support Contacts

Turn to the Crisis page of our NAMI Central Middlesex website for national and Massachusetts based crisis support options: namicentralmiddlesex.org/crisis. Remember 988, the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Helpline, and the Community Behavioral Health Centers in our state.

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