If you or someone you love is in crisis right now, you do not have to handle it alone, and you do not have to wait. Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room if there is immediate danger.
This article explains what counts as a mental health crisis, how the 988 system works in Texas, and how to build a simple safety plan. Knowing these steps ahead of time can make all the difference in a hard moment.
What Counts as a Mental Health Crisis
A crisis is any situation where a person's safety or ability to cope is at serious risk. Reach out for urgent help if you or someone else is experiencing:
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
- Thoughts of harming someone else
- A plan or intent to act on those thoughts
- Feeling unable to keep yourself safe
- Seeing or hearing things others do not, or losing touch with reality
- A severe panic attack or overwhelming distress that will not ease
- A reaction to substances that feels dangerous
How 988 Works
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a free, confidential service available around the clock to anyone in the United States, including across Texas. You can call or text 988, or chat online at 988lifeline.org.
You do not have to be suicidal to use it. 988 is for anyone in emotional distress, anyone worried about a loved one, and anyone who simply needs to talk to a trained counselor. Counselors listen without judgment and help you figure out the next step — whether that is calming support, a safety plan, or connection to local resources.
When to Call 911 or Go to the ER
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room when there is immediate physical danger — for example, a suicide attempt in progress, a serious overdose, a severe injury, or a situation where someone cannot be kept safe.
If you call 911, it can help to say clearly that this is a mental health emergency. Many areas have crisis-trained responders, and giving that information helps connect the right kind of help.
Texas Crisis Resources
Beyond 988, Texas offers additional crisis support you can save in your phone now:
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, available 24/7
- Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741
- Veterans Crisis Line — call 988 then press 1, or text 838255
- Your local mental health authority crisis line — many Texas counties have a 24/7 crisis hotline and mobile crisis teams
- The nearest hospital emergency department for immediate danger
How to Make a Safety Plan
A safety plan is a short, written list you create when you are calm, to use when you are not. A simple plan includes:
- Warning signs that a crisis may be building for you
- Coping strategies that have helped before (a walk, music, breathing exercises)
- People and places that provide distraction and support
- Trusted people you can ask for help directly
- Professional and crisis contacts, including 988
- Steps to make your environment safer, such as securing medications or firearms
Supporting Someone Else in Crisis
If you are worried about someone, ask directly and calmly whether they are thinking about suicide. Asking does not plant the idea — it opens the door. Listen without judgment, stay with them, help remove access to means of harm, and connect them to 988 or emergency care.
You can also call 988 yourself for guidance on how to help a loved one. You do not have to have the perfect words; your presence matters more than perfection.
After the Crisis: Ongoing Care
Crisis lines are for stabilizing the moment. Lasting recovery usually involves ongoing care. Once you are safe, connecting with a psychiatric provider can help address what led to the crisis and reduce the chance of another one.
At Heartland Psychiatry and Wellness, we provide ongoing telehealth psychiatric care across Texas. We are not an emergency service, but once you are stable we are here for follow-up evaluation and treatment. When you are ready, reach out or book an appointment.