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WHAT IS A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS?
Everyone goes through rough patches, so how do you know when your situation has reached the level of "crisis?" Here are risk factors to take very seriously:
Thoughts - Recurrent thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life. This includes passive thoughts of wishing you could go to sleep and not wake up.
Plan - Making a plan to harm yourself that details how you would go about taking your life.
Means - Having access to the means to go through with your plan.
Intent - Committing to going through with your plan to harm yourself or take your life.
Other factors that suggest seeking immediate help include having hallucinations, dangerous substance use, eating disorder symptoms, depression or severe mental illness symptoms that impact your ability to take care of your basic needs.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM FEELING UNSAFE?
You have options depending upon how high your risk level is and based on your willingness to take steps to decrease your risk.
If you call your therapist, they may want to meet with you immediately, may provide phone coaching, or may determine that your risk level requires you be evaluated at a hospital.
If you do not currently have a therapist or if your therapist is unavailable, the following resources can provide emergency mental health care:
Wake County
Holly Hill Hospital 24/7 Assessment Center
800-447-1800Alliance Behavioral Healthcare
800-510-9132Therapeutic Alternatives Mobile Crisis Team
877-626-1772UNC Health Care at Wakebrook
919-150-1260Durham County
Durham Recovery Response Center (24/7 crisis center)
800-510-9132
alliancehealthplan.org/consumers-families/crisis-and-access/crisis-facilitiesCarolina Outreach Behavioral Health Urgent Care (emergency psychiatry + counseling appointments, medication refills)
carolinaoutreachbhuc.comAlliance Behavioral Healthcare
800-510-9132Freedom House Recovery Center Mobile Crisis Team
919-797-1865Freedom House Recovery Center
919-560-7305Craven County
Trillium Health Resources
877-685-2415RHA Behavioral Health services (a Mobile Crisis Team)
877-742-6268Port Human Services
252-672-8742Please note that calling 911 and visiting your local emergency room are also options to receive emergency mental health care, regardless of location.
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE HOSPITALIZED FOR SAFETY?
The thought of going to the hospital for a mental health emergency can seem scary. Knowing what to expect can help.
Voluntary Commitment
When you go to the hospital of your own choice, you will be assessed by a counselor, social worker, or nurse with training in mental health issues. They will determine whether you are at imminent risk for self harm. If your assessment provider decides you probably aren't safe to leave, they will recommend hospitalization and start the commitment process. Things to expect:
You will not be able to keep your cell phone or other personal items (jewelry, any clothing with ties, belts, etc) with you at the hospital.
You will likely be given a urine drug screen as standard procedure.
You may have to wait in an ER setting for several hours.
Ability to contact loved ones and supports may be limited after you are admitted.
You may be transported to another facility if there is not room at the hospital.
Depending on your level of need you may be placed on a 72 hour hold, or recommended for longer term care up to two weeks.
Things to bring:
Clothes
List of medications and actual medication. If you are taking oral contraceptives, be sure to bring your pills with you. Staff will likely hold them rather than let you keep them, but they will administer your birth control pills.
List of phone numbers of family, friends, supports, other providers that you may want to contact while you are in the hospital
Involuntary Commitment
If you communicate that you are feeling unsafe, but are not willing to go to the hospital, you may qualify for an involuntary commitment. Your therapist or loved one may call 9-1-1, or Community Intervention Team (a group of police officers that are trained to intervene in mental health emergencies) and let them know they are concerned for your safety. Police officers or sheriffs are then dispatched to find you, and will help get you to the nearest hospital for evaluation.
In the hospital, you will meet with an individual therapist, have group therapy, unstructured time, and meet with a psychiatrist at regular intervals.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I GET OUT OF THE HOSPITAL?
You will meet with the same team regularly while you are in the hospital, and they will help to coordinate a discharge plan. If you are currently meeting with a therapist, your discharge coordinator will contact that therapist to make sure you have an appointment for when you get out. You may also be recommended to a different level of care such as a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) or Intensive Outpatient Therapy Program (IOP).
*big thanks to Creasman Counseling for the above text and resources
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Durham Co. Dept. of Social Services - Crisis Services
Free Meals for Children
English: text FOODNC to 877-877
Spanish: text COMIDA to 877-877Critical Workers Seeking Child Care Options Hotline
(888) 600-1685LGBTQ Center of Durham - Project FAM
*housing assistance, case management, survivor support services for LGBTQ+ folx -
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NC Dept. of Health + Human Services
*COVID Testing, Vaccines, etc.Community Love Direct Primary Care
*LGBTQ-affirming, fat-positive, English + Spanish speaking primary careAvance Primary Care on Chapel Hill (formerly Mosaic Comprehensive Care)
*LGBTQ-affirming, Health At Every Size primary care, gynecology, + eating disorder careDuke Child + Adolescent Gender Care
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Lutz, Alexander + Associates
*Health At Every Size nutrition therapyTomata
*Weight-inclusive nutrition for families -
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INDIVIDUAL, RELATIONSHIP + FAMILY THERAPY
Radical Healing (Durham, NC)
Trans + Gender Nonconforming Therapists of North Carolina
Depressed While Black - Help Me Find a Therapist
National Queer + Trans Therapists of Color Network
Therapy for Queer People of Color
Health at Every Size Healthcare Providers (ASDAH)
ART THERAPY
Durham Art Therapy + Counseling
GROUP THERAPY + SUPPORT GROUPS
Stand Up Speak Out - Healing Thru Art
Be Bold Psychology + Consulting
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Project Uplift
*LGBTQ+ case management, linkage to medical care, counseling services, peer supportNC Harm Reduction Coalition
*safe supplies + peer support groups for trans folx - email loftinwilson@gmail.com for infoRefuge Recovery
*Buddhist-oriented, non-theistic recovery programSmart Recovery
*science-based, self-empowered addiction recovery groupsThursday Night Recovery Satsang
…on Zoom (click here to join) every Thursday at 6:30pm Eastern
*live-stream meditation + mindfulness practices for recovery -
Trans Lifeline
(877) 565-8860 (español + english)
translifeline.org
*Trans Lifeline has stated: “[To protect our callers’ safety] we will never call the cops or emergency services for any hotline caller, unless you explicitly ask us to.”Blackline
(800) 604-5841
callblackline.com
*Blackline states: “We are here to answer messages from anyone who may be in crisis, wants to describe and interaction with law enforcement or vigilantes, or simply needs to talk through an experience. You do not have to provide any personal information to use the service. All calls remain private and will never be shared with law enforcement or state agencies of any kind.”Samaritans Lifeline
(877) 870-4673 (call/text/chat 24/7)
samaritanshope.orgThe Trevor Project Lifeline
(866) 488-7386 (call/text/chat 24/7)
thetrevorproject.orgNational Domestic Violence Hotline
(800) 799-7233
thehotline.orgCDC National Health Information Hotline
*including Covid19 + HIV/STD info + support
(800) 232-4636
cdc.gov/infoBuddy Project
buddy-project.orgNC Coronavirus Hotline
(888) 892-1162 or call 211
TTY: (800) 735-0533
Text COVIDNC to 898-211 for updatesHopeline NC Crisis Line
(919) 231-4525 (call or text) -
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QORDS (Queer Organizing Radical Days of Summer)
*Summer camp for LGBTQ+ youthiNSIDEoUT
*Community events for LGBTQ+ youth -
The Underbelly
*Yoga for all bodiesDecolonizing Fitness
*Personal training & fitness education for all people who have historically not felt welcomed in fitness spaces
MEDITATION + MINDFULNESS RESOURCES
Insight Timer Mindfulness App
www.insighttimer.com
Headspace Mindfulness App
www.headspace.com