Behavioral Health Crisis: Warning Signs & When to Seek Help

Daniel Hoadley
Published: 11/10/2026
Authored by: Daniel Hoadley, BS
Edited by: Ryan Frawley,

When your mental health takes a turn for the worse, or if you’re worried about someone you love, it’s not always easy to tell a temporary rough patch from something more serious. The signs of a behavioral health crisis can build slowly, too, which can leave you second-guessing whether now is the right time to step in or reach out for help.

Knowing the signs can help you act early, before small changes have a chance to build into a potentially harmful crisis. It also helps to recognize when a situation needs emergency help right away.

This guide is for anyone worried about their own mental health or about someone close to them. A behavioral health crisis can be frightening to experience or witness, but help is available at every stage.

To help you in this situation, this page covers the following topics:

  • What a behavioral crisis is and what can cause it.
  • Early behavioral health crisis warning signs to look out for.
  • Signs of a behavioral health emergency.
  • Where to get emergency help.
  • How to support someone who is showing behavioral crisis signs.
  • How treatment can help before a crisis happens.
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Table of Contents

What Is a Behavioral Health Crisis?

A behavioral health crisis in adults can occur when someone reaches a point where they can no longer cope with day-to-day life, or they’re at risk of harm. Many people assume that someone experiencing a crisis is thinking about suicide, and while that’s one of the most serious forms, it’s far from the only one.

U.S. government guidance states that crisis care covers any symptoms or situations that can affect behavior and how well a person functions in daily life.[1]

This means a psychiatric crisis can also include a manic episode or losing touch with reality during psychosis. It might also be a slower decline, where someone gradually stops being able to eat, sleep, work, or look after themselves.

Crisis symptoms like these are unfortunately common in the U.S., with 14.3 million adults having serious thoughts of suicide in 2024 alone.[2] 

What Causes a Behavioral Health Crisis?

A behavioral health crisis usually doesn’t appear from nowhere, and it can often be the result of several pressures compounding at the same time. Some of the most common causes include:

  • Untreated or worsening mental health conditions, especially when symptoms have been building for weeks without support.
  • Stopping medication without medical advice. One review found relapse rates of 41% in people who responded to antidepressants and were then given a placebo, compared to 18% who continued. [3]
  • Stressful life events, like losing a loved one, which research has linked with the onset of depression.[4]
  • Drinking alcohol, with one review linking acute alcohol use with 6.97 times higher odds of a suicide attempt.[5]
  • Poor sleep, which has been linked with a higher risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior.[6]
  • Loneliness, which one review found may predict later suicidal thoughts.[7]

These factors can also interact and reinforce one another. For example, stress may contribute to sleep problems, which can make it harder to manage your mood. This is why identifying the early signs can make such a difference, before these pressures have a chance to build into a crisis.

Early Behavioral Health Crisis Warning Signs

The early stages of a behavioral health crisis can sometimes be written off as the result of a stressful week at work or several nights of poor sleep. But when they last, they may be a sign of a deeper issue. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recommends seeking professional help when concerning symptoms are severe or have lasted for two weeks or more.[8]

Some of the early warning signs to look out for include:[8][9]

  • Sleeping or eating much more or less than usual.
  • Withdrawing from friends or family.
  • Losing interest in the things you usually enjoy.
  • Finding it hard to concentrate.
  • Changes in daily routines.
  • Finding it difficult to keep up with your usual responsibilities.
  • Drinking or using drugs more than you normally would

If you’re worried about someone else’s behavior, you might notice these changes before they do. Some people lose insight into their own symptoms altogether, a condition known as anosognosia.[1] In these situations, friends or family members may be the first to recognize that additional support is needed. 

Signs of a Behavioral Health Emergency

Some signs of a behavioral health crisis need action right away, rather than waiting to see if things improve. Emergency signs include:

  • Talking about wanting to die. 
  • Making a plan to end their life.
  • Researching how to end their life.
  • Saying goodbye to people.
  • Giving away important belongings.
  • Losing touch with reality, like hearing voices.
  • Being unable to look after their own basic needs, like eating.

These moments can escalate very quickly. In one study of 82 people, 47.6% reported 10 minutes or less between their first thought of suicide and the attempt.[10] This is why all talk of suicide should be taken seriously, and it requires immediate attention. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

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Where to Get Emergency Help

If you’ve noticed any of the signs in the last section, whether in yourself or someone else, it’s time to reach out for help. You do not need to determine how serious the situation is on your own before contacting a crisis service. Trained crisis workers can help assess the situation and determine the next steps.

There are free crisis services available 24 hours a day, including:

ServiceWhen to use itHow to reach it
911 emergency servicesWhen someone’s life is in immediate danger, like after an overdose or serious self-harmCall 911
988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineFor any mental health or substance use crisis, with free and confidential supportCall or text 988
Crisis Text LineIf you’d find it easier to text than talkText HOME to 741741
Mobile crisis teamsWhen you need trained crisis workers to come directly to youThrough your local county or state crisis services
Crisis centers and emergency roomsWhen someone can’t stay safe at home and needs crisis mental health treatmentGo to your nearest crisis center or ER

How to Support Someone Who Is Showing Behavioral Crisis Signs

If you’re supporting someone else, stay with them and listen to what they’re saying until help arrives, if you can do so safely. It can also help to ask them directly if they’re thinking about suicide, as studies have shown that asking doesn’t cause or increase these thoughts. [11] What they tell you could be valuable for the service teams coming to you.

The NIMH suggests five steps that can help you in these types of situations:[12]

    1. Ask them directly if they’re thinking about suicide.
    2. Be there for them and listen without judgment, so you can try to understand what they’re thinking and feeling.
    3. Help keep them safe by reducing their access to anything they could use to harm themselves, like medications or firearms.
    4. Help them connect with support, like calling or texting 988 together.
    5. Follow up with them after the immediate crisis and stay in contact.

 

You can also contact 988 yourself if you’re concerned about a loved one, even if they’re not ready to reach out.[1] No permission is needed if you’re truly worried about them or not sure what to do next in the situation.

How Treatment Can Help Before a Crisis Happens

Knowing when to seek help is important, and if you’ve noticed some of the early warning signs, reaching out for support early may help prevent symptoms from worsening.

A behavioral health assessment can help identify your symptoms and connect you with an appropriate level of support before the situation escalates.

There are multiple ways treatment can help at this point, depending on your situation and your needs:[1]

The support setting can also be matched to what you need, like flexible outpatient sessions that fit around your life, or more intensive residential care that provides around-the-clock support.

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Reach Out for Behavioral Health Support at AMFM Mental Health Treatment

If you’ve noticed early warning signs in yourself or someone you love, getting support early may help address symptoms before the situation becomes more serious. At AMFM Mental Health Treatment (A Mission for Michael), we provide mental health treatment and assessments for adults.

Our programs use evidence-based therapies like CBT and DBT, along with medication management, to treat conditions that can contribute to a behavioral health crisis. We believe in treatment persistence and will personalize your treatment plan so you can achieve lasting, life-changing outcomes.

We offer an intimate, focused mental health treatment experience for adults in home-like settings that are carefully maintained to be peaceful, comfortable spaces. In addition to residential treatment, AMFM Mental Health Treatment also offers multiple levels of outpatient treatment.

Our locations in California, Minnesota, Virginia, and Washington accept insurance and are in-network with many major providers. To check your insurance coverage for mental health care, simply complete our confidential online verification form.

Call us at 866-478-4383 if you would like to start the admissions process or learn more about how we can support your mental well-being. Our compassionate team is available 24/7 to answer your questions and provide guidance with no obligation.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911 or text 988 right away.

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At AMFM, we strive to provide the most up-to-date and accurate medical information based on current best practices, evolving information, and our team’s approach to care. Our aim is that our readers can make informed decisions about their healthcare.

Our reviewers are credentialed medical providers specializing and practicing behavioral healthcare. We follow strict guidelines when fact-checking information and only use credible sources when citing statistics and medical information. Look for the medically reviewed badge on our articles for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate or out of date, please let us know at info@amfmhealthcare.com