Lesson Three - Risk to Well-Being

Occasionally it is yourself that you need to look after. Major life events such as the death of a close family member or friend, or an extremely stressful time period in your life can lead to a mental health crisis. In times of a mental health crisis, there are some steps that you can take to help yourself:

• Look at the situation.
• Do you feel like hurting yourself in the near future? If you do want to hurt yourself, do you have a plan? If you answered yes to these questions, you are experiencing an immediate mental health crisis and need to go to the hospital or call 911.
• If you have not thought about hurting yourself or are hesitating about developing/following through on a plan, call a trusted friend or family member to stay with you. Call the Suicide Prevention Hotline as soon as possible. These are trained professionals that are there to help.
• Crisis Services Canada: call 1-833-456-4566, text “start” to 45645
• Alberta Health Services: call 1-877-303-2642
• Touch base with a professional, as well as those close to you. Let these people know what is happening with you.
• Create a Wellness Recovery Action Plan before a crisis occurs as something for you and your supporters to refer to.
• Above all, try to remember that you are going through a crisis, and that you should be nice to yourself at this time.