What should you ACTUALLY do when you are in a crisis?

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So the typical advice given to mental health patients is that when they face a crisis, they should call A&E or the local mental health team so that they can asses your risk. Many mental health patients do that and are met with a lot of scorn from the so called professionals or are basically turned down, even if they are in immediate need of help. Same goes for the way that those who attempt suicide or self harm are treated by, again, so called professionals. I know this because a few of my friends have experienced this. In fact, one of my friends has been accused of attention seeking and trying to make herself ill! I know that I have been undermined by mental health professionals and have been f****d around a lot, but to be treated so poorly in a time of crisis must be very traumatic.

So I'm curious; what should somebody actually do in a crisis? Clearly some professionals don't know what the f**k they are doing, so what should you actually do? Or is this just a problem with the system?

Well I was in a crisis once a few years ago and I told my mother and she called the doctor who scheduled me in for that afternoon. I had overdosed and in the meantime felt so odd that we went to the emergency. The lady there was nice, but she said that if I had an appointment I'd probably get there before they got someone down from psychiatric to see me. So I waited at home. I concentrated on my breathing and rocking and tried to distract myself.
I would say that the system too often lets things build to a crisis, but I am culpable in this too as I tend to sink quite deep before I realize it. So if you have a family doctor, I'd make an appointment with them.

Prepare myself. Take names, kick ass, chew bubble gum, and get off the ship just before it sinks.

Call a friend or your boyfriend or something, obviously never call a "professional", all they will do is lock you up and do everything they can to make it worse!!

Music and Ice cubes or cutting or something may also help, and if you're just too depressed but not trying to kill yourself then a very interesting movie will help distract you for a while.

This is probably true in most cases.
I've a trauma from being locked away, because I've claustrophobia and they told me what they do is supposed to be the best for me.
I never want to make such an experience again.
Call a friend of talk to other ppl even if it's just in a forum and lock very carefull for a psychologist who respects your wishes, even in a crisis, what not many do.
I found one, but it took me several years and lots of bad experiences in the past with other mental health professionals.

I lock myself away in my room, put on music, and escape into either a book or my mind. Often I can pull myself out within a day or two, which seems like a long time, but it's better than getting locked up. I escape so far inside myself it's difficult to come back sometimes. If I lose myself in a book, I make sure it's over at least 1,000 pages or is a long series, because I read so fast.

1. Get the rest you need. Can't emphasise this enough.
2. Reflect on the worst crisis you ever experienced in the past and how you came through and out of it.
3. Know that you have the strengths to do this again. And more experience now.
4. Talk anonymously to a good listener - helpline like Lifeline - they don't just deal with suicide calls - to help put issues in perspective and brainstorm some options.
5. Listen to relaxation tapes or CDs. Take time out to watch something that makes you laugh.
6. Believe: with validation, support, understanding and time, you can come through any crisis.
7. Get a full body massage if you can afford it
8. Make an effort to spend time with or contact people who respect and love you, who have a track record of bringing out your best - encouragers, emotional tank-fillers


Useful Book: Welcome to Your Crisis by Laura Day

What I have done is create an Apgar-like score for myself. An Apgar score is one given to babies on their birth to assess how healthy they are. It's an acronym for Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration. See link if interested.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apgar_score
When I am feeling an event coming on or I find I am in the middle of one that snuck up on me, I rate myself. Usually I rank for Coherence, Threat level and Previous Event Comparison. Each section is a 1-3. If the score is over a seven I get supervision, I've not yet reached a 9 which in my mind calls for immediate hospitalization. Just knowing I can keep track of it and compare one event to another gives me some focus and I find it really helpful.
I hope to some day make a scale that can be taught to any one with mental health problems.

In the U.S., there are crisis hotlines that you can call, which I've found pretty helpful. Outside of that, there is nothing you can really do.