Discovering that a family member is facing a mental health crisis can feel overwhelming and even frightening. When your loved one struggles with panic attacks, anxiety episodes, or schizophrenic states, it can deeply affect both their life and yours. As a caregiver or close relative, having the right information and resources is essential to help them navigate and manage these challenging moments.
However, one of the major challenges that could be in front of you was regarding that person not allowing you to speak into their life. He or she may not be in a mental state that allows him or her to know what is in their best interest. Or, that person may be willing to allow you to make decisions on his or her behalf, but the law or third parties will not allow you to for any number of reasons.
To be sure, the presumption in Texas is that an adult can make decisions for him or herself when it comes to important areas of their life, like their health and their living situation. If you believe that your loved one is in a position where he or she could harm himself in some way, then that situation requires you to step outside the box and potentially step up as guardian or conservator of your loved one.
When you lack the knowledge to handle a mental health crisis
What can compound the situation is that you may not have the immediate knowledge of mental health challenges to be able to make a positive difference in the life of your loved one. For most of us, having sufficient knowledge to do our day jobs, take care of a family, and be solid citizens and members of the community is about as far as we can go. To be able to help in an intimidating or even dangerous situation involving a loved one with a mental health problem is asking quite a bit of us. As a result, if you are looking for help in a situation like this, then that would not be out of the ordinary.
What you cannot necessarily think is that just because your loved one has never had a mental health episode, he or she can’t go through this. I’m sure that many of you reading this blog post have thought privately to yourself that your loved one has something bothering him or her that needs to be addressed by a mental health professional. For instance, someone who previously has been an extroverted, friendly member of your family may now have missed multiple family get-togethers and other social events. Their physical health may have taken a turn for the worse, which in turn caused their mental health to recede along with it. In short, this is a person who was previously doing fine but now struggles with simple activities such as self-care and maintaining employment.
Supporting a loved one during a mental health crisis
If this is a situation in which your loved one finds themself in a mental health crisis is not, unfortunately, something that you can assume’ll never happen to him or her. The reality of the situation is that your loved one is at risk of succumbing to a mental health crisis through no fault of their own. In many cases, your loved one suffers from a chemical imbalance or other condition that is beyond their immediate control. While medication, therapy, and other mechanisms can help treat these problems, it may not be possible to eliminate them. In that case, your loved one needs you to be in their corner to provide guidance and support.
In extreme situations, you may need to step up and make decisions on your loved one’s behalf. Nobody welcomes that position. You may wonder why your loved one suffers from a mental health problem. You may also question why others called on you to help your loved one in such a situation. Neither you nor your loved one could have prevented many of these situations. Now that the challenge rests on you, you and your family must learn as much as possible about the illness and take steps to support your loved one if a crisis develops.
What should a person do after a mental health crisis?
Doctors give discharge instructions to patients who suffer traumatic physical events and receive hospital care. These instructions guide the patient on what to do at home. The care may involve changing bandages, eating a specific diet, stopping harmful behaviors, or following a combination of these steps. Many people who experience mental health crises do not receive the same type of clear instructions.
Often, law enforcement responds to mental health crises instead of crisis counselors or trained mental health professionals. Law enforcement officers do their best to protect and care for your loved one. They do not, however, hold the same training or expertise as mental health professionals.
What is a mental illness?
Mental illnesses affect how a person thinks, feels emotions, regulates mood, and functions daily. A mental illness impacts all of a person’s daily activities. Just as medical conditions impact the body, a mental illness impacts the brain. People with mental illness struggle to regulate themselves and interact with others. No one can blame an individual for experiencing a mental health episode. No one can predict or blame a person for a mental health crisis.
Individuals like your family members rely on mental health professionals to diagnose their conditions. Doctors cannot use a blood test or routine exam to identify mental illness. Many people suffer from mental illnesses silently for years before receiving a diagnosis. During that time, they may continue to struggle with mental health and overall well-being. If you believe a loved one has a mental illness, you should speak with them and involve their spouse, parent, or another trusted person. Getting treatment early can help a person move toward wellness, while delaying treatment may worsen their struggles.
Share This Guide on Identifying Mental Health Crises
Mental health symptoms often overlap across different diagnoses. Your cousin with post-traumatic stress disorder may show similar symptoms to someone with major depressive disorder. Because treatments and medications differ based on diagnosis, accurate diagnosis becomes critical. You can support your loved one by helping them connect with a trustworthy mental health practitioner.
One of the first symptoms to watch for is social withdrawal. A person who once enjoyed many hobbies but now spends most of their time at home and avoids social interaction may already be in the midst of a mental health crisis.
Signs that a loved one may be experiencing a mental health issue
The specific mental health issue could be compounded by the loss of a social network. When you start to hear a loved one talk more about themselves than anything else and to focus on their activities or struggles more than usual, then this is a good sign that the person is suffering from a mental health issue of some sort. Based on the person’s situation, you can also determine their struggles based on a drop in performance at work or in the classroom.
When a loved one acts out of character, then that may be another sign of him or her suffering from a mental illness of some sort. A family member who is usually loving and kind suddenly becomes egotistical and downright hostile to show that he or she may be suffering from a mental illness. A flat affect and an inability to express positive emotion towards anything in their life could be a sign that he or she is suffering from mental illness. Talking to this person about their struggles may elicit a great deal of denial. However, it may be a way for you to key in on their situation to learn more about the struggles that he or she may be experiencing.
How can you better understand your loved one’s situation?
When someone is in a mental health crisis, they may be at risk of self-harm, hurting others, or struggling to care for themselves. Trouble functioning in daily life is another clear sign. By recognizing the situations that can trigger a crisis and staying alert to changes, you can step in early and help your loved one avoid worsening circumstances.
Start by looking at your loved one’s home life. A breakup, conflict with a spouse, or even the loss of a family member can trigger a mental health crisis. Talking with their partner or others close to them may give you more insight. Traumatic events and repeated losses often create the conditions for a crisis to develop.
We already explained how mental health problems can reduce performance at school or work. A full-on crisis may occur if your loved one worries about an upcoming project or feels unprepared for a task. Work and school play a major role in everyone’s life. A strong support system can make the challenges of work and school easier. If your loved one struggles at work without support from coworkers, that lack of support may trigger a mental health crisis. Many people say others do not understand them or twist their words out of context. If your loved one fails a class or loses a job, the setback can damage self-confidence.
What are some warning signs of a mental health crisis?
If you are aware that your loved one is suffering from a mental health issue, then the next step is to help identify any warning signs that may come up if your loved one is about to go through a mental health crisis of some sort. When you see your loved one struggling to be able to perform basic activities of daily living like showering, taking care of hygiene, changing their clothes, or brushing their hair, then this could be a sign that your loved one is struggling with their mental health.
Changes in their mood or demeanor can also be a sign of a mental health issue. When your loved one is sad one moment and then happy the next, that could be the sign of a major issue happening with him or her. Many times, you will find that your loved one either cannot help but spend most of their time lying down or sleeping, or could be the exact opposite, and he or she may be a bundle of energy and generally unable to stop moving or pacing around.
Another sign of mental health issues is that your loved one may be more aggressive or violent than any situation would call for. Even if your loved one is happy or otherwise acting in a jovial mood, an angry outburst or violent interaction with another person may be an indicator of him or her going through a mental health challenge. Harming themselves or others causes danger to be around every corner and it is not a leap to suggest that a mental health crisis could be in the coming.
Closing thoughts on mental health crises
Facing a mental health crisis with a loved one is never easy. You’re tasked with protecting their well-being while also caring for yourself and your family. Slowing down the situation is often the hardest part, especially since it’s not something most of us are ever taught. Simple actions—like staying calm, listening carefully, asking gentle questions, and avoiding sudden movements—can help reduce the intensity of the crisis. These steps can make a critical difference while waiting for a mental health professional or law enforcement officer to arrive and provide further support.
From the legal side of things, there is only so much help you can provide a person if he or she is unwilling to be helped. However, there are steps in a guardianship case where you can put the issue before a judge and cause the court to decide whether your loved one needs help making decisions for themselves. If you believe that your loved one has progressed to this stage and if you are interested in becoming a guardian of this person, then please contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan today.
Questions about the material contained in today’s blog post? Contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan
If you have any questions about the material that we have covered in today’s blog post, please do not hesitate to contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan. Our licensed guardianship attorneys offer free-of-charge consultations six days a week in person, over the phone, and via video. These consultations are a great way for you to learn more about the world of Texas guardianship law as well as how your family’s circumstances may be impacted by a guardianship proceeding.
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