What can I do if it’s an emergency?
There may be times when your friend or family member needs to seek help more urgently, such as if they:
- Have harmed themselves and need medical attention
- Are having suicidal feelings, and feel they may act on them
- Are putting themselves or someone else at immediate and serious risk of harm
In this case:
- If they are not safe by themselves right now, then for as long as you feel able to do so, you should stay with them and help them call 999 for an ambulance, or help them get to Accident and Emergency (A&E). They may appreciate it if you can wait with them until they can see a doctor
- If they can keep themselves safe for a little while, then you can get quick advice by calling the Social Welfare Department hotline at 2343 2255, or you could help them make an emergency appointment to see a doctor soon. You can encourage them to call the Hospital Authority Mental Health 24-hour Hotline at 2466 7350 at any time of night or day to talk to someone, or try other telephone support services. It may also be helpful to remove things that they could use to harm themselves, particularly if they have mentioned specific things they might use (See Mind HK’s page on “Supporting someone with suicidal feelings” for more information)
- If you feel personally in danger right now, or that others are in immediate danger, you can dial 999 and ask for the police to help. You might feel worried about getting someone in trouble, but it’s important to put your own safety first
- If you’re not in a situation like this right now, but you’re worried someone you care about may experience a mental health crisis in the future, it’s a good idea to make a crisis plan with them to work out what steps you will take to help them in an emergency
