Can You Go to Urgent Care for Mental Health

Just as a health crisis can suddenly require a trip to urgent care, the same can be said for a mental health event. However, most people are unaware that urgent care facilities are equipped to stabilize someone going through a mental health crisis. If you are wondering, “Can you go to urgent care for mental health?” the answer is yes.

What is Mental Health Urgent Care?

Most of us have accessed medical treatment at an urgent care clinic. These are local medical centers that provide 24/7 care, and occupy the middle ground between a doctor’s office and E.R. Urgent care facilities are staffed with doctors, nurses, and physician assistants and deliver care for minor health emergencies.

But can you go to urgent care for mental health?

Yes, most urgent care clinics can also treat individuals who are experiencing a mental health emergency. In fact, in many cities there are psychiatric urgent care clinics that are solely dedicated to treating mental health issues. These mental health urgent care clinics are sometimes called crisis centers or stabilization units. If you are experiencing severe depression, severe anxiety, or any other severe mental health symptoms that are highly distressing, it is important to receive help.

Services Provided at Mental Health Urgent Care Clinics

Urgent care centers are not equipped to provide ongoing or long-term mental health care, but they can offer temporary relief. Some of the urgent care services include:

• Evaluation and risk assessment. The urgent care staff will evaluate your symptoms and determine whether you are in need of a higher level of care.
• Stabilization and referral. Urgent care staff members are trained to help calm someone who is experiencing a mental health crisis. They can provide a referral to emergency psychiatric care if needed.
• Medication. The doctor can prescribe short-term medications to help stabilize you during the mental health crisis.
• Counseling. Some urgent care clinics have counselors on staff who are trained to provide basic counseling services.
• Education. The urgent care team can help you understand your mental health condition and provide resources for follow-up treatment.

What are the Signs of a Mental Health Crisis?

A mental health emergency can unfold suddenly and without warning. There are various causes of a psychiatric crisis, such as going off meds, bipolar mania, suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, or trauma.

Some of the signs that someone may be experiencing mental distress include:

• Isolating behaviors
• Loss of interest in life
• Lack of motivation
• Ignoring personal hygiene
• Social withdrawal
• Disorganized thoughts
• Extreme anxiety or irritability
• Frequent mood swings
• Slowed movements or speech
• Emotional detachment
• Physically exhausted for no apparent reason
• Memory and concentration problems
• Insomnia or hypersomnia
• Aggression or violent behaviors
• Missing work for days
• Paranoia
• Panic attacks
• Losing touch with reality
• Hallucinations and/or delusions
• Talking of suicide

Someone who is displaying a cluster of these symptoms may find timely help and treatment at an urgent care clinic.

5 Reasons to go to Urgent Care for Mental Health Reasons

Urgent care services are helpful during a distressing mental health event, such as a nervous breakdown, suicidal thoughts, or psychosis. Here are some of the ways an urgent care center can help:

1. To receive prompt support. An urgent care setting provides timely support and stabilization.
2. To mitigate a crisis. Urgent care treatment can provide the coping techniques when a mental health event is overwhelming.
3. To prevent escalation. When someone gets help for mental distress at an urgent care center it can thwart the condition from progressing. Patients are then referred to obtain mental health treatment services.
4. To receive guidance. Someone who is going through a difficult mental health challenge can benefit from the guidance they receive at urgent care.
5. To learn coping techniques. Urgent care providers are trained to provide patients with coping skills that can help them better navigate mental health episodes.

Can I Go To Urgent Care for Anxiety and Depression

Many people who are struggling with anxiety and/or depression may have severe episodes that require stabilization and treatment in an inpatient treatment setting. Fortunately, there are alternatives to psychiatric hospitals that provide a much more comfortable and healing environment. Residential Mental Health Treatment is an excellent option for the following:

1. People who need a mid level care of treatment and not hospitalization.
2. People who were in the hospital for stabilization but need more time in treatment, this is often the case, and recommended.

What to Expect at Urgent Care for Mental Health Treatment

You might decide to go to an urgent care clinic because your mental health challenge has worsened outside of regular office hours. Urgent care may also make sense when your doctor has no open appointments in the near term. In either of these scenarios, urgent care plays a key role in mitigating a potentially serious crisis.

After entering the clinic, this is what you can expect:

• Sign in. The first step in getting help involves the paperwork. You will sign in at the front desk and provide your insurance information and complete intake paperwork.
• Assessment. You meet with the doctor or physician’s assistant to discuss your current symptoms and any mental health history. Based on the evaluation of your mental health status, the doctor decides on treatment or outside referral.
• Treatment. If the mental health episode is not at a crisis level, you may spend some time chatting with a counselor. The counselor can offer helpful suggestions and support, such as coping skills or relaxation techniques. The doctor may prescribe some short-term medication to help calm you down, and refer you to a mental health specialist.
• Referrals. In certain situations where the doctor determines you are at risk of suicide or breakdown, he or she will refer you to emergency care.

When a Higher Level of Mental Health Care is Appropriate

When the urgent care team evaluates your mental health status, they may advise you to enroll in a mental health retreat. These are mental health residential treatment programs that offer intensive, customized treatment for mental health conditions. These are typically a private estate with a limited number of beds where you can receive personalized care.

Mental health treatment includes:

• Medication. Psychotropic medications are a core treatment element for mental health disorders. These medications help to control or manage the symptoms, which improves quality of life and functioning.
• Psychotherapy. Both individual and group therapy sessions are scheduled throughout each week’s treatment regimen. The most common therapies include CBT, psychodynamic therapy, interpersonal therapy, DBT, and trauma focused therapy.
• Holistic methods. Wellness activities enhance treatment effects. These may include mindfulness, yoga classes, art therapy, guided meditation, exercise, and nutritional counseling.

Can you go to urgent care for mental health issues? Absolutely. If you are experiencing troubling symptoms of distress, and you can’t get in to see a doctor, try 24 hour mental health urgent care.

24 Hour Mental Health Urgent Care

If you or someone you know is struggling with severe mental health symptoms and need help right away, going to a specialized treatment program for mental health is vital. Depending on the mental health condition and symptoms there are a few options.

911 or Psychiatric Hospital:

For psychotic episodes where someone is completely out of touch with reality or having suicidal tendencies or may be a harm to themselves or someone else, these types of events require the highest level of care such as 911 or a direct admittance to a psychiatric hospital. For immediate assistance, please call 911

Residential Mental Health Treatment:

For those struggling with severe mental health symptoms from depression, anxiety, trauma, or other conditions that are not at that level of severity, a private mental health treatment center can be a highly appropriate and healing place to receive quality help and recovery. For immediate assistance, please call (424) 622-6369

Mental Health Hope Offers Resources for Urgent Care for Mental Health Near Me

Mental Health Hope is a free online resource for individuals seeking information and guidance for a mental health issue. To receive mental health retreat treatment recommendations, please reach out today at (424) 622-6369