A Guide To Emergency Mental Health Care Services And Crisis Counseling In Australia

When an individual is experiencing overwhelming emotional distress, knowing how to seek immediate help can be vital to their safety and recovery. Emergency mental health care ensures that Australians experiencing mental health issues, emotional distress, and ongoing challenges receive the care and support they need. Crisis counselling services in Australia offer essential resources and support to any person facing severe mental health concerns, including suicidal thoughts, acute anxiety, or complex emotional distress. This guide will provide information on crisis counseling in Australia, including what it involves, how to recognize when an individual needs it, and where to find urgent help through telephone and online platforms as well as local mental health services.

What is crisis counselling? Emotional support, suicide prevention, and more

Crisis counseling provides immediate, short-term mental health support for individuals experiencing emotional or psychological distress, often related to a severe mental health crisis. The primary goal of professional crisis support is to stabilize emotions, ensure safety, and connect people to longer-term mental health resources if needed. As public mental health services, many types of counseling are available 24 hours a day through telephone mental health helplines and online platforms, making them readily available during urgent moments. Free and professional counseling services ensure patients are comfortable discussing ongoing mental health issues and concerns. 

Recognizing the need for crisis counselling in Australia

Mental health stigma can be a barrier to care, especially among Australian men, Torres Strait Islander people, and even expecting parents. For various populations, learning when to seek emergency mental health support is recommended. Especially when feeling lonely or feeling suicidal, reaching out to trusted carers, friends, or mental health professionals can be beneficial. If an individual is facing immediate danger or intense symptoms, such as suicidal thoughts or actions, severe panic attacks, or overwhelming emotional distress, crisis counseling services can offer critical, potentially life-saving support. 

Types of Mental Health Support Available

For a variety of complex mental health issues there is mental health care available. Individuals can take advantage of an online counseling service for flexible, convenient, and affordable care. Otherwise, people can build rapport with their therapist in-person. As well as creating personalized treatment plans – such as cognitive behavioral therapy for depression or trauma-focused therapy for adverse childhood experiences – mental health professionals can put clients in touch with other advantageous services. Services may include peer support groups, where individuals with a similar lived experience can offer compassionate wisdom and support. Alternatively, especially in the case of complex mental health issues, therapists can use referral pathways to put patients in touch with specialized forms of psychological treatment, such as electroconvulsive therapy for treatment-resistant depression.

Some types of mental health crises that may require help

Mental health crises can take many forms, and each person’s experience may be different. A crisis does not always mean someone is in immediate physical danger. It can also mean their mental state has reached a point where they need urgent support to ensure their safety and stability. Below are examples of crises where professional help may be necessary.

Suicide risk, suicidal thoughts, or suicidal ideation

When someone is thinking about ending their life, feels hopeless, and/or has made a plan to die by suicide, seeking immediate help can be crucial. Suicide prevention services like Lifeline Australia (13 11 14) and the Suicide Call Back Service offer 24/7 crisis support for such instances. Counselors can help a person stay safe in the moment, explore alternatives to self-harm, and connect them to ongoing care. 

Severe anxiety or panic attacks

Anxiety and panic attacks can sometimes feel both mentally and physically overwhelming, causing symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, dizziness, and shortness of breath. In such moments of intense distress, crisis counselling can help individuals regulate their breathing, ground themselves, and learn practical coping strategies that may help them overcome their anxiety or panic.

Severe depression that feels like it will never end

Periods of deep depression can create a sense that life will never improve. Feelings of worthlessness, loss of motivation, and withdrawal from daily activities may be signs to seek urgent support. Speaking to a crisis counselor may provide immediate relief and help identify longer-term treatment options. 

Psychotic episodes

A psychotic episode may involve hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, sudden and severe changes in mood, or severe disconnection from reality. In these cases, immediate professional intervention is recommended to ensure safety. Crisis teams can help stabilize the situation and arrange further psychiatric assessment or hospital care if needed.

A general mental health crisis

A mental health crisis, formerly described by some as a “nervous breakdown,” describes a period of extreme emotional or mental distress that can prevent someone from functioning in daily life. Crisis counseling may help reduce the intensity of symptoms, provide emotional support, and connect people to follow-up mental health services.

Bipolar disorder episodes

During manic or depressive episodes related to bipolar disorder, a person may experience extreme mood swings, impulsive behavior, or deep despair. Crisis counseling can help manage immediate safety concerns and offer grounding strategies. A crisis counselor may also be able to facilitate specialized psychiatric care. 

Severe traumatic experiences or PTSD

Traumatic events or flashbacks associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can trigger overwhelming emotional responses that may require immediate crisis counseling to address. Crisis support services can help by providing grounding techniques and emotional reassurance until trauma-focused therapy can be established.

Domestic violence

Experiencing or being at risk of domestic violence is a serious crisis that requires both emotional support and practical safety planning. Helplines in Australia like 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) can help survivors of domestic violence connect with shelters, legal support, and crisis counselling.

Substance misuse or relapse

A return to substance use after a period of recovery or the misuse of substances in a dangerous way may require immediate intervention. Crisis counseling can help reduce the harm of substance misuse, provide guidance on next steps, offer emotional support, and help individuals find specialized substance use treatment services.

Care after a natural disaster

Bushfires, floods, and other natural disasters can cause significant emotional distress, even long after the event. Crisis counseling can help individuals process shock, grief, and anxiety and help connect them with both mental health services and practical recovery resources in their community. 

Accessing Help: How Australians Can Connect to Crisis Support

To access mental health support in Australia, for yourself or others, there are various services available online or via the phone. Individuals can visit a website such as Lifeline, Beyond Blue, or the Suicide Call Back Service, to receive support during times of emotional distress. These organisations provide information, chat options, and phone numbers to connect individuals with someone who can help. These services are available every week, on a 24 hour basis. 

Support Networks: Friends, Families, and Carers

During a crisis, trusted friends, family members, and carers can offer comfort, understanding, and emotional support. Also, research suggests that caregivers can encourage appropriate treatment and support. Many organisations provide information and referral options to guide those supporting their loved ones in the right direction.

How crisis counseling in Australia works and key options for support

When contacting a crisis counseling service, individuals will often be able to speak with mental health professionals or trained volunteers who can offer immediate emotional support, safety assessments, and coping strategies. These conversations may occur via telephone or online chat for easily available and immediate care. Counselors can help users manage current symptoms and may also try to guide individuals toward further mental health services or emergency medical attention if needed.

Individuals who contact crisis counseling services may come to feel calmer and more emotionally stable than before they reached out.

Lifeline Australia crisis counselling

Lifeline Australia (13 11 14) is a nonprofit organization that provides free 24-hour support via telephone and online chat. Specially trained counsellors are on call to offer immediate assistance for mental health crises, such as suicidal thoughts and acute distress.

Suicide Call Back Service for suicide prevention

The Suicide Call Back Service offers immediate telephone and online support specifically for people experiencing suicidal thoughts or related distress. This form of support is available around the clock, providing compassionate care.

Beyond Blue telephone and online crisis counseling in Australia

Beyond Blue offers online chat and phone support for people experiencing depression, anxiety, or mental health crises. The service provides immediate emotional support and practical coping strategies to help individuals struggling with mental health.

How to support a loved one who is experiencing a mental health crisis

Family members or other loved ones can often play an essential role during mental health crises. Crisis counseling services also provide support and advice specifically for families, helping them navigate the complexities of supporting a loved one who is experiencing severe mental health challenges. 

If an individual fears that a close loved one or family member could be experiencing a mental health crisis, it may be helpful to:

• Speak to them calmly, validate their emotions, and avoid judgmental language. 
• Be present and patient, pay attention to what they’re saying, and reassure them.
• Help with everyday tasks, shoulder some of their burdens, and actively support their treatment plan.
• Educate themselves, offer to help them reach out for immediate support, and encourage the loved one to seek help.
• Seek support for themselves as needed.

How online therapy for mental health challenges can build off of crisis counseling

Following a mental health crisis, many individuals benefit from continued support through therapy. For those who are unable to attend in-person sessions, virtual therapy may provide a convenient alternative. Online therapy offers widespread availability, flexibility, and the opportunity to receive ongoing emotional support from anywhere, allowing users to build healthy coping skills and manage mental health conditions over time. 

Online therapy, like the services offered by BetterHelp, allows users to connect with a credentialed mental health professional remotely—via phone, video call, and/or in-app messaging—from a location of their choice. Online therapy also can be more affordable than in-person care without insurance.

The effectiveness of therapy via telephone and online formats

For those who are looking for longer-term support outside of crisis counseling, online therapy can be an effective form of support. Research suggests that online therapy can often be as effective as in-person care for addressing symptoms of common conditions like depression and anxiety.