How to respond to a stranger in psychological distress
If you’re concerned about your safety, the best course of action is usually to leave the situation as quickly as possible, said Schroeder Stribling, the president and CEO of Mental Health America, a nonprofit organization focused on promoting mental health. For example, if you are on the subway, switch cars or get off and wait for the next train.
If you can’t leave, keep monitoring the situation. If someone is making verbal threats, clenching their fists or physically approaching people in an aggressive manner, stay calm and avoid confrontation, said Dr. Jessica Kovach, the chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine. Don’t make eye contact — especially prolonged eye contact, which can be perceived as threatening, Dr. Kovach. Also, avoid any physical position that may appear aggressive, such as crossing your arms.
Call for help
If you’re threatened or feel unsafe, “running and calling for help is the most important thing you can do in those moments,” says Dr. Jhilam Biswas, director of the Psychiatry, Law, and Society Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Calling for help is also best if you don’t feel you are in danger, but feel you need to act. “Going to a phone, going to a guard, going to someone who can call for the right level of care is really the most important thing to do here,” said Dr. Richard Patel, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, and an attending physician in the psychiatric emergency room at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.
Many cities have helplines and mobile crisis response teams that serve as an interface between police and mental health providers and are trained to help people in acute need. For example, in New York City, you can call 888-NYC-GOOD to connect with mental health professionals. When you call 911, state that you’re calling about a mental health emergency and ask for a crisis intervention team if one is available, said Megan Rochford, the director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine Activities.