[annielovesbacon]

My therapy clinic can only see me once every two or three weeks, my next appointment with my T is in two weeks. But if you call the clinic early enough sometimes they can get you a same-day appointment if you are "in crisis."
I think I might be in crisis but I don't know. I'm feeling extremely suicidal but I'm not likely to follow through in these next few days.
Also I know that if I get a crisis appointment, it will mean someone who had a regularly scheduled appointment will have their appointment canceled (this has happened to me, it's very frustrating) so I would feel very guilty
Anyway I don't know if I should go to a crisis appointment or not or even if I'm in crisis

[atisketatasket]

I think "feeling extremely suicidal" is being in crisis.

If you don't want to call the clinic, try a hotline or warmline?

[ScarletPimpernel]

For me, "crisis" means a few things. Usually crying is the first sign. Thanks to meds, I'm not really a cryer anymore. So when I cry, I know something isn't right. And I don't mean just tears. I mean full on crying/breakdown. Also, I start getting tempted to act on my SUI thoughts. I have thoughts daily and usually they come and go. Sometimes I can even get stuck ruminating on them. But when it starts becoming a solution, I'm in trouble. Another sign is thoughts of SI. Again, thanks to meds, I havent really had these thoughts in almost two years. So if I have them, I know I need help.

I think the main thing that defines a "crisis" for me is that I can't cope anymore. I just know I need help. That if I don't have someone there, something really bad can happen. And for me, that's when I call my T. Luckily, I've only had to call her maybe 3 times in the two years I've been with her.

Do what you feel you need to do to keep yourself safe!

[Luce]

Sometimes a good way to be objective about your own situation is to read it as though another person wrote it. What would you say or suggest to another person who had written the same thing?
I know how hard it can be to view your own situation when the lens you are looking through is one of invalidation and unworthiness. When we read our own words as though they are someone else's it is possible to instead look through the lens of compassion and care.

When I read your post with compassion and care from one human being to another, my only response is this:

Annie, it's time to call your T. Go get the phone and give her a call, okay?

[SilentMelodee]

So what happens when you're in crisis? If you call a T I mean. Do they talk you through it over the phone, or set up a session? I have NEVER called or Emailed in crisis. But that doesn't mean I haven't been there. This is a very good question, and one I've asked myself too, I'm glad you did!

[satsuma]

It's good that you're not going to follow through, but as the others said, I think the suicidal feelings are a sign of what most people would call "crisis". It's fine and a very good idea to call and ask for some extra help at these times, I think.

[junkDNA]

i call my T. sometimes i ask for an extra session. crises for me are hallucinations, delusional paranoia, major depression, and suicidal thoughts/plans

[thesnowqueen]

Originally Posted by Luce

Sometimes a good way to be objective about your own situation is to read it as though another person wrote it. What would you say or suggest to another person who had written the same thing?
I know how hard it can be to view your own situation when the lens you are looking through is one of invalidation and unworthiness. When we read our own words as though they are someone else's it is possible to instead look through the lens of compassion and care.

When I read your post with compassion and care from one human being to another, my only response is this:

Annie, it's time to call your T. Go get the phone and give her a call, okay?

This, this, and this.

[LonesomeTonight]

I've called or texted my T or marriage counselor in situations where I couldn't stop crying, didn't feel like I could cope with life right then, and/or when where I was having thoughts of SH or SUI. That's what I'd consider to be crises, for me. (And once when I was having a really bad panic attack during a long car ride that I had to get through.) I usually ended up talking to T (or MC) in those cases, though once recently T had an opening the next day, so she fit me in for an extra appointment that week.

I understand your concern about someone else's appointment being canceled so that a T can see you--I'd be worried about that, too. Do you know for a fact that's the case though? In the case where my T fit me in, she had slotted that hour to do paperwork, so it's not like I was displacing another client. It's possible that T's leave a little space in their schedule for crisis appointments (or maybe they come in early or stay late or take lunch at a different time to fit an extra client in). Or you might get an appointment that someone had decided to cancel.

So I would call. Hugs...

[SoConfused623]

Originally Posted by LonesomeTonight

I understand your concern about someone else's appointment being canceled so that a T can see you--I'd be worried about that, too. Do you know for a fact that's the case though? In the case where my T fit me in, she had slotted that hour to do paperwork, so it's not like I was displacing another client. It's possible that T's leave a little space in their schedule for crisis appointments (or maybe they come in early or stay late or take lunch at a different time to fit an extra client in). Or you might get an appointment that someone had decided to cancel.

So I would call. Hugs...

I agree with the others that it certainly sounds like a crisis to me. I'm nearly certain that "Crisis time" is reserved for those that are in a crisis and that it does NOT displace anyone's regular appointment. For instance, when I'm really sick and call the Doctor, they fit me in during the time that they allow for emergencies and don't cancel other's regular appointments. If i need a physical then I have to wait a long time. My point is that most practices are going to have someone available for people who are in a crisis. You may not get to see your T, but you can talk to a T who is on crisis duty.

This once happened to me...I was in a crisis and they fit me in, but I talked with someone else that day who was very helpful.

I sure hope that this works out for you. We are all pulling for you!

[MBM17]

annie, how are you holding up? What did you end up doing?

[annielovesbacon]

Originally Posted by MBM17

annie, how are you holding up? What did you end up doing?

thanks for asking
thank you everyone for your responses... i am feeling much better. i did not end up making a crisis appointment. i know for a fact that at my clinic if you have a crisis appointment it's a possibility that you will cancel or shorten someone else's appointment (i know because it's happened to me twice) so i felt too guilty.
but instead i reached out to a friend and she helped me. i don't have out of session contact with my t but i wish i did because that would have been a good opportunity to use that.