What to Do in a Campus Mental Health Crisis

Call 988 first

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline connects you to a trained counselor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call, text, or chat online at 988lifeline.org . The line covers suicidal thoughts, substance use crises, and any moment when you feel unable to cope. Chat is available at 988lifeline.org/chat , where a pre-chat survey connects you with a counselor who understands your main concern before you start talking.

Calling 988 does not automatically send police to your location. A counselor talks you through the crisis and connects you to follow-up care if you want it. The SAMHSA line also supports substance use crises and general emotional distress, not suicide risk alone.

Who to call on campus at 2 a.m.

Every residential campus has an after-hours option that does not require an office to be open.

• Your resident advisor (RA) or hall director. RAs carry an emergency phone and are trained to walk you to help or call campus police.

• Campus police or public safety. They respond to welfare checks and transport a student to an emergency room when needed.

• The campus counseling center's crisis line. Most counseling centers list a 24-hour number on their website, separate from daytime appointment lines.

• A trusted friend or roommate. Do not stay alone if you feel unsafe. Wake someone up.

Save these numbers in your phone before you need them. Search your school's name plus "counseling center crisis line" and store the result now, before a bad night.

What happens after you reach out

A counselor or RA asks direct questions about your safety, including whether you have a plan to hurt yourself. Answer honestly. These questions help them figure out the right level of care, not to judge you.

Depending on your situation, next steps often include:

• A same-day or next-day appointment with a campus counselor

• A safety plan you build together with a counselor, listing warning signs and coping steps

• A trip to the nearest emergency room if you or someone else faces immediate physical danger

• A referral to an off-campus therapist or psychiatrist for ongoing care

If you are worried about a friend

Tell someone. Contact your friend's RA, the counseling center, or campus police for a welfare check if you believe your friend faces danger and will not seek help. The JED Foundation recommends staying with a friend in crisis and helping them make the call rather than leaving it to them alone.

You do not need proof or certainty to ask for a welfare check. It is a normal, low-stakes way to make sure someone stays safe.

Common warning signs before a crisis

• Talking about wanting to die or feeling like a burden

• Withdrawing from friends, classes, or activities they used to enjoy

• Giving away belongings or saying goodbye in an unusual way

• Sudden calm after a period of visible distress

• Increased alcohol or drug use

After a crisis

Follow up with the campus counseling center within a few days, even after the immediate crisis passes. Ongoing support lowers the chance of another crisis. Ask about group therapy, medication referrals, or academic accommodations like extended deadlines while you recover, which your school's disability services office can help arrange.

What it costs

988 is free everywhere, with no cost and no insurance required, day or night. Most campus counseling centers include a set number of free sessions in your student fees, then charge a reduced fee or refer you to a community provider who takes your student health insurance. Ask the counseling center about their session limit and referral list before you assume cost stands in the way.

Confidentiality

Talking to a campus counselor stays confidential and separate from your academic record in most cases. Counselors break confidentiality only in narrow situations, mainly when you face immediate danger to yourself or someone else, or when the law requires a report, such as abuse of a minor. Ask the counselor directly what their confidentiality policy covers before you share details, if that matters to you.

If you are off campus or studying remotely

988 works the same way whether you live in a dorm or an apartment across town. Many schools also contract with telehealth platforms that give students video counseling sessions from anywhere, including during breaks when you are away from campus. Check your counseling center's website for a telehealth option if you cannot get to campus.

Common triggers worth watching for

Crises often follow a specific stressor rather than appearing at random. Exam weeks, a breakup, a failed class, financial strain, homesickness during a first semester away, or a family emergency back home all raise risk. Recognizing the trigger does not fix the crisis, but it helps you and the people around you take warning signs seriously instead of dismissing them as normal stress.

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