Psychiatric illnesses or disorders are common in medical practices. Do not confuse them with psychological problems or diseases, because these are completely different concepts. Find out more at i-houston.
If your family member or loved one exhibits abnormal or unusual behavior, is extremely emotional or inadequate or engages in life-threatening behavior, you should contact a psychiatric treatment center right away.
What should I do in such situations? What number should I dial, and how does the entire process work? Which Houston hospitals provide medical care?
The first thing to do
Undoubtedly, when we live with a family member under the same roof for a long time or keep in touch with a loved one, we continually involuntarily study their behavior. When a loved one or close person is upset, anxious or confused by something, we immediately notice and, if we feel it is suitable, try to offer support. Therefore, we are very likely to observe pathological deviations in behavior.
In what circumstances should you consider probable mental disorders or diseases? A person is primarily visited by unhealthy thoughts, they can be suicidal or murderous. Another reason to be concerned is if a family member or loved one experiences hallucinations, such as auditory hallucinations (hearing voices), visual hallucinations (seeing people or their silhouettes, animals or objects) and so on. Of course, this includes inappropriate behavior, hysteria, paranoia and similar symptoms.
It is critical not to panic in such circumstances and to maintain control of the situation. If possible, you should calm the person down and try to talk to him/her. It is critical that the individual agrees to treatment or hospitalization, thus the first step is to ask him/her. If he/she agrees to go to the hospital, the rest of the proceedings will go much more easily.
Otherwise, you have two options. You can phone 911 and request an emergency response from the Houston Police Department. In this situation, the patient will be placed against his will in a psychiatric hospital until a diagnosis is made.
The second option is to get a mental health warrant by contacting a judge at the Harris County Psychiatric Center.
Houston psychiatric hospitals
Houston has a high quality of medicine, which includes both psychiatric hospitals and relevant patient care. There are a significant number of psychiatric hospitals in the city that take patients not only from Houston but also from nearby cities.
The NeuroPsychiatric Center is open daily and around the clock. If you call the Houston Police Department, the patient will most likely be brought there because the center provides emergency psychiatric care. Confidentiality is also protected, therefore information regarding a particular patient’s location will not be disclosed if necessary.
If you require assistance for a minor, you can contact IntraCare North Hospital. This facility offers intensive (emergency) therapy as well as assistance with drug addiction (from the age of six). Children are provided with all of the essential hospital, daycare and partial hospitalization requirements. Children can also get help at Kingwood Pines Hospital.
If you have health insurance, you can contact the Menninger Clinic and it will cover your expenses for diagnosis, treatment and hospital stay. This facility specializes in providing mental care for all diagnoses and age groups.