Mental Health During a Crisis

Preparation Steps

• Identify your personal early stress signals — disrupted sleep, irritability, difficulty concentrating — so you can respond before stress becomes overwhelming.
• Build a written list of reliable mental health resources and crisis line numbers before a crisis begins, when you have time to research calmly.
• Maintain social connections deliberately even when physical movement is restricted: schedule regular video calls and check-ins with family and friends.
• Learn one or two simple stress regulation techniques in advance — slow breathing, progressive muscle relaxation — so they are available to you automatically under pressure.
• Establish a daily routine that includes physical movement, meals at regular times, and a consistent sleep schedule before any emergency disrupts your normal schedule.

Immediate Actions

• Limit news and social media monitoring to one or two brief, scheduled check-ins per day — continuous exposure amplifies anxiety without improving your outcomes or decisions.
• Maintain physical activity even when confined indoors: a 10-minute walk, stretching, or basic bodyweight exercises significantly reduce circulating stress hormones.
• Keep a consistent sleep and wake schedule — sleep deprivation compounds every stress response and impairs decision-making when clear thinking is most critical.
• Practice deliberate breathing when anxiety spikes: inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale slowly for 6. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system and reduces acute stress within minutes.
• Help someone else when you are able — acts of care and contribution are among the most effective ways to reduce feelings of helplessness and isolation.

What to Avoid

• Do not isolate yourself completely — even brief daily social contact provides meaningful psychological protection.
• Do not use alcohol or other substances to fall asleep or manage anxiety — they disrupt sleep quality and reduce your capacity to cope the following day.
• Do not compare your coping to others' — people respond differently to identical circumstances, and there is no correct emotional response to a crisis.
• Avoid catastrophizing thought spirals ("what if" chains that escalate without resolution) — name the thought, write it down, and return to what you can act on now.
• Do not wait until symptoms are severe before seeking help — early support produces far better outcomes than crisis intervention.

Supplies Needed

• A written crisis line number stored with your emergency documents — not only saved in your phone, which may be lost or flat.
• Meditation, breathing, or cognitive tools downloaded for offline use on your phone or tablet.
• A journal and pen — writing about experiences and emotions is consistently shown to reduce acute stress load.
• Art materials, games, or creative supplies, especially if children are present during extended isolation.
• Access to any prescribed medications with at least a 30-day buffer stock maintained at home.

Recovery Steps

• Acute stress reactions in the weeks following a crisis — nightmares, hypervigilance, intrusive memories, emotional numbness — are normal and usually diminish over time with social support and restored routine.
• Persistent symptoms lasting more than one month (avoidance, emotional numbing, chronic hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts) may indicate PTSD — seek professional support promptly.
• Rebuilding a consistent daily routine and regular social connection are the two most powerful recovery tools available without professional intervention.
• If you supported others through the crisis, take time to process your own experience — helpers are also affected and deserve the same attention they extended to others.
• Reconnect with activities that provided meaning or pleasure before the crisis — restoring positive experience is an active part of recovery, not a luxury.