If you're having a crisis right now

If you are an immediate danger to yourself or others:
This resource isn't made to handle life-threatening emergencies. Please use Wikipedia's Comprehensive Worldwide List of Crisis Phone Lines At the very least, talk to someone you trust immediately and tell them how much you're struggling. This book does talk about self-harm and thoughts of suicide sometimes (it's a sadly common mental health issue), but it assumes you already have an emergency / crisis plan in place (and if you don't, please make one as soon as you're out of your current crisis—there's a template with different options here).

For a minor, non-life-threatening emergency:
- My skill recommendation is one of the TIPP skills. TIPP is the best set of emergency coping skills for most people new to DBT because it uses your body’s natural reflexes that are already in there. You could also try looking at some of the other skills in the Distress Tolerance module, but TIPP takes less practice for most people. Do not overuse distress tolerance skills like TIPP. You can build up a tolerance similar to how people develop tolerance to medications and substances. You need to keep going and learn more sustainable skills and learn how to keep your distress tolerance skills working over time.
- if you just need someone to talk to, I highly recommend 7 Cups of Tea Peer and Volunteer Support Community

If it's another person you're having a (non-life-threatening) problem with:
you're almost definitely looking for DEAR MAN or FAST from the Interpersonal Effectiveness module. (Usually DEAR MAN if you're trying to get them to do something and FAST if you need them to stop doing something).

Safety Planning / Crisis Prevention

If you are waiting for a first mental health appointment, it can help to develop a Safety Plan. This is a list of your personal coping mechanisms to use, people to talk to, places to go, and crisis resources to contact. This plan can help you temporarily avoid going to the ER or being hospitalized while you wait for an outpatient appointment. If you do find yourself in an ER, having this plan already made and on-hand to show to the staff can often help expedite your discharge plans. There are more examples in the Resources Folder. However you create this plan, keep it somewhere you can always get to quickly like your wallet, car, or pinned to the top of your notes app.