Ambulance-Emergency Psychiatry

Call for an Ambulance Service: 0431 2555666

An individual experiencing any signs of mental illness resulting in an ongoing current risk or imminent future risk to self or others represents a Psychiatric Emergency and would be seen and evaluated at Athma Emergency Care Unit.

Signs that a person may be suffering from a Mental Illness are any change in a person’s thinking, behavior, mood and/or sensory experiences associated with a disturbance of the person’s personal, social and/or occupational functioning resulting in an inability to carry out their day to day roles and responsibilities.

PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCIES

  • High suicidal thoughts or a recent suicidal attempt
  • Harming family members and others physically or recently harmed others due to mental illness
  • Severe and persistent agitation or aggression due to mental illness
  • Poor self-care due to mental illness
  • Maintaining a posture for prolonged periods associated with not talking/expressing needs (stupor state-like a statue )
  • Acute or sudden onset of psychiatric illness 
  • Drug over dose
  • Chronic psychiatric illness – relapse
  • Organic Mental disorders (delirium, dementia, seizure )
  • Strange response – stressful life situation
  • Iatrogenic Emergencies
  • Side-Effects
  • Psychiatric Symptomatology

Alcohol or Drug Dependence

    1. Withdrawal Syndrome
    2. Withdrawal seizures / Fits
    3. Delirium
    4. Overdose

Why Ambulance Service

  • Major hurdle for the patient’s caretaker is there is no ambulance service for emergency psychiatry. 
  • Majority of the ambulance services hesitate to take persons with mental illness if they are aggressive, violent and shabby.
  • Many cases bring the patients late because of vehicle in-availability.
  • Less information about whom to contact for this type of emergencies.