What should I do if I need help before my first psychiatry appointment?

In crisis, don't wait for an appointment: call or text 988, free and 24/7, or go to the nearest ER. That's what they're for, and using them isn't overreacting. For urgent-but-not-crisis, call us at (469) 733-0848; most new patients are seen within a business day or two, which closes the gap that months-long Texas waitlists leave open.

While you wait: protect your sleep, skip alcohol (it amplifies everything you're trying to calm), and jot down what you want the clinician to know. The notes-app version of your story makes a first appointment twice as useful.