Crisis Recognition & Response

A clear, memorable plan for the moments that scare you most — so you can act instead of freeze, and get your veteran the right help fast.

⚑ Draft for review. This safety module carries a Clinician sign-off — a named licensed physician must sign it before any family sees it.

🎖️ In plain English

If something feels seriously wrong, don't wait — act. For a physical emergency like fainting, chest pain, or a racing or irregular heartbeat, call 911 (with ibogaine, that heart risk can last for days after the dose, not just during it). For talk of suicide or a mental-health crisis, dial 988 and press 1, and stay with them. And you have your own lifeline too — the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274.

One rule of thumb: when in doubt, act

You don't have to diagnose anything or know the medical name for what's happening. In a crisis your only job is to notice that something is wrong and get the right help fast. The rule is that simple: if you're seriously worried, act — don't wait to be sure. Escalating a situation that turns out to be fine costs you a little embarrassment; waiting on a real emergency can cost a life.

Trust the instinct that says "this isn't right." You know your loved one better than any stranger on a phone line does. Nobody — not the clinic, not a 911 dispatcher — will fault you for calling. Going up a level is always the safer mistake.

Physical emergencies: call 911 Established

Some signs are not part of the healing process and are not yours to manage — they need emergency medicine now. Call 911 for fainting or collapse, chest pain, a racing or irregular heartbeat, severe dizziness, trouble breathing, or a seizure. With ibogaine specifically, the heart risk is real and well-documented: it can prolong the heart's electrical cycle (the QT interval) and trigger a dangerous rhythm, even in people with no prior heart trouble. Because its active byproduct lingers in the body, that danger can last for days after the dose — not only during it. Watch for these signs during treatment and in the days that follow.

One more physical emergency to recognize: a very high fever together with severe muscle stiffness or twitching, agitation, and a pounding heart can signal a serotonin reaction, which becomes more likely when serotonin-raising medications or substances are combined. Don't try to sort out the cause — treat it like any other 911 emergency: call, then alert the clinical team.

A mental-health crisis: Veterans Crisis Line — dial 988, then press 1

If your loved one talks about suicide or self-harm, seems to lose touch with reality, or is gripped by terror or despair that will not settle, that is an emergency too. Dial 988 and press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line — staffed around the clock by responders trained for exactly this. You can also text 838255 or chat online, and it's there whether or not the veteran is enrolled in VA care.

Do not leave them alone. Stay with them, calmly move anything dangerous — firearms, medications, sharp objects — out of reach, and keep them talking while help gets on the line. If you believe they are in immediate danger of acting, call 911.

Not sure it's an emergency? Call the treatment team — and escalate

Most worries live in the gray zone: something feels off, but you're not certain it's a 911 situation. That's exactly what the treatment team's contact number is for. Call them first, describe what you're seeing in plain words, and let them tell you the next step.

If you can't reach them quickly and your gut says this is getting worse, don't sit on it — escalate to 911 or to 988, press 1. When you're torn, choosing the higher level of help is never the wrong call.

Keep these where you can grab them in seconds — on the fridge, in your phone, in your wallet:
• Physical emergency: 911
• Suicidal thoughts or mental-health crisis: Veterans Crisis Line — 988, then press 1 (or text 838255)
• Support for you, the caregiver: VA Caregiver Support Line — 1-855-260-3274
• Your treatment team's emergency number: ________________

Staying calm under pressure

Your calm isn't just for you — it steadies your loved one, and it makes you a clearer witness for the people trying to help. Before you speak, take one slow breath in and a longer breath out; it lowers your own alarm just enough to think. Then talk in short, steady sentences.

Responders and clinicians need facts, fast. Be ready to tell them what is happening, when it started, and exactly what your loved one has taken — every medication, supplement, and substance you know of. This is where the medication awareness from Module C3 becomes lifesaving: a detail held back out of embarrassment can change the care they receive. If you have the bottle or a written list, keep it in your hand.

You don't have to carry the crisis alone

Crises are frightening, and the fear doesn't disappear the moment one passes. The VA Caregiver Support Line — 1-855-260-3274 exists for you: to help you build an emergency plan before you ever need it, to talk through a scare afterward, and to connect you with support near you. You don't have to wait for a disaster to call.

And if you are the one who feels you can't cope — you don't have to be a veteran to reach out — call 988 and press 1, or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Keeping yourself steady is part of keeping them safe.

Courage isn't the absence of fear — it's making the call anyway. You will not regret acting too soon. You could regret waiting. When something feels wrong, pick up the phone.

Operation Whole Health — Patriot-founded 501(c)(3). Caregiver Track — prototype, DRAFT v0.1. Educational only; not medical advice. Content marked Clinician sign-off is pending a named licensed physician’s review. In crisis? Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988, then press 1 · VA Caregiver Support Line 1-855-260-3274.