Excerpts from Psychiatric and Behavioral Emergencies for the Emergency Medical Responder

The thoughts, perception, and judgment capabilities of a patient can tell you a lot about the severity of the problem they are going through.

For example, if a person can clearly articulate their thoughts in such a way that you can understand, they may be experiencing only mild or moderate symptoms that may not require immediate hospitalization. Of course, look for other aspects too such as the words and tone. If the patient sounds highly suicidal, you may need to take steps for intervention. But overall, the chances for severe mental illness are relatively less when a person can articulate the thoughts well.

Next, look at the perception. Does a person sound extremely sad, negative, and has a very pessimistic outlook of the future? If yes, it could indicate an underlying problem. Also, if a person’s perception is far removed from reality or if a person has unrealistic fears such as an alien attack, these could indicate a possible case of delusion, hallucination, and mild delirium.

Finally, evaluate a person’s judgment. Can the patient clearly explain a suicide plan? Is the patient capable of handling the situation and bringing it under control without help? Answers to such questions can help you decide the appropriate care.