How to Prevent a Mental Health Crisis: Early Warning Signs and Coping Strategies

In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression, we explore how to prevent a mental health crisis before it escalates. Our guest, Corinne, shares her powerful story of reaching out for help during one of her darkest moments — a call that saved her life.

She explains the early warning signs of depression and how she uses a simple scale to monitor her mental health before reaching a breaking point. Corinne walks us through practical coping strategies like therapy, exercise, sleep, meditation, and building a strong support network.

This conversation is a reminder that crisis prevention starts with awareness — knowing when to check in with yourself, when to reach out, and how to stay connected. Mental health struggles don’t have to be faced in silence or shame.

Whether you live with depression or love someone who does, this episode offers life-saving insights about staying safe, building resilience, and finding hope.

Link to Corinne's article: https://qz.com/1381952/suicide-hotlines-really-do-save-lives-i-know-because-one-saved-mine/

Primary Topics Covered:

• Why early intervention is critical in managing depression and anxiety
• Corinne’s personal story of calling a suicide prevention hotline
• The “mental health scale” tool for monitoring warning signs
• Coping strategies that help prevent escalation into crisis
• The role of connection, empathy, and honesty in healing
• Breaking the silence: why we need to talk openly about depression

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and episode context
 01:14 - Corinne’s experience with depression during pregnancy
 02:31 - Why sharing recovery stories matters
 04:25 - The mental health “scale” for self-monitoring
 05:31 - Corinne’s personal coping steps: therapy, exercise, sleep, meditation
 06:20 - The importance of trusted connections and support
 07:34 - Understanding when depression shifts from sadness to crisis
 09:19 - Suicide prevention hotlines as life-saving interventions
 10:44 - The power of honesty and breaking silence about depression
 12:04 - Final reflections and takeaways
 13:20 - Closing thoughts and resources

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