Schizophrenia Symptoms: DSM-5-TR Criteria, Signs, and When to Seek Help
Learn the DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia symptoms, the full range of positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms, and a clear framework for when to seek help.
MBBS, MD, DNB(Psychiatry) brings over 12 years of clinical experience in psychiatry to her work at Abhasa Rehab and Wellness.
Dr. Shree Aarthi
MBBS, MD, DNB(Psychiatry) brings over 12 years of clinical experience in psychiatry to her work at Abhasa Rehab and Wellness.
- Last Medically Reviewed: 2026-09-25
- Published: 2026-09-25
- Last Updated: 2026-09-25
- 17 min read
Key Takeaways
- A schizophrenia diagnosis needs at least two specific symptoms present for a significant part of one month, continuous signs of disturbance for at least six months overall, and a clear drop in functioning[3].
- Symptoms generally sort into three categories (positive, negative, and cognitive), but how they show up varies a great deal from person to person.[5]
- Relapse symptoms in schizophrenia often differ from first-episode presentation, so it helps to know both patterns, not just one.
- A large government survey in India found lifetime prevalence was slightly higher in men than women (1.49% versus 1.33%), though the study's own authors note this gender difference was not statistically significant.[2]
- You don't need certainty to start a conversation with a psychiatrist. A three-tier framework further down this page can help you work out how urgent that conversation is.
A schizophrenia diagnosis isn’t decided by any single symptom or a quick checklist. A psychiatrist looks at which symptoms are present and how long they’ve lasted.
They also check whether day-to-day functioning has genuinely changed, and whether something else (a mood disorder, a substance, another medical condition) could better explain what’s happening. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 300 people live with schizophrenia [1].
QUICK ANSWER
What are schizophrenia symptoms? They are the specific signs (hallucinations, delusions, disorganised speech, grossly disorganised or catatonic behaviour, and negative symptoms such as reduced motivation) that a psychiatrist evaluates against DSM-5-TR criteria.
A clinical assessment considers all of the following [3] :
- At least two of these signs for a significant part of one month.
- Continuous signs of disturbance for at least six months overall.
- A clear decline in day-to-day functioning.
- Other explanations ruled out.
Matching a few items on this list is not the same as having schizophrenia. Only a full clinical evaluation can make that determination.
This page is different from a general overview of the condition. Our schizophrenia hub page covers what schizophrenia is, why it develops, and how it’s treated.
Here, we go deep into one specific question: what actually counts as a symptom? That means looking at how the clinical criteria work, and how presentation shifts across a first episode, an established illness, and a relapse.
What Are Schizophrenia Symptoms? (And How They Differ From Early Warning Signs)
A schizophrenia symptom is a specific, clinically defined experience (a hallucination, a delusion, disorganised speech) that fits diagnostic criteria. An early warning sign is softer and less specific.
It’s a change in sleep, mood, or social behaviour that shows up beforehand, and on its own points to nothing in particular.
That distinction matters more than it might seem. A lot of the confusion families describe when trying to understand schizophrenia comes from mixing the two up.
Early warning signs are common. Most teenagers and young adults go through stretches of moodiness, social pulling-back, or unusual interests. These never turn into anything clinical. Symptoms, on the other hand, are what a psychiatrist looks for once there’s a real question of diagnosis on the table.
Our article on early signs of schizophrenia covers that earlier, softer stage in more everyday language. This page picks up from there.
It’s for people already looking at something that feels more concrete: specific experiences, named and checked against a clinical standard, not just a feeling that something’s different.
It’s worth saying plainly that self-diagnosis from a symptom checklist, including this one, isn’t reliable.[3] What follows is meant to help you understand what a psychiatrist is actually assessing, not to replace that assessment.
The DSM-5-TR Diagnostic Criteria for Schizophrenia
In plain terms: a psychiatrist checks for specific symptoms, present for long enough, causing a real change in someone’s daily life, with other explanations ruled out. Below is exactly what each part of that means.
QUICK ANSWER
The DSM-5-TR groups the core symptoms of schizophrenia under what it calls “Criterion A” – a list of five specific experiences. A diagnosis needs at least two of these five, present for a significant part of one month, though that window can be shorter if treatment has already brought the symptoms under control.
At least one of the two must be a delusion, a hallucination, or disorganised speech.[3]
The five Criterion A symptoms:
- Delusions.
- Hallucinations.
- Disorganised speech.
- Grossly disorganised or catatonic behaviour.
- Negative symptoms, such as reduced emotional expression or a drop in motivation.
Two of these five need to be present, not all of them, and at least one has to come from the first three on the list.[3]
Two more requirements matter just as much as the symptom count:
- Functioning has measurably declined. This shows up at work, in relationships, or in day-to-day self-care, and it has to have changed since the symptoms began.
- Signs of disturbance have lasted at least six months overall. Only one of those six months needs to include the full, active symptoms above. The rest can be milder or residual signs.[3]
Table 1: The DSM-5-TR Criterion A Checklist
| Criterion A Symptom | What a Psychiatrist Checks For | How it counts toward diagnosis |
|---|---|---|
|
Criterion A Symptom
Delusions
|
What a Psychiatrist Checks For
Fixed false beliefs that don't shift even when shown contrary evidence
|
How it counts toward diagnosis
One of at least two symptoms required
|
|
Criterion A Symptom
Hallucinations
|
What a Psychiatrist Checks For
Sensing things, most often hearing voices, that aren't actually there
|
How it counts toward diagnosis
One of at least two symptoms required
|
|
Criterion A Symptom
Disorganised speech
|
What a Psychiatrist Checks For
Speech that jumps between unrelated ideas or becomes difficult to follow
|
How it counts toward diagnosis
One of at least two symptoms required
|
|
Criterion A Symptom
Grossly disorganised or catatonic behaviour
|
What a Psychiatrist Checks For
Unpredictable agitation, or the opposite: extended unresponsiveness
|
How it counts toward diagnosis
Counts toward the "two of five" total
|
|
Criterion A Symptom
Negative symptoms
|
What a Psychiatrist Checks For
Reduced emotional expression, low motivation, social withdrawal
|
How it counts toward diagnosis
Counts toward the "two of five" total
|
|
Criterion A Symptom
Overall rule
|
What a Psychiatrist Checks For
At least 2 of the 5 above, and at least 1 must be delusions, hallucinations, or disorganised speech
|
How it counts toward diagnosis
At least 1 month of active symptoms, within at least 6 months of continuous disturbance overall
|
What this means: ticking two boxes for a single bad week doesn’t meet the bar. The symptoms, the six-month window, and the drop in functioning all have to line up together.
This table is a plain-language version of what a psychiatrist checks during an evaluation, not a substitute for one.
Ruling out other explanations is part of the same evaluation. Schizoaffective disorder, major depression, and bipolar disorder can all produce very similar-looking symptoms when psychotic features are present. Each one has to be considered and excluded before a schizophrenia diagnosis is confirmed.[3][7]
If psychotic symptoms only ever show up during a mood episode, a mood-disorder diagnosis takes precedence instead. Our pages on bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder explain how those conditions differ from schizophrenia in more depth.
The DSM-5-TR also requires ruling out a substance-induced cause: symptoms that trace back to drug or alcohol use, a medication, or another medical condition don’t meet the criteria on their own.[3]
This is exactly the kind of overlap our dual diagnosis page addresses, since substance use and a psychotic disorder can complicate each other’s presentation.
Timing, pattern, and the full clinical picture are what separate these conditions from each other – which is exactly why this evaluation belongs to a psychiatrist, and not to a checklist.
If you’re going through this list because of someone you love, know that the checking itself is not a diagnosis. It’s simply information to bring into a real conversation with a psychiatrist.
Our schizophrenia hub page covers what happens after that conversation, including how treatment works.
Positive, Negative, and Cognitive Symptoms: Full Clinical Depth
Schizophrenia symptoms generally sort into three categories. Positive symptoms add something to a person’s experience that isn’t normally there.
Negative symptoms take something away from normal functioning. Cognitive symptoms affect how someone thinks, processes, and remembers [4].
How these show up varies a great deal from person to person. Some people notice mostly one category. Others notice a changing mix of two or three, and severity can differ widely even within the same category.
Positive Symptoms in Detail
Positive symptoms are usually what people picture first when they hear the word “schizophrenia.” That’s partly because they’re the most visible to outsiders.
Hallucinations: Sensing something that isn’t actually there, most commonly hearing voices, though hallucinations can involve any of the senses. These can range from a background murmur to a running commentary. It can feel as real as any other sound in the room.
Delusions: Fixed beliefs that don’t line up with reality and don’t shift, even when someone is shown clear evidence against them. Common patterns include believing one is in danger, being monitored, or receiving special messages meant only for them.
Disorganised speech and behaviour: Thoughts that jump between unrelated topics, sentences that trail into unrelated ideas, or, in some cases, invented words that make sense only to the person speaking. Behaviour can follow the same pattern: unpredictable, hard to follow a logical thread through.
What makes positive symptoms relatively easy to notice from the outside is exactly what makes them stand out. They’re an addition to someone’s baseline behaviour, not a subtraction from it.
Family members often describe positive symptoms as the moment they “knew something was really wrong,” even when quieter changes had been building for months beforehand.
Negative Symptoms in Detail
Negative symptoms are the opposite pattern: a reduction in normal functioning rather than something added on top of it. They’re also, by most accounts, harder to live with day to day. They’re easier for others to misread as laziness or a mood problem instead of a symptom.
A drop in the drive to start or follow through on everyday tasks, from cooking a meal to keeping up with hygiene.
A reduced ability to feel or anticipate pleasure in things that used to matter.
Speaking less, or producing noticeably less content when speaking, without necessarily meaning to withdraw.
A dulled emotional expression, a flatter voice, less facial movement than the situation would normally call for.
Pulling back from friends, family, and usual routines. This can happen gradually enough that it’s hard to pinpoint when it started.
A serious syndrome marked by extended unresponsiveness, unusual stillness, or agitation. What this means: catatonia isn’t specific to schizophrenia.
The DSM-5-TR recognises it as a specifier that can also accompany mood disorders such as bipolar disorder or depression, and a number of general medical conditions. Checking which one applies is part of a full evaluation.[3]
In its most severe form, catatonia can bring on escalating fever and autonomic instability (unstable blood pressure, heart rate, or breathing), a life-threatening presentation clinicians call malignant catatonia.
Severe agitated catatonia can also lead to self-injury or harm to others.[13]
Prompt medical treatment leads to recovery in most cases, but this presentation needs emergency care, not a scheduled appointment. If you’re seeing fever alongside stillness or agitation that won’t resolve, or a level of agitation that puts anyone’s safety at risk, that falls under the Emergency tier further down this page.
Negative symptoms tend to respond more slowly to treatment than positive symptoms do. They’re often the ones that affect someone’s ability to work, study, or maintain relationships the most over time.
Cognitive Symptoms in Detail
Cognitive symptoms are the quietest of the three categories, and often the least reported. Not because they matter less, but because they don’t produce a visible break from reality the way hallucinations or delusions do [4].
They show up as trouble processing information quickly enough to make decisions. Other signs include difficulty holding onto newly learned information and problems sustaining attention and concentration.
A person experiencing these changes might not describe them as symptoms at all. More often, it’s “just feeling foggy” or “not as sharp as I used to be.”
Self-perceived cognitive functioning in schizophrenia often differs from what a formal evaluation actually finds.[11] That gap is part of why these symptoms are under-recognised relative to positive symptoms.
Family members and even patients themselves tend to attribute the changes to stress or tiredness. They rarely connect them to the underlying condition.
That under-recognition matters, because cognitive symptoms are strongly tied to day-to-day functioning, often more so than the more visible positive symptoms.
Table 2: Positive vs. Negative vs. Cognitive Symptoms
| Symptom Category | What It Looks Like Day to Day | Common Examples | How Easily It's Noticed by Others |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Symptom Category
Positive
|
What It Looks Like Day to Day
Experiences added on top of ordinary perception and thought
|
Common Examples
Hallucinations, delusions, disorganised speech
|
How Easily It's Noticed by Others
Usually noticed quickly, often the reason families first seek help
|
|
Symptom Category
Negative
|
What It Looks Like Day to Day
A reduction in normal functioning and expression
|
Common Examples
Low motivation, flat emotion, social withdrawal
|
How Easily It's Noticed by Others
Often mistaken for laziness, depression, or a personality change
|
|
Symptom Category
Cognitive
|
What It Looks Like Day to Day
Changes in thinking speed, memory, and attention
|
Common Examples
Trouble concentrating, forgetting recent information, slower decision-making
|
How Easily It's Noticed by Others
Frequently missed entirely, described as "brain fog" rather than a symptom
|
Substance use can change how symptoms look, and can cause psychotic symptoms on its own – which is why clinicians ask about it early. Our dual diagnosis page explains how the two overlap.
Symptoms by Presentation: First-Episode Psychosis, Established Illness, and Relapse Warning Signs
Schizophrenia doesn’t present the same way twice in one person’s life. A first episode looks different from an established illness years later, and a relapse often looks different from both.
That’s one reason a family that’s learned the first-episode pattern can still miss a relapse entirely: they’re watching for the wrong signs. Recognising which stage someone is in changes what to watch for, and what kind of support actually helps.
The mode of onset in first-episode psychosis is more often gradual than sudden. Changes in sleep, mood, and social functioning are often visible for months before a full psychotic episode, with hallucinations or delusions typically the last piece to become clearly apparent [5].
A smaller number of cases do come on abruptly, with clear psychotic symptoms appearing over days rather than months.
Symptoms typically first appear between the ages of 16 and 30. This often coincides with major life transitions: starting college, a first job, moving away from family. That timing can make the early changes even harder for families to separate from ordinary stress [5].
Once treatment has started and stabilised someone’s condition, the symptom picture usually shifts.
Positive symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, tend to respond well to antipsychotic medication and often become less prominent. Negative and cognitive symptoms tend to persist more stubbornly, even when the illness overall is considered well-managed.
What this means: many people describe this stage as trading one kind of difficulty for another. The frightening, disorienting symptoms ease, but quieter ones (low motivation, trouble concentrating) can end up shaping daily life more than the original diagnosis did.
A relapse’s warning signs frequently look nothing like the symptoms that led to the original diagnosis. Rather than a dramatic return of hallucinations, families more often notice subtler changes first.
These can include disrupted sleep, increased irritability, withdrawing again after a period of stability, or a return of unusual beliefs in a milder form [5] [10].
Clinicians sometimes describe this as a distinct “relapse signature,” a pattern specific to that person that can differ meaningfully from how their first episode presented.
This is one reason families are often encouraged to watch for change itself, rather than waiting for a repeat of exactly what happened the first time.
Catatonia, the cross-diagnostic syndrome described earlier, can also reappear during a relapse even if it wasn’t part of someone’s original presentation.
Because relapse signs can look so different from first-episode symptoms, this is exactly the kind of pattern families benefit from learning about together, rather than each person noticing something different and never comparing notes.
Our family support page explains how we involve families in recognising and responding to changes like these.
Do Symptoms Differ Between Men and Women?
The core symptom categories (positive, negative, cognitive) are the same regardless of sex, but a few patterns do differ.
A large government survey in India found lifetime prevalence was slightly higher in men than women (1.49% versus 1.33%), though the study’s own authors note this difference was not statistically significant, describing only “a trend toward a higher prevalence” in men.[2]
Onset also tends to differ by a few years on average. Symptoms more often first appear in the late teens to early twenties in men, and somewhat later, into the late twenties or early thirties, in women.
Sex differences in schizophrenia symptoms include somewhat milder negative symptoms in women on average, along with differences in antipsychotic treatment response between men and women.[12] Individual variation is considerable, and this remains an active area of study.
None of this means symptoms are fundamentally different between the sexes. The same five DSM-5-TR criteria apply to everyone equally. There’s more variation within each group than between them.
These patterns are useful context for a psychiatrist during assessment, not a basis for assuming what someone’s experience will look like based on sex alone.
Are Schizophrenia Symptoms Treatable?
Yes. Schizophrenia symptoms are treatable, and for many people, positive symptoms in particular respond well to the right combination of care.
Treatment works best when it combines antipsychotic medication, structured therapy, and family involvement, and when it starts early and continues consistently.[6]
Our schizophrenia hub page covers what that treatment actually involves, step by step.
When Should You Seek Help? A Decision Framework
Not every concerning sign needs an emergency response, and not every situation can wait for a scheduled appointment.
The framework below sorts that out into three tiers, so the decision doesn’t rest on guesswork alone.
What this looks like: early warning signs, or a symptom or two that have lasted a few weeks without clearly disrupting daily life.
What this means: there’s no emergency here. It’s simply a reason to have an unhurried conversation with a psychiatrist and find out what’s actually going on, whether the answer turns out to be schizophrenia, something else, or nothing clinical at all.
What this looks like: two or more Criterion A symptoms are clearly present, it’s been going on for more than a few days, and functioning has visibly dropped. That can mean:
- Missed work or school.
- Withdrawal from usual routines.
- Real difficulty with day-to-day self-care.
- A marked change in speech or behaviour that other people have started to notice, not just the person experiencing it.
What this means: this isn’t yet an emergency, but it shouldn’t sit on a waiting list for weeks either. Getting an assessment within days, rather than eventually, gives treatment the best chance of working quickly.[8]
What this looks like: someone is at risk of harming themselves or others, cannot care for their basic needs, or is experiencing a severe break from reality that makes them unsafe in the moment.
What this means: please use the crisis resources listed at the bottom of this page right now, rather than waiting for a scheduled appointment.
Families often wait for certainty before reaching out: for the symptoms to become undeniable, for every doubt to clear first. This framework exists so nobody has to make that judgment call alone. Uncertainty about which tier fits is, on its own, a reasonable enough reason to have the conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
At least two of the five Criterion A symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganised speech, grossly disorganised or catatonic behaviour, and negative symptoms) need to be present. At least one of those two has to be delusions, hallucinations, or disorganised speech.[3]
Symptom count alone isn’t enough, though: functional decline, the six-month duration rule, and ruling out other causes all have to line up too.
Active symptoms need to be present for a significant portion of at least one month, though this window can be shorter if treatment has already brought symptoms under control.
Alongside that, continuous signs of the disturbance, which can include milder or residual symptoms, need to persist for at least six months overall.[3]
Gradual is the more common pattern. Changes in sleep, mood, and social functioning are often visible months before a full episode. A smaller share of cases do develop more suddenly, with clear symptoms appearing over days.[9]
They can do both, and the pattern often changes over the course of the illness. Positive symptoms may improve significantly with treatment and flare up during a relapse, while negative and cognitive symptoms tend to be more persistent in the background.
That’s part of why an established diagnosis usually includes an ongoing relationship with a psychiatrist, not a one-time evaluation.
A symptom is a specific, clinically defined experience checked against diagnostic criteria, such as a hallucination or delusion. An early warning sign is a softer, less specific change in sleep, mood, or social behaviour that shows up beforehand and doesn’t, on its own, point to any particular condition.
The five Criterion A symptoms are delusions, hallucinations, disorganised speech, grossly disorganised or catatonic behaviour, and negative symptoms such as reduced motivation or flattened emotion.[3]
A diagnosis requires at least two of these five together, not any single one on its own.
Yes. Many conditions, including depression, bipolar disorder, and substance-induced psychosis, can produce one or more of the same symptoms. That’s exactly why a full clinical evaluation matters more than a checklist. Showing one or two signs briefly is common and doesn’t mean schizophrenia is present.
Catatonia is a serious syndrome involving marked disturbances in movement, from rigid unresponsiveness to unusual agitation. It isn’t unique to schizophrenia.
The DSM-5-TR recognises it as a specifier that can also occur with mood disorders and certain general medical conditions, and within schizophrenia, it appears in a minority of cases, not most.[3]
The core symptom categories are the same, but lifetime prevalence differs slightly: a government survey in India found 1.49% in men versus 1.33% in women, a difference the study’s own authors describe as a non-significant trend rather than an established sex difference. Onset also tends to occur a few years later on average in women.[12]
Taking the Next Step
Here’s what tends to get lost in a wait-and-see approach: timing matters more than certainty. You don’t need to be sure this is schizophrenia to have a first conversation with a psychiatrist.
You just need something that’s felt off for long enough to be worth asking about.
The DSM-5-TR criteria on this page exist to take the guesswork out of that conversation, not add to it.
The sooner an accurate assessment happens, the sooner the right kind of support (medication, therapy, family involvement) can actually start working.
Waiting rarely makes the picture clearer. It usually just delays the point where things start getting better.
Talk to Abhasa’s clinical team confidentially.
Call +91-73736-44444 or Email info@abhasa.in. Our compassionate team understands what you’re going through.
Continue Learning
- Schizophrenia: What It Is, What Causes It, and How It's Treated: the full picture, including causes, diagnosis, and treatment.
- Symptoms of schizophrenia: a closer, day-to-day look at how symptoms show up.
- Early signs of schizophrenia: what to watch for before a first episode.
- Dual diagnosis: when schizophrenia occurs alongside substance use.
- Family support: how we involve families throughout treatment.
- How We treat
- Life After Rehab
About the Author
Written by: Abhasa Rehab and Wellness Clinical Content Team.
Medically reviewed by: Dr. Shree Aarthi, MBBS, MD, DNB, Consultant Psychiatrist (12+ years, mental health and substance use disorders)
Based on evidence from peer-reviewed sources and international health authorities listed below.
References
[1] World Health Organization. Schizophrenia. Fact sheet, 2026. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/schizophrenia
[2] Hegde PR, Nirisha LP, Basavarajappa C, et al. Schizophrenia spectrum disorders in India: A population-based study. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 2023;65(12):1223-1229. PMID 38298877.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10826875/
[3] Schizophrenia. StatPearls, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539864/
[4] National Institute of Mental Health. Schizophrenia: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments. NIH. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/schizophrenia
[5] National Institute of Mental Health. Schizophrenia (topic overview). NIH. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia
[6] American Psychiatric Association. Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Schizophrenia, Third Edition, 2020.
https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/clinical-practice-guidelines
[7] American Psychiatric Association. DSM-5-TR Fact Sheets. https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm/educational-resources/dsm-5-tr-fact-sheets
[8] National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Psychosis and schizophrenia in adults: prevention and management. NICE guideline CG178, 2014. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555203/
[9] Ito S, Nemoto T, Tsujino N, et al. Differential impacts of duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) on cognitive function in first-episode schizophrenia according to mode of onset. European Psychiatry, 2015. PMID 26497470. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26497470/
[10] Gleeson JF, McGuckian TB, Fernandez DK, et al. Systematic review of early warning signs of relapse and behavioural antecedents of symptom worsening in people living with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Clinical Psychology Review, 2024. PMID 38065010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38065010/
[11] Chang WC, Chan TC, Chiu SS, et al. Self-perceived cognitive functioning and its relationship with objective performance in first-episode schizophrenia: the Subjective Cognitive Impairment Scale. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 2015. PMID 25459418. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25459418/
[12] Moniem I, Kafetzopoulos V. Sex differences in schizophrenia: symptomatology, treatment efficacy and adverse effects. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2025. PMID 40589655.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40589655/
[13] Iyer V, Spurling BC, Rizvi A. Catatonia. StatPearls, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine. Last updated December 2025. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430842/
- Reviewed by
- Senior Consultant Psychiatrist
- Abhasa Rehab and Wellness
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals for medical concerns. Individual outcomes vary based on multiple factors including treatment adherence, symptom severity, and co-occurring conditions.
If it’s a life-threatening emergency: Call 112 (India’s national emergency number) or go to your nearest emergency room immediately.
Mental health helplines (India):
- Tele MANAS: 14416, a 24/7 national mental health helpline run by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
- KIRAN: 1800-599-0019, a 24/7 toll-free mental health rehabilitation helpline run by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, available in 13 languages.
- Vandrevala Foundation: 9999666555, a free, 24/7 helpline for anyone in psychological distress.
- To talk to Abhasa directly: +91-73736-44444 (24/7).