If you are in an emergency or life-threatening situation (for example you have suicidal thoughts, your emotions or actions pose a threat to your own or others' safety, or you find your mental state extremely disturbing or unbearable, or your symptoms make you or the people around you worried about your mental state), then you should call an ambulance or visit a hospital or psychiatric clinic immediately.
If you are feeling extremely low, disturbed or agitated, or if you have thoughts or plans of suicide, then you need to see a psychiatrist immediately. Only a psychiatrist is able to assess your mental state and provide the level of care you need in such a crisis situation. A psychologist alone (e.g. from the Counselling Centre) will not be able to provide the support you need in such a case.
If you are in an emergency situation or you see someone else showing signs of being in a critical crisis situation, you have the following options:
- You should call an ambulance on the number 112. This is the fastest and most effective way to ask for urgent help.
- Call the central government number +36 1 311 6000 to inquire about the closest available psychiatric emergency clinic you can visit. Operators at this service have the most up-to-date information on which hospital can serve you at the given moment.
- There are some emergency psychiatric clinics in Budapest. Different hospitals serve different districts of the city, and their availability depends on many factors (e.g. which hospital is legally bound to serve emergency cases in the given moment, territorial restrictions, what kind of insurance you have, where you live, etc.).
- SOTE Semmelweis University: Adult Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic
Address: 6 Balassa utca, 1083 Budapest
Website
After you enter the building, you have to climb a short flight of stairs and turn left at the top of that. On the left-hand side, you will see the reception room of the clinic. All doctors at this institute speak English.
- Nyírő Gyula Hospital
Address: 59-61 Lehel utca, 1135 Budapest
Website
Go to the central psychiatric emergency clinic ("Központi Pszichiátriai Betegfelvételi Ambulancia"). You have to look for building "A" - click on this link to see the map of the hospital.
- Péterfy Hospital
Address: Alsó erdősor utca 7, 1074 Budapest
Website
The psychiatric clinic is located on the right side of the hospital entrance gate.
- You can find many English-speaking psychiatrists in the private sector. A general search for private psychiatrists in Budapest will yield many results, and you can usually make an appointment within a short period of time.
- If you have a TAJ card (Hungarian health insurance/social security card), you can visit the psychiatric clinic of the district you live in during working hours. These clinics typically do not serve clients on an emergency basis, but you can schedule an appointment for later.
- Call a helpline. You can call the Hungarian helpline 116123 to talk to someone anonymously (but it is unfortunately not guaranteed that the person you talk to can speak English). If you are under the age of 24, you can call the Hungarian service Blue Line on the number 116111 as well, or you can contact a hotline from your home country.
- Contacting a psychiatrist from your home country online could also be an option, just to ask for a professional's opinion. However, that doctor will not be able to prescribe medication for you that you can buy here in Hungary (as Hungarian pharmacies can accept prescriptions only from doctors working in Hungary).