If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of seriously harming themselves, call 999 for emergency services or go directly to a government hospital with a psychiatric ward.
In Kuala Lumpur:
- University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) has an adult psychiatric ward
- Hospital Kuala Lumpur has both adult and adolescent psychiatric wards
Important: Private hospitals in Malaysia are not permitted to admit people for psychiatric difficulties or because they are at risk of suicide.
What Happens at the Hospital
Go to the Emergency Room and explain the situation clearly to the staff. They will contact the liaison psychiatrist, who will assess the person at risk. If the psychiatrist determines that admission is necessary, the person will be admitted to the secure psychiatric ward, where staff will monitor them and prevent them from harming themselves.
Calling the police
If the person who needs help refuses to go to the hospital and they are in immediate danger of seriously harming themselves or others then it may be necessary to call the police. The risk of this is that the police officers may not be aware of how to interact with someone in a high level of psychological distress.
Why Hospital Admission Is Used as a Last Resort
Whilst hospital admission can provide immediate physical safety, there are significant considerations that lead many people to view this as a last resort option:
Limited Resources
Psychiatric care resources in Malaysia are stretched. Psychiatric wards typically operate over capacity, which means that hospital stays are often brief- sometimes only a couple of weeks. The focus is usually on stabilisation and medication management rather than longer-term therapeutic intervention.
Ward Environment
The experience of being on a psychiatric ward can sometimes be distressing rather than helpful. Some patients have reported that the environment or interactions with staff increased their distress rather than providing the supportive care they needed.
Insurance Implications
A psychiatric hospital admission and the psychiatric diagnosis that accompanies it can have significant long-term consequences for medical insurance. Research and reports from insurance industry experts confirm that people with a history of psychiatric conditions face substantial barriers to obtaining insurance coverage in Malaysia. Those with pre-existing psychiatric conditions generally pay significantly higher premiums and often have specific claims excluded from their policies. In many cases, insurance providers will not offer coverage at all to those with pre-existing psychiatric conditions or those already receiving regular treatment. This means they may be unable to obtain coverage for any future medical needs, whether related to psychiatric or physical health conditions.
For more information:
- CodeBlue: Expand Insurance Coverage for Mental Health Care (2021)
- The Edge Malaysia: Insurance – Providing Mental Illness Coverage (2019)
- RELATE: Why We Should Have Mental Health Insurance Coverage
Visa Applications
Certain visa applications, including those for entry to the United States, require disclosure of psychiatric diagnoses. Whilst verification procedures are inconsistent which means some people manage this by not declaring their diagnosis, this can create complications for international travel and work opportunities.
Managing Risk at Home
Given these disadvantages, families sometimes choose to care for the person at risk themselves. This is extremely difficult to do safely, and it’s crucial to understand that despite all the disadvantages listed above, if someone is at serious risk of harming themselves in a way that you genuinely cannot prevent, hospital admission remains the safer option. Physical safety must be the priority.
If You Choose to Care for Someone at Home
Managing someone at high risk requires constant vigilance and can be exhausting. If you choose this approach, you must:
Remove means of self-harm:
- Secure or remove medications, sharp objects, rope, cables, and any other items that could be used for self-harm
- Restrict access to high places (lock windows, restrict access to upper floors)
- Remove or lock away household chemicals, medications and cleaning products
- Consider what else might be in your specific environment that could pose a risk
Provide constant supervision:
- Someone should be with the person at all times, including during the night
- Arrange a rota amongst family members or trusted friends if possible, as one person cannot maintain this level of vigilance alone
Help shift their focus:
- Engage them in conversation about neutral or positive topics
- Watch films or television programmes together
- Do simple activities like cooking, walking, or looking through photographs
- The goal is to help interrupt the intensity of their distress, even temporarily
Offer hope:
- Acknowledge their pain whilst gently reminding them that feelings change over time
- Talk about times in the past when they felt better
- Discuss small, achievable goals for the coming days
- Help them remember reasons for living, even if these feel small right now
- Remind them that effective help is available and that recovery is possible
Seek professional support urgently:
- Contact our practice or another psychology professional for an urgent appointment
- When you contact us about urgent risk concerns, we will respond as quickly as possible to arrange a meeting at the earliest available time
- In that meeting, our psychologists will work with you to create a safety plan to help manage the immediate risk and offer hope during this difficult time
- We recognise how frightening and overwhelming these situations are, and we wish we could respond immediately. Unfortunately, as a private practice, we do not have the resources or legal powers to provide same-day emergency intervention. Whilst we will do everything we can to see you quickly, we may not be able to respond fast enough when someone is at immediate risk right now. In these urgent situations, please use the emergency services or go directly to hospital to ensure the person’s safety
- Once immediate safety is secured, maintain regular contact with psychology or psychiatric services rather than trying to manage the situation alone
- Be honest with professionals about the level of risk
Getting Support
Befrienders Kuala Lumpur provides a confidential listening service for people in emotional distress:
- Phone: 03-7627 2929
- Website: www.befrienders.org.my
- Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Speaking with a trained volunteer can help the person feel heard and may reduce their immediate distress.
We have more knowledge of the approach used by Befrienders but there are also other help numbers which we have not tried listed below:
Talian HEAL (15555): This is the Ministry of Health Malaysia’s national mental health crisis line.
It was launched in October 2022. It provides telephone counselling services for emotional and psychological support, covering issues like suicidal behaviour, depression, panic attacks, anxiety, and stress. The service operates in English, Malay, and Tamil, and calls are free from all telecoms providers. It’s staffed by Psychological Counselling Officers from the Ministry of Health.
Talian Kasih (15999): This is run by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Whilst it covers some mental health issues through counselling services, its primary focus is broader social welfare concerns including child abuse, neglect, sexual harassment, baby dumping, domestic violence, and welfare assistance. When someone calls, trained officers assess the situation and connect them to appropriate services including welfare officers, counsellors, and when needed, police or hospitals. It’s accessible via the toll-free number 15999 or WhatsApp at 019-261 5999.
MMHA Helpline (03-2780 6803): The Malaysian Mental Health Association is a non-profit voluntary organisation established in 1967.
Their helpline provides free emotional support and counselling for anyone experiencing mental health difficulties or crises. They also have qualified clinical psychologists and counsellors who provide psychological support services with financial subsidies available to ensure therapy and support is accessible. The service operates Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm except public holidays.
MIASA Crisis Helpline (1-800-180-066) The Mental Illness Awareness and Support Association operates a 24/7 crisis helpline.
Their crisis team members are trained in crisis management, trauma-informed care, mental health literacy, and suicide prevention. The service is completely free and available round the clock, with support also available via WhatsApp at 03-9765 6088.
When in Doubt
If you are unsure whether you can keep someone safe, err on the side of caution and seek hospital admission. The disadvantages of psychiatric admission are real, but they are outweighed by the alternative if someone seriously harms themselves. It is better to deal with insurance implications and difficult ward experiences than to face a tragedy that might have been prevented.
Your primary responsibility is to keep the person physically safe. Everything else can be addressed once that safety is secured.
If you need urgent support from our practice, please WhatsApp or call our main line (012 5089910) during office hours. Outside of office hours, please use the emergency services or Befrienders as described above.
