Who do I call when my mum is having a mental breakdown at night?
It's the middle of the night, your mum is not okay, and you have no idea who to call. That moment is exactly what Ask Avi is built for. Describe what's happening in the chat and Avi will work out who can actually help, right now.
First: is this a crisis or a mental health emergency?
This is the most important question to answer before anything else, because the answer changes who you call.
Call 000 if your mum is in immediate danger of harming herself or others, is unconscious or physically unwell, or if you genuinely fear for her safety in this moment. Ambulance and police can both respond to mental health emergencies. You do not need to wait until something terrible happens.
If she is distressed, frightened, confused or very low but not in immediate physical danger, there are other options that are better suited than emergency services. Lifeline (13 11 14) takes calls all night and their counsellors are trained for exactly this kind of moment. The Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467) is also available around the clock.
Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) is another overnight option if your mum is willing to talk to someone herself, or if you need to talk through what you are seeing as her carer.
Once she is safe enough to breathe, the next question is what happens tomorrow morning and next week. That is where Ask Avi comes in.
What kind of professional does your mum actually need?
Most people searching this question have no idea whether their mum needs a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a GP, or something else entirely. That is not a gap in your knowledge. It is genuinely hard to know from the outside.
A GP is often the right first step in daylight hours because they can assess what is going on physically, rule out medication interactions or medical causes, and refer your mum to a mental health specialist under a Mental Health Treatment Plan. That plan can reduce the out-of-pocket cost of psychology sessions significantly.
A psychologist works with your mum on her thoughts, feelings and behaviour over a series of sessions. If she has something like severe depression, bipolar disorder or psychosis, a psychiatrist (a medical doctor who specialises in mental health) may be more appropriate. Your GP can help decide that.
If your mum has a pre-existing diagnosis and is under the care of a public mental health team, that team may have an after-hours number. It is worth checking whether that exists for her.
If you are not sure which of these fits your mum's situation, that is exactly the kind of thing Avi is designed to sort out with you.
What about the cost?
Cost is a real concern and it is worth being honest about what is generally available.
GP visits can be bulk billed depending on the practice and your mum's circumstances. A referral from a GP under a Mental Health Treatment Plan makes psychology sessions eligible for a Medicare rebate, which reduces the cost per session. The number of rebated sessions available per year is set by Medicare and your GP can explain the current limit.
Community mental health services in most Australian states are free for people who meet certain criteria. Your mum's GP or a hospital social worker can help work out whether she qualifies.
Some psychologists offer bulk billing or reduced fees. Ask Avi can flag practitioners who have those arrangements when matching, so you are not wasting time calling practices only to find out the fee is out of reach.
Legal or financial stress sometimes sits underneath a mental health crisis too. If that is part of what is going on for your mum, Ask Avi can also connect you with a lawyer or financial counsellor who does free initial consultations.
How Ask Avi works at 3am
You type what is happening. Not a form, not a triage checklist. Just what you would say to a friend who happened to know every available mental health professional in your area.
Avi reads what you have written, works out what kind of support your mum needs and what kind of support you need as her carer, and identifies AHPRA-registered practitioners or relevant services that have genuine availability.
If the right match is a psychologist who can see your mum this week, Avi sends a warm introduction so the first contact is not cold. If the right match is a GP with a bulk billing spot tomorrow morning, that is what comes back.
You do not have to know the right words. You do not have to know the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist. You just have to describe what is going on.
Common questions
What actually happens if I use Ask Avi at 3am? Is anyone there?
Yes. The chat is available around the clock. You describe your mum's situation and Avi works through it with you, identifies what kind of help fits, and finds practitioners with real availability. You will not land on a booking form that opens at 9am.
What if I don't know what kind of help my mum needs?
That is the most common situation and it is fine. Most people in a carer crisis do not know the difference between the available options. Describe what you are seeing and Avi does the sorting. You do not need to arrive with an answer.
Can someone actually see my mum this week, or is there a long wait?
Ask Avi only matches to practitioners who have genuine availability. Waitlists in mental health are real, but there are practitioners who can see people within days, especially through bulk billing or community health routes. Avi looks for those specifically.
Is Ask Avi free to use?
Yes, using Ask Avi to find and be connected to a professional costs you nothing. The professionals themselves may charge fees depending on the service, but Avi will be upfront about that in the match, including any bulk billing or rebate options.