UNIVERSIDAD ANÁHUAC MÉXICO NORTE

Facultad de Psicología
7mo semestre

Materia: Intervención en crisis

Crisis intervention case

Profesor:
Héctor Armienta

Presenta:
P. Janeth Guerrero Medrano

Huixquilucan, Edo. De México

02 de septiembre de 2019.
 CRISIS INTERVENTION CASE

1. What happened?
M is a 40-year-old lady who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, with an 80%
probability of remission in the next 5 years. When M first learnt about the diagnosis,
she started crying uncontrollably, she presented difficulty at talking, tremors,
sweating, increased heart rate, denial, and an intense fear. She states that she
couldn’t think clearly. When she showed up to consult, she appeared disorganised,
confused, agitated, and nervous.

2. What did she think?

At the moment, she thought there may had been a mistake, and that that could
not have been her diagnosis. When she realised there was no mistake, she thought
her entire life was over, and that there were no solutions for her problem (tunnel
vision), she was certain that she was going to die, and she saw no future for herself.

3. What did she feel?

She felt helpless, she thought no one, not even a doctor could help her, so she felt
desperate. She felt a very intense fear that was uncontrollable. She felt that her life
had been threatened. She was also feeling extreme anxiety, to the point that she
couldn’t even stand by herself.

4. Symptoms
Some of the symptoms presented by Mrs. M are the following:
- Increased heart rate
- Tremors
- Shock
- Panic
- Helplessness
- Intense fear
- Denial
- Confusion
- Disbelief
 5. Why is it a crisis?
Because Mrs. M exhibits the common symptoms of a crisis just after receiving
devastating news. We can see that, because she perceived the news as life
threatening, she felt that she had no control over the situation, she saw no possible
solutions, and she was in denial and extremely confused. She experimented physical
signs such as trembling, sweating, dizziness, and hyperventilation. And psychological
signs such as disbelief, shock, and helplessness. The meaning of the event was
subjective as she saw her life in danger, and was probably overestimating the
situation. She stopped functioning at the moment, she skipped work and couldn’t
even drive herself home, so she had to stay at the hospital for several hours.

6. Did she overcome it? If so, how?

First of all, she was instructed to do a diaphragmatic breathing so that she would
stop hyperventilating, then her feelings were validated and the thoughts identified.
Psychoeducation and information about the treatment were provided, and all of
her options were discussed, so that she could start to think clearer. A short-term plan
for her situation was designed, so she could see a path in front of her, instead of
seeing a blurry, even non-existent future. She started to feel calmer, she accepted
the situation, she contacted with her support network (family members and close
friends), and she agreed to take regular counselling sessions. We can say that she
overcame the crisis, as she could live her life almost normally, without having these
feelings and thoughts. She explored her options and realised there was hope for her,
and that she could actually go through the situation and survive.

7. Were the crisis objectives accomplished?

Yes. Mrs. M was able to grow from the crisis experience, accepting the event, and
working on new coping skills and resources to help her go through the day, such as
breathing techniques, psychoeducation, and cognitive behavioural strategies. She
mobilized her internal and external resources and supports, the disturbing affects
were reduced (she was no longer feeling helpless or powerless against her situation),
and she was able to integrate the event into her life, since she has already had other
important medical diagnosis, she started to view this one as just another one, no
different than the others.