Crisis can be defined as one’s perception or experience of an event or situation as an intolerable difficulty that exceeds

the person’s current resources.

 A crisis can refer to any situation in which the individual perceives a sudden loss of his or her ability to use
effective problem-solving and coping skills.
 A number of events or circumstances can be considered a crisis: life-threatening situations, such as natural
disasters (such as an earthquake or tornado), sexual assault or other criminal victimization; medical illness; mental
illness; thoughts of suicide or homicide; and loss or drastic changes in relationships (death of a loved one or
divorce, for example).

Signs of a Crisis
Common signs of a mental health crisis include:
• Changes in weight
• Decreased performance at school or work
• Dramatic shifts in sleep habits
• Neglect of personal hygiene
• Sudden changes in mood
• Withdrawal from normal activities

Sometimes, these changes happen suddenly and obviously. Events such as a natural disaster or the loss of a job can bring
on a crisis in a short period of time. Often, though, behavior changes come about gradually. If something doesn't seem
right with your loved one, think back over the past few weeks or months to consider signs of change.

What to Do During a Crisis?

 If you are coping with a crisis, whether it's emotional or situational, there are things that you can do to help ensure
your psychological and physical well-being during this difficult time of your life.

Prioritize Your Time

 Focus on what's important at the moment. This can mean getting yourself out of an unsafe situation or it can mean
just focusing on the basics so that you can get through each day. Avoid taking on too much and conserve your
energy so you can deal with the problem you are facing.

Find Help and Support

 It's important to lean on friends, family, and loved ones during a crisis, but you should also seek professional help
if you need it. Consider talking to your doctor about what you are dealing with.
Your doctor may be able to help or refer you to resources in the community, or they might recommend a mental
health professional who can help. Community resources such as crisis centers and support groups can also provide
assistance.

Care for Yourself

 Look for ways to lessen your stress, whether it means asking other people to share your burdens or using stress
management techniques such as meditation or deep breathing. Practice good self-care, each a healthy diet, and try
to get plenty of sleep each night.

Helping Others Cope With a Crisis

 If a friend or loved one is going through an emotional or situational crisis, there are things that you can do to offer
practical and psychological support.
Be a Good Listener
 Being supportive and listening to your friend's thoughts, fears, grief, or anxiety is important. Focus on offering
support and encouragement without giving simplistic solutions that may come off as judgemental or even
patronizing. Allow your friend to tell you how they are feeling and let them know that you are there for them.

Assist With Practical Needs

 Instrumental support can be critical during a crisis. Helping with everyday tasks such as housework, grocery
shopping, cooking, or errands can help take the burden off of your friend while they are coping with a crisis.

Encourage Professional Support

 If your friend or loved one is struggling, encourage them to reach out to a mental health professional for
additional support and advice. You might help them look for a therapist or even offer to drive them to their
appointment.

Concerns About Suicide or Self-Harm or Threats to Harm Others

 No emotional crisis is more urgent than suicidal thoughts and behavior, or threats to harm someone else. If you
suspect a loved one is considering self-harm or suicide, don't wait to intervene.
 It's a difficult topic to bring up, but discussing suicide will not put the idea in someone's head. In fact, it's not
abnormal for a person to have briefly thought about suicide. It becomes abnormal when someone starts to see
suicide as the only solution to his or her problems.
 If you discover or suspect that your loved one is dwelling on thoughts of self-harm, or developing a plan, it's an
emergency. If possible, take him or her to the emergency room for urgent attention. Medical staff in the ER can
help you deal with the crisis and keep your loved one safe.
 If you think someone is suicidal or will harm someone else, do not leave him or her alone. If he or she will not
seek help or call 911, eliminate access to firearms or other potential tools for harm to self or others, including
unsupervised access to medications.

Short-term crisis counseling

 can be helpful when an individual is coping with something overwhelming or traumatic.
 The purpose of crisis counseling is to deal with the current status of the individual dealing with a crisis. Chronic
exposure to stress or trauma can lead to mental illness. Crisis counselors have skills and knowledge that can help
clients cope with current stressors and trauma.
 Crisis counseling is not intended to provide psychotherapy, but instead to offer short-term intervention to help
clients receive assistance, support, resources, and stabilization
Purpose
Crisis intervention has several purposes. It aims to:
• Reduce the intensity of an individual's emotional, mental, physical and behavioral reactions to a crisis.
• Help individuals return to their level of functioning before the crisis.
• Improve functioning above and beyond this by developing new coping skills and eliminating ineffective
ways of coping, such as withdrawal, isolation, and substance abuse.
• Assist individual in coping with future difficulties more effectively.