Crisis Understanding, Intervention, and Recovery

Crisis is one of the famous difficulty ideas which exist in large amounts in social sciences. By reason of its great usage, the word lacks clear and precise definition, so much that even those who work in the area of crisis intervention and research are hesitant to commit themselves to a humble definition. In simple terms, a crisis is when a person is met with a challenge that they have no answer to. The difficult to deal with issues result in increased emotional strain, excessive uneasiness and inability to function for an extended portion of time. According to Roberts (2000) a crisis is a time of psychological disequilibrium, encountered as a result of a risky encounter or circumstance that constitute a significant an unwelcome matter, that cannot be remedied using well known strategies. A crisis can present a favorable time for growth or deterioration. Although research, reports that most people seem to be happy, regrettably, a lot of them do not live balanced lives. When crisis suddenly come, either physical, social or mental, people are occasionally pushed past their threshold of tolerance. They lack skills to cope or manage circumstances in which they find themselves in. At any time that these unfortunate things occur, the first step is getting help from a trained counsellor or crisis intervention specialist. The question this assignment seeks to answer is: “If a person had contacted an emergency mental health program that did not use crisis intervention principles, what would be the goal?” I will also give examples as well as the overall goals.

Crisis intervention has gradually progressed over the past ten years clearly showing its effectiveness as a device to reduce human sorrow. One cannot talk of crisis intervention without making mention of two community psychiatrists Erich Lindermann (1900-1974) and Gerald Caplain (1938). The word intervention comes from the Latin word, intervenie meaning to” come between or interrupt”. It is frequently used to make things better. Disorders or illnesses of the mind otherwise called mental health are not rare. In whatever way, majority of people with mental health problems can recover. Mental health comprises of our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It is of value at every point of life, from childhood, adolescence through adulthood. It has an effect on how we think, feel and act. It also assists in deciding how we cope with other strain, relate to others, as well as the ability to choose. As with any medical emergency, mental health conditions can be life threatening. In spite of that, any effort to alter human behavior, there are risks involved with it. One such risk is that of premature intervention, which might not only be of no purpose, but might serve to prevent the natural recovery process of a person in the face of misfortune. This can, however be prevented.

Every crisis is distinct, but all crises need urgent intervention to stop and reduce crisis reactions and bring back victims to pre-crisis functioning. Crisis intervention equips victims first aid directed to a specific type of crisis, Caplan, (1964). Respective guiding rules are necessary in crisis intervention, some of which are:

Coming up with a free from error assessment is the most critical feature in crisis response because it directs the intervention. A wrong conclusion in responding to a crisis can be very harmful and destructive. Although circumstances maybe of the same kind, each victim is special, consequently, care must be used to prevent overgeneralizing. The interveners ability to think intelligently and creatively is critical. Persons under crisis occasionally experience tunnel vision otherwise, lack the means to perceive options and possibilities. The crisis responder should keep an open mind in order to help examine options and find a way of dealing with problems in an empowering way, with the affected. People in a crisis already feel out of control; and when an opportune time to restore control present itself, they do not seize the opportunity promptly. Crisis work is not for every person. It demands the skill to provide empathy at the same time avoiding subjective engagement in the crisis.

Crisis intervention is on most occasions short term and involves initiating clearly defined desired results with particular behaviors, that need to be attained within a relatively short time frame. As an example, reacting to a suicidal client, a crisis responder might increase the rate of counseling sessions, up to the time the client’s ideation is brought under control. Management as opposed to solving the problem, is the aim or goal of crisis interventions. It is not a series of steps towards achieving a particular end, on the contrary, crisis intervention is action- oriented and situation focused. Pollin, (1995). Crisis intervention prepares clients to be in charge of their specific conditions. Crisis responders assist victims see the pros and cons of their decisions. In addition, victims learn to establish coping abilities, resources as well as assistance available to them. Victims learn to systematically prepare safety plans, as a way to effectively deal with the current and future situations the occasion avails.

Crisis intervention is comprised of loss of control and safety. This feeling makes it a duty or responsibility of the responder to focus on, bringing back the ability and power in the client’s inside feelings as well as the external environment. The idea is not to discuss in detail with a client, rather to center on the current situation or “here and now”. The crisis responder only acts as an emotional support at a time when self-direction is not there. Responders do not try to change victims, apart from serving as catalysts for victim’s discovery of their own strategies, which they can then deploy to achieve their goals successfully. It might be appropriate to inform the client that, in spite the overwhelming situation, a lot of people have been able to and do recover from crisis encounters, by allowing themselves pass through the stages of crisis, which are; (acute stage) also known as impact or coping, (outward adjustment stage) otherwise known as withdrawal and (Integration stage) or adjustment. However, these stages depict a contemptuous progression; at any time that the client remembers the crisis event, they appear to go back to acute stage.

Initial crisis responses to a distressing event normally include the physiological and psychological area. Responses comprise strong anxiety emotions, hopelessness, feelings of guilt, extreme fear, be wilderness and a sense of disbelief. In this stage of crisis, the victim may appear incomprehensible, disorganized, as well as unpredictable. Conversely, the victim may look calm, depressed, withdrawn and not interested.

For some victims, the outward adjustment stage could start not further off than 24 hours of the event. The victim might then try to gain mastery by taking on outward control by engaging in daily usual activities. To whatever extent, this should not prevent the possibility that the victim who outwardly appears to be back to normal might inwardly remain deeply affected. Other victims cut themselves off from sources of support. They seem to have withdrawn from society totally. The tension and fluctuating responses involved in this stage should be considered as an effort to return to normal at the same time processing the event, Crosby, (1999).

In the Integration stage, the client tries to make sense of what has taken place. A significant objective for this stage is to find solutions to one’s sense of guilt and blame. Victims who acknowledge and recognize the assumptions that their world and others have changed, as a result of the occurrence, develop a sense of integration much early. To a great extent, victims should start to bring about required changes to reduce the repeat of the crisis.

Some victims will complete and recomplete these stages as the try to come to terms with their situation. There are also those victims who move through stages in a short time or even omit a stage altogether. It might come as no surprise to discover these victims are depressed later in life. For example, a well doing young has her boyfriend shot at in her presence, while studying at the college grounds. She goes back to school a few days after the incident, determined to jointly work with community leaders on a project intended at stopping behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage or kill. Despite the fact that she seems to be coping well, surprisingly six months later, news goes round that she had been taken into the psychiatric room at the local hospital. She had not slept in days and she cried continuously. In addition, she was no longer attending school. This illustrates the young lady had recycled from outward adjustment to the acute stage of crisis. Such an occurrence is an emergency and needs most urgent attention, only it is not a crisis and crisis intervention is never enough. In a case like this one, suicide should be taken seriously. A person in sorrow is not inevitably in crisis. Crisis entails an individual is willing to completely give up habitual coping efforts. On and off mental and emotional strains as well as problems are long lasting, and are not equivalent to crises.

In most cases, people expect to call their doctors office and receive an emergency appointment if someone has a high fever or other type of physical condition. In whatever way, it is most improbable that a person can call their psychiatrist for an appointment under the circumstance above. Clinicians describe an emergency as a condition that requires most urgent action so as to keep from happening life-threatening, or other extremely serious effects. If an individual is eminently threatening harm to self or others, severely oriented or out of touch with reality, has a severe inability to function or is otherwise distraught and out of control, Caplan, (1976).

Because short contact is the acceptable standard in crisis intervention, it is of great value to spend most of the time with the victim. Engaging a person like the lady mentioned earlier, Crosby (1999), states that, is for problem solving to allow for exploration in four areas: danger, support, cooperation and self-care ability.

Part of the responders assignment is to evaluate the probability of self-harm as well as harm on others. A further decisive crucial consideration is the availability of both competent and social assistance. It is of great value to be able to find out what assistance the victim is presented with, for example, counselling, psychiatric treatment, residential assistance either day treatment. Frequently, it is inevitable to contact the victims professional and social support so as to find out for certain the victims present set of circumstances, as well as receive help in making and putting into effect plans. The responder must also make efforts to obtain details of whom the victim relies on for support of daily demands.

Problem solving starts with exploration of the victim’s reasons of requiring help. Cautious examination is of great value so as to be aware of the real nature of the victim’s problems. The responder should be able to determine the victim’s willingness and capability to put into effect sensible and practical plans. Using his or her own observation, the responder should be able to judge the victim’s ability to govern oneself. If self-governing is a challenge, the responder should decide what degree the victim requires observation. responders should be able to distinguish crises from set of circumstances that need tertiary prevention. Allowing for referral as a goal must not be done without a conscious thought, never the less, it is optional.

Coming up with resolutions and putting into effect plans, are processes that tend to make the victims state of mind better. Clinicians have noticed that these earnest efforts, result in activities that minimize feelings of helplessness, and promotes the development of realistic expectations and desires. Perplexed people find that problem solving moves them in the direction of increased understanding and a sense of order. Those that feel helpless begin to regain self-assurance in their ability to control events. While as, those who feel hopeless begin to believe that constructive consequences are achievable. While paying attention to a victim’s description of events, the responder equally attempts to understand how the sorrowful conditions have promoted the development of unpleasant emotions. Discovering these reactions makes it possible for victims to increase emotional insight by linking pessimistic feelings with the circumstances that influenced their growth.

Crisis intervention provides information, activities as well as structure that will help us return to the normal state of mind and move past the crisis. A crisis in our life can be an outcome of low self-awareness, otherwise not identifying the influence our behavior has on others and ourselves. Increasing awareness leads to choices that promotes the process of recovering and wellness. All crises bring about a favorable time for personal growth and to divulge our highest capabilities as well as real self. It is the core aim of all people to do the best they can with the resources and abilities they possess in the course of crisis. In the course of any crisis, it is of great value to recognize otherwise discover our true and inner self. The most significant feature of crisis intervention and counseling is to offer a safe and supportive environment, that lets us to express, explore, examine and be alert in ways that help ensure the crisis is not extended. How we react to crises in important. When faced with the darkness’s in our lives, and not destroyed by our unpleasant emotions, we finally discover that we can continue to live or exist. People in crises need to be empowered and given assistance.

REFERENCES

1. Aguilera, D.C. (1998). Crisis Intervention. Theory & Methodology. (3rd ed.). Mosby: St Louis.
2. Caplan. G. (1964). Principles of Preventive Psychiatry. New York: Basic Books.
3. Caplan. G. (1976). Emergency & Disaster Management. In H.J. Parada., H.L.P. Resnik & L.G. Parada (eds.). A mental health sourcebook. Bowie: MD. Charles Press.
4. Crosby. A.E. (1999). Incidence of Suicidal ideation and behavior in the United States. In M.P Cheltenham & J.J. Sacks (eds.). Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior. 131-140.
5. Pollin, I. (1995). Medical Crisis Counseling: short term therapy for long term illness. New York: Norton.
6. Roberts, A. R. (2000). (3rd ed.). Crisis Intervention Handbook: Assessment, Treatment & Research. New York: Oxford University Press.