Crisis is a sudden change in behavir

1. Crisis
Intervention

2. "Sooner or later comes a crisis in our affairs,
and how we meet it determines our future happiness and success.
Since the beginning of time, every form of life has been
called upon to meet such crisis."
Robert Collier
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3. What is Crisis???
• A crisis is an overwhelming reaction to a threatening
situation in which a person’s usual problem solving
strategies fail to resolve the situation resulting in a
state of disequilibrium.
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4. What is the
difference between
stress & crisis ???

5. Stress
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• Stress is everyday wear and tear.
• Person uses usual coping mechanisms.
• Prolonged stress has potential to reduce the
emotional health of a person.

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Characteristics of crisis
• Temporary.
• Experienced as sudden.
• Perceived as life threatening.
• Communication impaired.
• Displacement from familiar
surroundings.
• Actual or perceived loss.
• Usual coping behaviors
unsuccessful.
• Self-limiting – usually lasts 4 to
6 weeks

7. Characteristics of crisis …
• Cognitive uncertainty
• Physiological symptoms
• It is a struggle for equilibrium
and adjustment to problems
that are perceived as
insolvable.
• After a crisis the individual
may function at a higher
level, the same level or a
lower lever.
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8. Crisis
• A crisis may occur on a personal or societal level.
Personal
–a traumatic
or stressful
change in a
person's life
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Societal
-an unstable and dangerous
social situation in political,
social, economic, military
affairs
-a large-scale
environmental event,
especially one involving
an impending abrupt
change.

9. Personal crisis
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• Psychological trauma is the unique individual
experience of an event or enduring conditions, in
which
– The individual's ability to integrate his/her
emotional experience is overwhelmed, or
– The individual experiences (subjectively) a threat
to life, bodily integrity, or sanity

10. The nature of crises
People turn to others for comfort, support, understanding &
protection
During developmental phase: people learn to meet new
demands – intellectual, employment, economic, relationship
with others etc
People meet these demands & practice resolving them by
coping mechanisms
Unexpected
events
Ineffective coping – Feeling overwhelmed & powerless
Loss of thinking ability
Extreme physiological arousal or anxiety
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11. The nature of crises (contd.)
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The absence of support during crisis represents the loss of
primary human coping resource.
The person feels unable to escape crisis situation.
When all roads back to equilibrium seem blocked, the
individual’s ability to cope becomes overwhelmed
When every attempt fails, the individual learns TO DO
NOTHING
“Learned helplessness” : can not see most obvious solutions
Moment to moment survival

12. Emergency is not a crisis !!
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• An emergency is a situation which poses an
immediate risk to health, life, property or
environment.
• Most emergencies require urgent intervention to
prevent a worsening of the situation

13. Types Of Crisis
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• Dispositional/ Situational Crisis
• Developmental/maturational Crisis
• Adventitious/traumatic Crisis
• Anticipatory life transition crisis
• Crisis reflecting psychopathology

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Crisis – causing situations
• Physical assault, including rape, incest, molestation,
domestic abuse
• Suicide
• Life-threatening situations such as natural disasters
(an earthquake or a tsunami)
• Kidnappings
• Serious accidents such as automobile and other fatal
accidents
• Experiencing or witnessing horrific injury
• Loss or drastic changes in relationships (death of a
loved one or divorce)

15. Factors influencing
outcome of crisis
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• Perception of event.
• Physical and emotional status.
• Personal maturity.
• Previous experiences.
• Realistic aspects of current situation.
• Cultural influences.
• Helping resources.

16. Effect of Crisis
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• Altered functional level.
• Disrupted homeostasis.
• Failure of coping mechanisms.
• Physiological symptoms.
• Psychological symptoms.

17. Stages of crisis
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• Stage I: Mounting tension
• Stage II: Plateau of disorganization
• Stage III: Mobilization of all internal and external
resources
• Stage IV: Adaptation or maladaptation

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19. Phase I
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• Exposure to critical incident/Initial impact/Shock.
• 1hr. to 24-48 hrs.
• Disruption of homeostatic balance.
• Discomfort.
• Motivation to reduce discomfort.
• Trial and error problem solving begin.
• Tries customary coping

20. Management of phase I
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• Ensuring safety of the client.
• Objective presentation of event.
• Clarifying the event.

21. Phase II
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• Emotional crises/Defensive Retreat
• Hours to weeks
• Previous coping mechanisms fail.
• Increase anxiety.
• Experience distress and disequilibrium.
• Motivated to seek help from others.
• Motivated to learn new coping skills to relieve distress.

22. Management of Phase II
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• Ensure safety of the client.
• Assess resiliency.
• Mobilize support systems.
• Help the client to seek help.
• Help the client to identify new problem solving
strategies.

23. Phase III
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• Crisis resolution/acknowledgement of reality
• Defines issues.
• Deals with feelings.
• Utilizes resources.
• Use different perspective to see the problem.
• New problem solving techniques used.
• Reduction in anxiety and discomfort.

24. Management of Phase III
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• Help client in readjustment.
• Support in dealing with feelings & issues.
• Help in practicing and evaluation of new coping
strategies.

25. Phase IV
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• Post crisis adaptation/change
• 6 weeks to 12 months
• Less vulnerability for particular problem.
• Learns new and more adaptive coping.
• Improved functioning.
• Personal functioning

26. Ineffective Resolution of Crisis
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• Prolonged hope.
• Denial.
• Dysfunctional reactions.
• Anger
• Hostility.
• Irritability.
• Lack of initiative.
• Sadness.
• Worthlessness.
• Hopelessness.
• Guilt.
• Apathy.
• Suspicious

27. Ineffective Resolution of Crisis
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• Feelings of isolation.
• Prolong identification of the
deceased person.
• Psychosomatic illnesses.
• Intrusions.
• Avoidance reactions.
• Compulsive ritualistic
behavior
• Depressive features
• Neurosis
• Psychosis

28. Prevention of crisis
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• Primary care – promotes mental health and lowers
incidence of crisis.
– Evaluating stressful life events
– Teaching coping skills
– Decision making
– Problem solving
– Assertiveness
– Relaxation

29. Prevention of crisis
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• Secondary care
– Intervening during a crisis to prevent prolonged
anxiety from diminishing personal effectiveness
and personality organization.
• Crisis intervention centers.
• Crisis hotlines.
• Critical incident stress debriefings.

30. Prevention of crisis
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• Tertiary care
– Provides support for clients who have experienced
a disabling crisis and are recovering.
• Rehabilitation centers
• Sheltered workshops
• Day hospitals
• Outpatient clinics