What Is a Crisis?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Crisis MeansTypes of CrisesSigns of CrisesWhat to DoHelping Others

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Crisis Means

Types of Crises

Signs of Crises

What to Do

Helping Others

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At A Glance

A crisis in mental health refers to a person’s reaction to a traumatic situation or event. People respond to crises in different ways, but there is no “right way” to react.

In this article, we’ll talk about what a crisis means and the different types of crises, along with examples of crises that might affect you or someone you love.

The National Helpline Database

What Is a Crisis?

There are different ways to define a crisis, depending on who you ask.

When we’re talking about it in terms of mental health, a crisis is when you are so overwhelmed with emotions like fear or anxiety that your go-to coping mechanisms aren’t helping. Being in a state of crisis means that you’re so confused and afraid that you can’t make decisions or take action, and you may start to lose hope.

Here are a few other ways that experts have defined a crisis:

Are You Have a Quarter-Life Crisis?

You might think of a crisis as a traumatic event like a car accident, natural disaster, or another calamity that seems to come out of nowhere and causes a great deal of suffering for the folks involved. These are common kinds of crises, but they’re not the only type.

Here are a few other types of crises:

Signs You’re Having an Identity Crisis

How Do You Know If You’re In a Crisis?

Losing your job, getting divorced, or being involved in an accident are more obvious kinds of crises. But sometimes, a crisis is less obvious and you might not pick up on the signs that you’re going through one until they become quite extreme.

Signs of a CrisisCommon signs of a mental health crisis include:Changes in weightDecreased performance at school or workDramatic shifts in sleep habitsNeglect of personal hygieneSudden changes in moodWithdrawal from normal activities

Signs of a Crisis

Common signs of a mental health crisis include:Changes in weightDecreased performance at school or workDramatic shifts in sleep habitsNeglect of personal hygieneSudden changes in moodWithdrawal from normal activities

Common signs of a mental health crisis include:

Press Play For Advice On DepressionThis episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcastshares what it means to have ‘existential depression,’ featuring Melissa & Doug’s co-founder Melissa Bernstein.

Press Play For Advice On Depression

This episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcastshares what it means to have ‘existential depression,’ featuring Melissa & Doug’s co-founder Melissa Bernstein.

What to Do If You’re In Crisis

If you realize that you’re in crisis, the first step is to reach out to your support network so you don’t have to try to navigate through it alone.

While your family and friends are definitely part of your support network, a crisis can be a serious threat to your well-being, so you want to make sure that a professional is aware of what you’re going through.

If you’re already working with a mental health provider, let them know what’s going on. If not, get in touch with your regular healthcare provider and ask if they can connect you with someone who can help you take care of your mental health.

There are also likely to be resources in your community like crisis centers and support groups that can be safe places to turn to for help.

Things to Do and Keep in Mind When You’re in Crisis

Ask “What Do I Need?”

As much as you can, try to focus on what’s important at the moment. Being in a crisis can make your perspective wonky, and the confusion can even lead to memory issues.

Ask yourself what you need right now. Are you in an unsafe situation that you need to get out of? Do you need to get some things off your plate so you can focus on dealing with the crisis at hand and making sure that you’re doing the basics of self-care to get through the day?

What Is Crisis Counseling?Crisis counseling is a short-term intervention that helps people in crisis access assistance, support, resources, and stabilization.It’s not the same thing as long-termpsychotherapy—though that might be the next step to help someone recover from a crisis.

What Is Crisis Counseling?

Crisis counseling is a short-term intervention that helps people in crisis access assistance, support, resources, and stabilization.It’s not the same thing as long-termpsychotherapy—though that might be the next step to help someone recover from a crisis.

Take Care of Yourself

Try to look for opportunities within a crisis situation to take away some stress. This might mean asking people to help you with something like chores or errands, asking for help at work or school, and usingstress management techniquessuch as meditation or deep breathing.

Thebasics of self-care—so, eating enough, sleeping enough, and doing activities that help your body stay strong—make up a foundation you can stand on as you face a crisis.

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

Coping With Crisis Fatigue

Helping Someone Through a Crisis

If a friend or loved one is going through a crisis, you can be there to offer practical and emotional support.

Listening

Really listeningto your loved one’s thoughts, fears, grief, or anxiety is one of the most supportive things you can do for them during a crisis.

Offer them support and encouragement but don’t give themunsolicited advice. Coming up with simplistic solutions can come off as judgmental or even patronizing to someone who is in the middle of a crisis.

Just be present and open while your loved one shares how they’re feeling. Let them know that you are there for them.

How to Help a Friend in Crisis

Taking Care of Practical Stuff

All the basic little things that make up a typical day can feel both impossible and pointless to someone who is going through a major crisis that is demanding all of their physical and mental energy.

Helping a loved one with housework, grocery shopping, cooking, or errands can be an enormous help if they’re in crisis. Not only does it take things off their “to-do” list, but it also ensures that they have their basic needs and comforts taken care of.

Help Them Access More Support

Encourage your loved one to reach out to a mental health professional for more support. If they’re so overwhelmed that they don’t even know where to start, you can step in and offer to drive them to a crisis center or look for a therapist in your community.

Checking In With Yourself

When someone you love is in crisis, you may feel like you need to focus on theirneedsand well-being and put your own on the back burner. But ignoring your needs will make it harder for you to offer your loved one support—and you may even getburnt out.

How Do I Know If I Need Crisis Intervention?

12 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Interagency Fire Center.What is a crisis?.Caplan, G. (1961)Prevention of Mental Disorders in Children.New York: Basic Books.Lillibridge, E. M., & Klukken, P. G. (1978)Crisis Intervention Training.Tulsa, OK: Affective House.James, K. J., & Gilliland, B. E. (2001)Crisis Intervention Strategies.Pacific Grove, PA: Brook/Cole.Zanello A, Berthoud L, Bacchetta JP.Emotional crisis in a naturalistic context: characterizing outpatient profiles and treatment effectiveness.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):130. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1293-3Ohio State University.2.2 Social Development: Erikson’s Eight Psychosocial Crises. In: Foundations of Educational Technology.Weems CF, Russell JD, Neill EL, Berman SL, Scott BG.Existential anxiety among adolescents exposed to disaster: Linkages among level of exposure, PTSD, and depression symptoms.J Trauma Stress. 2016;29(5):466-473. doi:10.1002/jts.22128NAMI.What to do in a crisis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Helping patients cope with a traumatic event.Al-Sulaiman RJ, Bener A, Doodson L, et al.Exploring the effectiveness of crisis counseling and psychoeducation in relation to improving mental well-being, quality of life and treatment compliance of breast cancer patients in Qatar.Int J Womens Health. 2018;10:285–298. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S161840NAMI.Navigating a mental health crisis.American Psychological Association.How to help in an emotional crisis.

12 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Interagency Fire Center.What is a crisis?.Caplan, G. (1961)Prevention of Mental Disorders in Children.New York: Basic Books.Lillibridge, E. M., & Klukken, P. G. (1978)Crisis Intervention Training.Tulsa, OK: Affective House.James, K. J., & Gilliland, B. E. (2001)Crisis Intervention Strategies.Pacific Grove, PA: Brook/Cole.Zanello A, Berthoud L, Bacchetta JP.Emotional crisis in a naturalistic context: characterizing outpatient profiles and treatment effectiveness.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):130. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1293-3Ohio State University.2.2 Social Development: Erikson’s Eight Psychosocial Crises. In: Foundations of Educational Technology.Weems CF, Russell JD, Neill EL, Berman SL, Scott BG.Existential anxiety among adolescents exposed to disaster: Linkages among level of exposure, PTSD, and depression symptoms.J Trauma Stress. 2016;29(5):466-473. doi:10.1002/jts.22128NAMI.What to do in a crisis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Helping patients cope with a traumatic event.Al-Sulaiman RJ, Bener A, Doodson L, et al.Exploring the effectiveness of crisis counseling and psychoeducation in relation to improving mental well-being, quality of life and treatment compliance of breast cancer patients in Qatar.Int J Womens Health. 2018;10:285–298. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S161840NAMI.Navigating a mental health crisis.American Psychological Association.How to help in an emotional crisis.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Interagency Fire Center.What is a crisis?.Caplan, G. (1961)Prevention of Mental Disorders in Children.New York: Basic Books.Lillibridge, E. M., & Klukken, P. G. (1978)Crisis Intervention Training.Tulsa, OK: Affective House.James, K. J., & Gilliland, B. E. (2001)Crisis Intervention Strategies.Pacific Grove, PA: Brook/Cole.Zanello A, Berthoud L, Bacchetta JP.Emotional crisis in a naturalistic context: characterizing outpatient profiles and treatment effectiveness.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):130. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1293-3Ohio State University.2.2 Social Development: Erikson’s Eight Psychosocial Crises. In: Foundations of Educational Technology.Weems CF, Russell JD, Neill EL, Berman SL, Scott BG.Existential anxiety among adolescents exposed to disaster: Linkages among level of exposure, PTSD, and depression symptoms.J Trauma Stress. 2016;29(5):466-473. doi:10.1002/jts.22128NAMI.What to do in a crisis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Helping patients cope with a traumatic event.Al-Sulaiman RJ, Bener A, Doodson L, et al.Exploring the effectiveness of crisis counseling and psychoeducation in relation to improving mental well-being, quality of life and treatment compliance of breast cancer patients in Qatar.Int J Womens Health. 2018;10:285–298. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S161840NAMI.Navigating a mental health crisis.American Psychological Association.How to help in an emotional crisis.

National Interagency Fire Center.What is a crisis?.

Caplan, G. (1961)Prevention of Mental Disorders in Children.New York: Basic Books.

Lillibridge, E. M., & Klukken, P. G. (1978)Crisis Intervention Training.Tulsa, OK: Affective House.

James, K. J., & Gilliland, B. E. (2001)Crisis Intervention Strategies.Pacific Grove, PA: Brook/Cole.

Zanello A, Berthoud L, Bacchetta JP.Emotional crisis in a naturalistic context: characterizing outpatient profiles and treatment effectiveness.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):130. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1293-3

Ohio State University.2.2 Social Development: Erikson’s Eight Psychosocial Crises. In: Foundations of Educational Technology.

Weems CF, Russell JD, Neill EL, Berman SL, Scott BG.Existential anxiety among adolescents exposed to disaster: Linkages among level of exposure, PTSD, and depression symptoms.J Trauma Stress. 2016;29(5):466-473. doi:10.1002/jts.22128

NAMI.What to do in a crisis.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Helping patients cope with a traumatic event.

Al-Sulaiman RJ, Bener A, Doodson L, et al.Exploring the effectiveness of crisis counseling and psychoeducation in relation to improving mental well-being, quality of life and treatment compliance of breast cancer patients in Qatar.Int J Womens Health. 2018;10:285–298. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S161840

NAMI.Navigating a mental health crisis.

American Psychological Association.How to help in an emotional crisis.

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