A crisis is an incident that causes an emotional distress that is very difficult to handle. Examples of crises include misunderstanding in relationships, passing on of loved ones, and unplanned pregnancy. A crisis has diverse characteristics, and among them includes existence of danger and opportunity, portrayal of complexity, and anxiety. In addition to being time oriented, a crisis is also characterised by its demand for solving mechanism.
Existence of danger and opportunity
A crisis is a danger because it has the potential of exhausting an individual to a point of serious pathological incidents such as suicide taking place. Crisis is also associated with opportunity because it leads to an individual feeling pain to an extent of seeking for help. If by chance an individual takes advantage of the existing opportunity, an intervention may lead to crop of self-growth and self-realisation (France, 2007).
End products of growth and change
Incidents that accompany a crisis occasionally have close association with anxiety. Anxiety has great association with discomfort that recommends for change. It is evident that most people admit their mistakes or problems when their anxiety has grown to a boiling point. Such individuals tend to lack control of their problems (James et al, 2012).
Quick fixes
People in crisis are mainly assisted by existing interventions such as brief therapy. However, quick fixes tend not to work on problems that have lasted for long duration. Quick fixes such as the use of pills, has led to many people not solving their problems amicably. Use of pills assists individuals in damping of dreadful decisions. However, their use does not change the impact of a crisis.
Importance of choice
Life is a process that involves existence of interrelated crisis and challenge. Thus, individuals opt to decide on whether to stay with existing crisis and challenge or avoid them and perish. In an incident of crisis, the act of not choosing is considered a choice. However, such a choice is associated with destructions in life. Thus, it is crucial for an individual to decide on doing something instead of deciding not to choose. Choosing to do something has been associated with success in many individuals; it leads to majority of the people not only to set goals, but also draft amicable plans of overcoming a problem (James et al, 2012).
Universality and peculiarity
Every existing crisis whether universal or peculiar is associated with disorganisation. A crisis is considered universal because none in the world has been found impervious to challenges. It is also peculiar because what one successfully solves, another individual somewhere else may not solve despite the similarity in circumstances.
Perception
Perception plays a great role in emergence and development of crisis. Occasionally, the way in which individuals interpret events contributes to the manner in which a crisis is solved (France, 2007).
Complicated symptomology
Often a crisis is complex and tricky. The symptoms of a crisis may lead to alteration of immediate environment. For instance, a crisis may crop in a working environment to an extent of involving all workers in the organisation.
How to perform as an effective crisis worker
An effective crisis worker opts not to be judgemental on the acts of his clients. Ideally, it is crucial for a good crisis worker to pay attention and listen to the crises involving his clients without passing any judgement. It is also good for a crisis worker to solve his personal issues before indulging in solving other people’s crises. The act of being self aware plays a great role in enabling a crisis worker help his clients solve their crises without being intervened with personal issues. Additionally, an effective crisis worker opts to carry his roles without reacting emotionally. Emotional reactions may catalyse crises presented by clients (James et al, 2012).
References
James, R et al. (2012). Crisis Intervention Strategies, (7th Ed). New York: Cengage Learning.
France, K. (2007). Crisis Intervention: A Handbook of Immediate Person-to-Person Help. New York: Charles C Thomas Publisher.