The very first thing to do in a time of crisis is to try to keep a clear head. In what ever part of the world where you live there are community crisis teams that are available to assist you in your time of need. Where I live, I am well aware of my regions telephone crisis line and when connected to them, there is a host of information that they can give you so you can seek out further help. In Canada organisations like the Canadian Mental Health Association are there for those of you who feel you might be going through emotional distress, you can call your local branch and ask for intake. It might seem like there is a lot of red tape you have to cross, but I can assure you it is worth it. The moment you sit down with a psychiatrist, or a social worker is the moment you will begin to gain some clarity over the situation you are going through. But for immediate relief if you are in distress, crisis phone lines are available in your community, if in doubt contact you doctor or 411, or the internet.
It can feel like during a crisis that we are loosing control of the situation that life has given us, and some of us can even feel like we loose a little bit of control because of grief. This is where social workers can help us get back to a place where we are thinking clearly, and if needed a psychiatrist can diagnose any mental condition like anxiety or depression, and it can be treated immediately so we can find relief and deal with the crisis if it is ongoing. Just reading a blog or an article on the internet isn't enough if you are overwhelmed, but it can help. Also what you will find helpful is self-soothing. You will find that crisis workers will try to get you to distract yourself, and then focus on self care. Just because we are going through a crisis, doesn't mean that we stop eating three meals a day, or that we stop showering. A nice hot bath, or shower during a crisis can calm our minds and our bodies, and give us the clarity we need to make the next choice we need to get out of the crisis.
Remember, we are dealing with heightened emotions and if we do anything in a crisis we should self acknowledge our own emotional state especially if others can't do this for us. The reason why our emotional state is important is because the emotions we are feeling during the crisis can keep us from despair or depression, or they can lead us to despair if not acknowledged. Don't expect someone who isn't a professional to help you with dealing with your shattered emotions, they are not trained and they might lead you to further despair, this is where talking to someone on a crisis line will help de-escalate any negative emotional state that you are experiencing, and then direct you to seek further help and assistance.
Do not isolate yourself during a crisis. If it just means getting out and going for a coffee or lunch, try to be in the community and connected if at all Heavenly possible. The worst thing you can do for your emotional well being is to stuff your feelings. Write them down, you don't have to share them, but when you write down your experience or talk to a professional, you will find your emotional state coming down from the emotions that are making the situation worse. Another thing that I can share from a lived experience, is that it might feel like this crisis will last forever but I can assure you it won't. I have talked to people suffering from anxiety, and I have heard it said that the thing that makes the anxiety worse is feeling that it will never end. With depression, this is called depressive rumination and if you are in a state of mind where you keep thinking the same negative thoughts over and over again, my advice to you is to talk to a professional, and get yourself the help you need. This is Mike.
It can feel like during a crisis that we are loosing control of the situation that life has given us, and some of us can even feel like we loose a little bit of control because of grief. This is where social workers can help us get back to a place where we are thinking clearly, and if needed a psychiatrist can diagnose any mental condition like anxiety or depression, and it can be treated immediately so we can find relief and deal with the crisis if it is ongoing. Just reading a blog or an article on the internet isn't enough if you are overwhelmed, but it can help. Also what you will find helpful is self-soothing. You will find that crisis workers will try to get you to distract yourself, and then focus on self care. Just because we are going through a crisis, doesn't mean that we stop eating three meals a day, or that we stop showering. A nice hot bath, or shower during a crisis can calm our minds and our bodies, and give us the clarity we need to make the next choice we need to get out of the crisis.
Remember, we are dealing with heightened emotions and if we do anything in a crisis we should self acknowledge our own emotional state especially if others can't do this for us. The reason why our emotional state is important is because the emotions we are feeling during the crisis can keep us from despair or depression, or they can lead us to despair if not acknowledged. Don't expect someone who isn't a professional to help you with dealing with your shattered emotions, they are not trained and they might lead you to further despair, this is where talking to someone on a crisis line will help de-escalate any negative emotional state that you are experiencing, and then direct you to seek further help and assistance.
Do not isolate yourself during a crisis. If it just means getting out and going for a coffee or lunch, try to be in the community and connected if at all Heavenly possible. The worst thing you can do for your emotional well being is to stuff your feelings. Write them down, you don't have to share them, but when you write down your experience or talk to a professional, you will find your emotional state coming down from the emotions that are making the situation worse. Another thing that I can share from a lived experience, is that it might feel like this crisis will last forever but I can assure you it won't. I have talked to people suffering from anxiety, and I have heard it said that the thing that makes the anxiety worse is feeling that it will never end. With depression, this is called depressive rumination and if you are in a state of mind where you keep thinking the same negative thoughts over and over again, my advice to you is to talk to a professional, and get yourself the help you need. This is Mike.
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