Recognising a crisis, evaluation and planning

Overview

A mental health crisis is when a person is feeling at breaking point and requires urgent help.  This might create extreme anxiety, panic attacks, flashbacks, feeling of suicide or self harm, having an episode of mania (feeling very high) or for  hearing voices or feeling very paranoid.

The reason for the crisis may be unknown but can often be linked to a bereavement, addiction, abuse, relationship breakdown, violence, stress in the workplace or education, housing problems or it may be part of managing their mental health diagnosis.  You may also be in a good position to work with the family/friends and carers to identify possible reasons for the crisis when the individual is unable to do so.

There are a number of support services which may assist a person in crisis.  In some cases it may be seeking emergency support via A&E or the emergency services, or asking for an emergency GP appointment.  In other cases it may be contacting a confidential help-line or listening service or  attending a support group. There are Crisis teams (CRHTs) who are able to help in urgent situations. They may visit patients in their home or elsewhere in the community or the service users/patient may be asked to attend a hospital. However, some crisis services are busy and not everyone may get the care, support and respect they need in a crisis.  It is therefore, important to include crisis management as part of a planning process.

Why is this important

As part of care and support planning, assisting the individual to consider what actions they may need to undertake if they have a crisis may be appropriate.  Identifying triggers or potential reasons for a crisis which others may not see should also be recorded. However, when a crisis does occur this may not assist the individual at the time.

Crisis planning may help in exploring the type of support and help which is available and would be acceptable to the service user/patient.  They may also have built up a good relationship with their GP or social worker, peer support worker or other health and social care member of the team.

Using peer support to help talk with people about similar experiences may be a consideration and having a self care box may be one way of a short-term coping strategy which provides comfort to the person.

Recovery colleges provide courses about mental health and recovery in a supportive environment which may be of assistance.

Skills Review

Having completed this sub-topic I will understand the importance of these skills.

• I am able to identify suitable information to share with service users and patients on crisis management and services available to them to provide support.