The characteristics of crisis are personal to yourself but here are a few example definitions using my own personal experiences ;
- being overwhelmed with yourself, emotions and surroundings.
- you feel life at the moment is more than you can handle.
- not feeling 'normal' or yourself.
- The above feelings become intolerable
- High levels of uncontrollable stress
- intense feelings of loneliness and feeling they have no where else to turn apart from death
- used all coping mechanisms and tools unsuccessfully
- crisis feeling like all your life before it, has come to the surface including the emotions that come with it.
-intense feelings of being unsafe
- showing distress signals which are apparent to others. Self-harm, behaviours and lack of usual living and communication skills.
- Hallucinations and insomnia
- refusing help and medication
- suicide ideation or attempts
- short tempered and irritable
- tearful or showing lack of emotions or interest in other people
- thoughts of harming others
- hearing voices is at its worst and any instruction given will be carried out either on myself or another
- it may present to other people as frowning or rubbing your head as if you have a headache- This is the amount of concentration it takes during world war 3 in your head. So much so it's all over your face.
Crisis is not a moment, day,week, month or year of weakness ! It's a sign that we are surrendering because we are tired of fighting. Our bodies and minds are exhausted. We can no longer control our emotion, behaviours and everyday life. It's a sign we need help and support.
From the outside in it may look or seem like we are just giving in. But look at that list above. We go through those behaviours everyday but fight to keep it from engulfing us whole as it does in crisis. The words we should hear are ' well done you have managed to fight for ....(however long) this is just for now, not forever'. We have crisis teams for this reason, to help with crisis. Shout for help, stamp your feet and make sure they know that this is the worst you could ever feel and make them listen.
Crisis has nearly killed me twice! Only when you get intervention will it get any better. Crisis is a sign we cannot fight this war alone anymore!