Neither to solve nor to change? – The psychology of crisis in a nutshell

Füzes Nóra | psychologist, junior consultant

Füzes Nóra | psychologist, junior consultant

The world has been turned upside down in the last week and we have unexpectedly found ourselves in a similar state of mind to the early stages of the pandemic. People are breathlessly waiting for news that somehow doesn’t bring any real relief. Priorities have changed, existential issues such as life and death stare us in the face against our will, while growing unpredictability is pushing us to restore our security of existence.

The crisis

In psychological terms, a crisis is defined as an overwhelming, emotionally critical and destabilising situation in which one or more individuals, sometimes an entire world, is confronted with a physically and/or psychologically threatening situation. The focus of attention is then entirely confined to the situation itself, and thoughts are filled with dealing with the crisis. An essential element is that

the coping strategies that have worked up to that point are no longer helpful,

and therefore, apparently, the situation can neither be resolved nor changed. As a consequence, we experience a sense of helplessness that can make an already stuck situation worse. So, to summarise, stressful events or problems for which we do not have the right solution are very often the cause of a crisis.

Absurd as it may sound,

crisis is not an extremity, it is part of our everyday life.

Sooner or later, we all experience losses, we all find ourselves in situations that outgrow us. On the one hand, a crisis usually comes into our lives unexpectedly (illness, death, dismissal, break-up, etc…), deprives us of our basic sense of security and has a negative impact on our self-image, which we thought was stable until then. On the other hand, crisis situations also bring with them the possibility of psychological growth. An unexpected medical diagnosis or a painful break-up are all situations which, for the first time, upset our worldview and force us to redefine it.

While experiencing suffering or a crisis is not a guarantee of progress, there are situations whose long-term resolution can only be seen by lying on the floor. It may be bold and exaggerated to say that we need crises, but these situations force us to change and confront, which is sometimes essential for our development.

Painful and unexpected encounters with the finite nature of life and well-being can make us realise the nature of our lives. Against our will, we are confronted with questions about our existence, which can sometimes be met with painful inner responses. “Are you sure this is how I want to live? Am I happy in my job/relationship? When I look back in 10 years, will I regret the way I live now?”.

The stages of a crisis

Crisis situations may come unexpectedly, but they are not hopeless to deal with. Crises caused by external factors can be divided into 4 relatively easily distinguishable stages.

The first stage is characterised by heightened alertness and anxiety. In this phase, we can still cope with situations by activating our normal ways of coping.

In the second phase, anxiety increases further, our previous methods fail us and our attention is narrowed. It is in this phase that we tend to use all our tools on a trial-and-error basis. We can become overwhelmed by the rush, which increases our anxiety.

A key feature of the third stage is a very high level of anxiety. Further attempts to resolve the situation are made, but these are typically more of a hindrance than a help. The difficulty can still be resolved if external circumstances or the individual’s perception of the situation changes.

In the fourth stage, the psyche of the person experiencing the crisis collapses. The situation becomes hopeless, and impulsive ideas and self-destruction may occur.

Coping

Edit Eva Eger’s name has travelled the world. The Decision is not only the true story of a Holocaust survivor, but also a “textbook” on how to cope with difficult situations. One of the most important ideas in the book, and a fundamental thesis of modern psychology, is that

“We don’t know where we are going, we don’t know what will happen, but no one can take away what you put in your head”.

This idea may at first sound bold, even provocative. Let’s take the current situation. A war has broken out in our neighbourhood and I am asking you to fill your head with thoughts that are positive and everything will be fine? No such thing.

Well-chosen thoughts will not directly solve the war or any crisis. But they can affect our behaviour and feelings, and in a way help us to overcome fear and paralysis so that we can make clearer and more constructive decisions.

The feelings of anxiety and panic that we experience in a crisis are universal and cannot be avoided, they occur in all of us in the same way. The difference is in the degree of negative feelings and in our reactions to the situation. So the painfulness and unexpectedness of a difficult situation