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HELPING A PERSON IN CRISIS
What is crisis support, and who provides it?
When we talk about helping a person in crisis, it is important to differentiate between two points:
Ending the peak of the crisis at the centre of attention
Crisis refers to a situation in which the operating and survival methods of the person, who has encountered a crisis, no longer work or are insufficient in the changed situation. A crisis is an abnormal situation, which is normal to cause strong reactions. A person in a crisis often requires third-party help.
Emotions and feelings during a crisis are unique. Both unbearably strong reactions and the total lack of reactions can occur. Third-party help is often needed for dealing with even practical matters because the person’s operating capacity is weakened during a crisis.
Ending the peak of the crisis is at the centre of attention in crisis intervention. Crisis intervention involves the calming presence of a professional, ensuring basic needs (such as eating, drinking and sufficient rest), ensuring the continuity of everyday life and, at a later stage, reviewing the past events. In addition, crisis intervention workers help to word feelings and normalise reactions. At the same time, the bereaved person’s survival methods, support networks and the possible need for further help are assessed.
Psychosocial support also involves monitoring the bereaved person’s situation, if necessary, in the long term. For example, a person who has shockingly lost a family member may require help even several years later.
How can I help a person in crisis?
Even if you are not a crisis intervention professional, you can still provide support to a person who has lost a family member. Your duties include ensuring that the bereaved person has the opportunity to obtain crisis support from a crisis intervention professional.
Guide, help, keep within the scope of support
How to ensure that a bereaved person has access to statutory crisis support?
In sudden cases of death, the emergency services, police, rescue services, primary care providers and the social and crisis emergency services, and, if necessary, third-sector operators collaborate to help family members. In addition, it is the responsibility of municipalities and hospital districts to arrange 24h primary healthcare on-call services, which are usually centralised to hospitals.
Psychosocial support and crisis support are part of primary healthcare on-call services. In addition to this, hospitals can also have mental first-aid workers, priests, and deacons.
If you are a professional who encounters bereaved people in their work, referring them to crisis support and social support are your statutory obligations.
In addition to social and crisis emergency services, crisis support is offered by third-sector organisations. For example, the Finnish Association for Mental Health and the Finnish Red Cross organise crisis support. Find out where your municipality’s closest crisis centre is. The Finnish Association for Mental Health also maintains a crisis hotline.
