What Is A Crisis?
Webster defines crisis as a “crucial time” and “a turning point in the course of anything.” Usually, the term crisis is used for a person’s internal reaction to an external hazard. A crisis most often manifests in a temporary loss of coping abilities, and the assumption is that the emotional dysfunction is reversible. If the person effectively copes with the threat, then he returns to prior levels of functioning.
In Chinese characters, crisis is made up of two symbols: one is for despair (the negative) and the other is for opportunity (the positive). When professionals talk about a crisis, they are talking about the moment when a change for the worse or better happens. When a counselor talks about a particular crisis, he talks about a turning point when that situation can move toward growth, enrichment and improvement; or move toward dissatisfaction, pain, and in some cases, dissolution.
A crisis can be the result of one or more factors. It can be a result of an overwhelming problem, such us a death of a loved one. It could be a problem that is generally not too serious but, for a given person, has special significance and so becomes overwhelming to that individual. It could be a problem that comes during a time of unpreparedness. A crisis could come when a person’s coping mechanisms are not working or when a person’s support system is down.
But, a crisis is not always bad. It represents a pivotal point or turning point – in our organization, we call it a breaking point – in a person’s life that can bring opportunity as well as danger.
Comments
Tell me what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!