- Hey, everybody.
Today, I wanna talk about crises, what they are and aren't,
and how to know if we are in fact in crisis.
And today's video was born out of a question
I received on my podcast, Ask Kati Anything.
And that question was, "Kati, what is a crisis?"
There's a lot of talk about if you're in crisis,
call or reach out, do this or that,
but no one ever explains what that means.
When I read this question, I realized that I, too,
had never explained what being in crisis really meant
or how you should know when you need to reach out for help
and get some crisis intervention.
So let's get into it.
The word crisis is defined as a time
of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger.
We hear the term used all the time,
especially in the news to describe
an economic crisis or a humanitarian crisis
or a million other things that are happening in our world.
But when it comes to our mental health, we are in crisis
when we were unable to function in our life,
meaning that we can't do
what we need to do at work or school.
We aren't able to take care of our basic needs,
like eating regularly, drinking water,
and showering a few times a week.
And we could be isolating from those we care about.
And I know that doesn't seem intense enough
to be deemed a crisis, but if we really think that about it,
if we aren't functioning, that's cause for concern
and means that we need to reach out for help.
Being in crisis could mean that we are so stressed out
and that we can't focus or concentrate when we need to.
We could lash out at those we love
and inadvertently create more chaos in our life.
Many of you have told me that you were feeling so low
that you yelled at those trying to help,
pushed everyone away, and then regretted it.
Or that because we were in crisis,
we weren't able to do the things
we needed to do at work or school
and we lost our jobs or failed a class.
Being in crisis for any amount of time
can cause us more difficulty,
which is why reaching out for help
as soon as possible is best.
Another example of a crisis
is if we have active thoughts of suicide.
I honestly think that a lot of people
replaced the phrase suicidal thoughts or urges
with the word crisis, and I don't know why.
Maybe it's because they're nervous about using that word,
giving into the stigma so often associated with it,
or maybe they don't wanna limit a crisis
to suicidal thoughts.
Either way, I think it's important to mention
that if you have any thoughts of suicide,
the means to do it, a plan,
or if you find yourself having these thoughts
more often than not, I would consider that a crisis
and you should reach out for help right away.
Now, I know it's scary to reach out,
and many of you have told me that you've put off
telling your therapist just how bad you were doing
because you didn't wanna be hospitalized
or forced into treatment,
or even admit how you were feeling out loud.
I will be honest.
As mental health professionals,
we do have to do our best to keep you safe.
And sometimes that does mean increasing your level of care
like going from seeing a therapist
once a week to twice a week,
or participating in a day program.
Or if we think that you are a danger
to yourself or someone else,
we can place you on a 5150 hold
and put you in the hospital for 72 hours.
Now, I was taught to think of a 5150 as a last resort.
We should have exhausted all other options,
worked every day with our patients
doing check-ins, safety plans, et cetera,
before even considering hospitalization.
But I've heard from many of you
that not all therapists think that way,
so I do wanna bring that up as a possibility.
But the more we communicate with our therapist
or other mental health professional, the better.
What I mean by that is that we should let them know
how long we've been having these thoughts
and why we didn't tell them right away,
and let them know that we want to get help for it.
If we have a good relationship with our therapist,
they will work with us to keep us safe
and out of the hospital.
They will seek to understand what we are going through
and offer some resources to support us through it.
The main things we are worried about is if you have a plan,
the means to do it, and if you're going to do it soon.
If you were having thoughts,
maybe have a loose plan but not really,
your therapist should be able to work with you
to get you the support that you need
to pull you out of it
without having to resort to a 5150 hold.
And I don't want you to think
that I'm downplaying this at all.
I just want you to know why we could be hospitalized
and what we can do to keep ourselves safe
and out of the hospital if that's our goal.
Overall, being in a crisis feels terrible.
It's uncomfortable.
And many of you have told me
that you don't feel like yourself.
It can cause us to lash out at those we love,
push everyone away because we don't want them
to have to deal with us while we go through it.
But I want you to know that with support,
whether that be a therapist, psychiatrist, or both,
and support groups, maybe online support
or support from those that we see each day,
it can and will get better.
And don't forget that there's a crisis text line
available 24/7 at 741741.
And every area has their own suicide prevention hotlines.
And if you're in the LGBTQ+ community,
there's The Trevor Project
and many other ways to get support.
I know it can be hard to figure out
if we're in crisis or not,
or when we are sick enough to warrant us getting help,
but I'm here to tell you that you are all deserving of help
and we don't have to wait another day to reach out for it.
If you are struggling, please speak up, reach out,
and know that we are here to support you along the way.
I hope this was helpful.
Have a wonderful week and I will see you next time. Bye.
(bright music)