A crisis may be black.  The individual is down, very down.  His words come very slowly; his movements are slow.  He sees no point in anything.  His just being alive makes things worse.  He does not want to kill himself.  He just wants to stop living, to get out.  He is tired of playing the game.  The hassle is too much.  His mood is very black.  He is slowing down and has no interest or motivation in going on.  As we talk with him, his speech may seem somewhat slurred, and his words may have a thick and mumbly quality about them.  If we are talking with him on the telephone, especially, our initial reaction may be that he is intoxicated.  It is critical for us to get beyond seeing him as a drunk and to get to a point where we understand that we are dealing with a black crisis.  As we talk, the individual seems exhausted, appears to have no energy, and may give us the impression that he either wants to, or is about to, go to sleep.  We may be frustrated and feel tempted to terminate our communication with him.  It takes all of our effort and concentration to pay attention to and focus on the individual and his crisis.  Black crises are seen considerably less often than red and yellow crises; however, they are by far the most difficult with which to deal.

You are talking with a seventy-year-old woman whose husband died a few months ago.  Her children all live in other states and do not come to visit her very often.  Many of her friends have died, and she has no particular interests outside her home.  Her neighbors, who have called you in, are concerned because she does not come out of her house but just sits in her chair staring off into space.

She says: ‘Please go away.  I don’t want to talk to anyone.  [You say: You seem pretty tired and depressed.]  I’m okay.  Don’t worry about me.  Everything is fine.  I’ll just sit here until it’s over.  I hope it doesn’t take too long.  I’m so tired and want things to quit.  [You say: It makes me sad to see you so sad.]  I’m not sad.  Everything is fine.  It won’t be too much longer now.  He’s coming back to get me soon.  [You say: It’s a pretty day, and your neighbors are worried about you.]  There aren’t any pretty days anymore.  The neighbors shouldn’t worry.  I’m okay.  It won’t be much longer now. …

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