To the inexperienced observer, “crisis” and “the individual in crisis” represent nearly equivalent notions. We say that an individual is “suicidal.” Why? Because he is depressed. We say that an individual is nervous and shaking. Why? Because he is upset. When we take the next step and ask why the individual is depressed or upset, the assumption is that the answer will point to there being something wrong with the individual or with his situation. “You are just being silly.”… “If I were you, I would get out of that situation and not put up with it anymore.”… “If you would just straighten up and deal with it, things would be better.”… “You can’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault. If they didn’t act the way they do, things would be okay.” By the inexperienced observer, then, the ‘crisis’ is interpreted to be something that is either in the individual or in the situation.

As we examine the conflict state in this chapter and focus more specifically on the crisis state in Chapter 3, we will find that the “crisis” is neither within the individual nor within the situation. The crisis lies in how you are or are not getting along within your situation.

Frequently there is conflict between the individual and his world. This situational conflict is an everyday thing. Life is full of its hassles, difficulties, and annoyances. Sometimes, though, the conflict becomes intensified to such an extent that we can accurately think of it as “a crisis state.” Understanding the crisis state and helping the people who are caught up in it is our objective. First, however, we want to carefully examine and come to understand the conflict state from which crises develop. Figure 1 illustrates conflict in terms of the individual, the situation, and the interaction between the two. A careful look at each of these three perspectives is, then, where we will start to develop an understanding of and a feeling for the social interaction approach to crisis intervention. …

THE INDIVIDUAL

Basic to an understanding of the individual in relationship to crisis is the recognition that physical development and physical health are important to everyone at every stage of the developmental process. From birth to about the age of three, children are primarily concerned with physical development. They learn how to sit, walk, talk, use the bathroom, feed themselves, manipulate objects, run, climb, and do all the things they will need to do as they grow and mature. For people of all ages, physical skills, abilities, capacities, needs, and so on, are very important to their sense of who they are and to their ability to cope with their life situation. We can see, then, that whenever an individual is experiencing some physical difficulty he also will have problems in coping with his responsibilities and opportunities. This difficulty in coping may at times be more than the individual can handle. For example, children with serious physical difficulties may become overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy and helplessness when they are unable to participate in normal activities, do the kinds of things other children do, be accepted by other children as equals, and so on. Adults may suddenly find themselves in a position where they are unable to work, unable to drive, unable to carry out their day-to-day responsibilities, unable to cope with simple routines like getting to the store, and generally feeling inadequate and useless. Elderly people frequently become depressed and overwhelmed by their recent inability to hear, see, walk, and so on. Throughout the life cycle, physical difficulties and health problems represent a serious liability and frequently contribute to social and emotional crises.

Similarly, emotional development is an important dimension. An individual’s emotional makeup receives its primary developmental structure during the preschool years.