Crisis, Frustrations & Conflicts

Our Lady of Fatima University

College of Nursing

NCM101 – Human Behavior

Crisis – is a response to hazardous events and is experienced as painful state.

- It tends to mobilize powerful reactions to help the person alleviate the discomfort and return to the state of emotional equilibrium that existed before its onset.

Theory:

If crisis is overcome, the person learned to use adaptive reactions and that person may be in better state of mind, superior to that before the onset of psychological difficulties.

If a person uses maladaptive reactions, painful state will intensify, crisis will deepen and regressive deterioration will take place → producing psychiatric symptoms.

Those symptoms may crystallize into neurotic pattern of behavior that restricts the person ability to function freely.

At times, new maladaptive reactions are introduced when situations are not stabilized, consequences can be of catastrophic proportions, leading at times to death by suicide.

.∙. Crisis may be viewed as turning point for better or for worse.

Types of Crisis:

1. normal developmental or maturational life crisis

a. birth

b. school-age

c. marriage

d. pregnancy

e. normal death

2. abnormal and accidental or situational life crisis

a. accidents

b. hospitalization/illness

c. accidental deaths

3. third type is combination of both

Classification of Family Crisis:

1. dismemberment only

a. death of a part of the family

b. hospitalization

c. war separation

2. Accession only

a. Unwanted pregnancy

b. Deserter returns

c. In-laws

d. Adoption

3. Demoralization only

a. Un-support

b. Infidelity

c. Alcoholism

d. Drug addiction

e. Delinquency and events bringing disgrace

f. Rape and sexual assault

g. Child abuse

h. Elder abuse

i. Family and/or domestic violence

4. demoralization plus dismemberment or accession

a. illegitimacy

b. runaways

c. desertion

d. divorce

e. imprisonment

f. suicide or homicide

g. institutionalization for mental illness

Crisis Intervention – offered to persons who are incapacitated or severely disturbed by crisis.

Techniques in crisis intervention:

a. reassurance

b. open to suggestions

c. environmental manipulation

d. psychotropic drugs

Outcome of crisis intervention – person know how to avoid and deal with future hazards

Phases of Crisis

Phase 1 – initial

- external precipitating event

Phase 2 – intermediate

- perception of threat

- increase in anxiety in response to the initial impact of stress

- client may cope or resolve crisis

Phase 3 – major disorganization

- failure of coping

- signs and symptoms appear

- increasing disorganization

Phase 4 – mobilization of resources

- resolution related to pre-crisis functioning either:

a. functioning at a higher level – much better or stronger person than before

b. functioning at the same level

c. functioning at a lower level – maladaptation; death by suicide

Conflicts – individual experience that create emotional tensions

- refers to the tension or excitement within when one strives to reach a decision between equally attractive or repelling situations.

- A state of mind that results from the clash between two contrary motivations.

Conflict is directly proportion to tension

Conflicting Situations:

1. Conflicting Attraction – choice on equally desirable but have incompatible values. The selection of one involves the loss of the other, which is not readily acceptable.

2. Avoidance-attraction – a situation which is attractive but with undesirable factor that accompany it.

3. Conflicting Avoidance – situation where the person is caught between two negative values.

4. Multiple conflicts – two or more conflicts.

Frustration – thwarting of motivated behavior toward the goal.

- feeling that is produced when desires are met with some form of interference which prevent or delay their completion.

Sources of frustration:

1. External situations – cause of frustration includes: (a.) mores or regulations of society (b.) interruptions and disturbances (c.) socioeconomic status

2. Inner dynamic – (a.) physical factors – handicap or illnesses (b.) intellect

Course Outline: prelims | midterm | finals