Video Transcript
Let’s go into some of the physical aspects of the result of crisis, and also some emotional responses that you may have, as well as how it can impact you socially.
And when I say “you,” I’m also thinking about the person that maybe you’re caring for and why you came here to learn more about crisis and its impact.
The first thing I think about when a person is in crisis is: I want to see biologically how they’re feeling.
A person could be very resilient and may have experienced some crises in their past, and they may have what we call some protective factors. They are able to function overall—by function I mean getting up, doing their daily routines, going to work, going to school.
However, there may be incidents where they are not able to emotionally handle what is happening to them. That, in turn, may cause them not to talk about what they’re experiencing, not communicate effectively with others.
It also can result in a social response where they’re isolating and not wanting to go to social gatherings that they used to attend, or participate in sports, hobbies, or other activities.
So whether it’s you as the parent, or you have a teenager who’s 13, or a child who is age six, there are a number of things that you want to look at—whether it be on a physical level, or you’re looking again at where the person is not able to go through their daily routines, get enough sleep, eat properly, or they’re experiencing symptoms of stress and anxiety.
And then also the emotional responses—feeling sad, overwhelmed, or depressed.
And on the social aspect—they are not socializing, they’re isolating, not going out with friends, not wanting to participate in activities.
I think that’s, again, a basic human response to a crisis. Fear and uncertainty can cause a lot of physical problems in children—again, inability to eat, inability to sleep, inability to communicate. These are things that have been documented time and time again.
I think different individuals can exhibit different traits of fear and anxiety. Some people will want to suppress it.
And this is where we get parents who fear that their child is not responding appropriately to a crisis. Maybe that child is just trying to maintain some kind of sanity in their life and doesn’t want to address it. That might be a coping mechanism that’s okay for that child.
But I think it’s important to realize that there are many different ways people respond to crises.
Some people are loud and angry and make their voices heard. Others don’t. Other people just want to move on with their life.
So I think acknowledging that different people have different responses to fear and uncertainty is totally fine. And again, it’s a normal response.
I always go back to having that grieving period, and then sitting down and thinking about what just happened. Is there something we can do? Was there a trigger? What can our community do to move on, prevent these things from happening, and create a safe community for our families?
We discussed a lot about crisis and how it may impact you as an individual, your family, friends, professionals, and community leaders.
I want to take the time to validate the feelings that you may be experiencing.
Going through a crisis is inevitable for all of us.
Just know that you have access to resources. You have people who support you. You’re not alone.