The anatomy of crisis

Area of Science:

• Phenomenology
• Mental Health Research
• Psychology

Background:

• Mental health crises significantly impact individuals' lives.
• Existing approaches may not fully capture the lived experience of crisis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the individual and collective lived experience of a mental health crisis.
• To gain deeper insights into the embodied nature of crisis.

Main Methods:

• Phenomenological study utilizing a Lifeworld approach.
• In-depth exploration of embodied emotional, physical, cognitive, and spiritual aspects of crisis.

Main Results:

• Rich descriptions of mental health crises emerged.
• Crises were encountered as a shattered sense of self and relational challenges.
• The embodied nature of crisis was uncovered.

Conclusions:

• An embodied understanding of crisis offers practical direction for care.
• Crisis care can be more attuned to lived experience.
• This research provides insights for mental health professionals and support systems.