What Does a Crisis Look Like

Crisis

If distress is not attended to it is possible for a student to experience a mental health crisis. The B.E.A.R. Project defines a crisis in two primary ways:

Distress

We experience distress when our typical coping strategies are not working and our functioning is thus negatively impacted. Distress happens when:

Stress

All humans experience the physiological, emotional and cognitive aspects of stress when we encounter strain related to difficult or demanding circumstances. The occasional experience of manageable levels of stress is part of the human experience and can even at times help to motivate us to make progress towards achieving our goals.

Students are likely to be able to navigate a moment of stress using their own resources. If you are connecting with a student in a moment of stress, be yourself: listen, validate and lead with empathy.