title: Crisis intervention in an emergency setting.
abstract: The situational crisis is a period of acute disorganization of affective cognitive and behavioral function precipitated by a traumatic life experience. We review the clinical features of a situational crisis and the four phases of the crisis sequence. Special emphasis is placed on the practical principles of treatment. Recognition of a situational crisis in a patient presenting to the emergency department provides an opportunity for using the initial evaluation as the first step in crisis intervention therapy. This approach often obviates the need for acute hospitalization.
mesh_terms: D003419:Crisis Intervention; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief