Most people are familiar with the term “Midlife crisis”. They are regularly depicted in tv shows and movies, but most people aren’t aware that there is a lot more to a midlife crisis than buying a sports car or quitting your job! Around 10-20% of people experience a midlife crisis when they hit their 40s or 50s, so it is more common than you may have thought. And this is not the only time you can find yourself facing a crisis. For some, this can happen when you hit the age of 25, and this is known as a quarter-life crisis. There are several types of crises that can affect you in different ways. But how do you know when you need to get help? What are the different types of crises that people experience? If you think you may be struggling with a crisis, read on to learn more:

What are the different forms of crisis?

All-in-all, there are three different categories of a crisis, which are:

• Developmental crises
• Existential crises
• Situational crises

A developmental crisis is a type of crisis resulting from a normal life change such as puberty, leaving home, marriage, the birth of children, or retirement, for example. Almost everyone will experience multiple developmental crises throughout their life, so this is something that you shouldn’t be afraid of, as it’s perfectly normal. If needed, therapy can also help your situation.An existential crisis, on the other hand, is a type of crisis that refers to the ensemble of feelings and questions we have to do with the meaning and purpose of our life. This could, for example, be a midlife crisis or a quarter-life crisis. But these thoughts are also completely normal, as long as you do not become consumed by them. If you need to find coping strategies to deal with these thoughts and feelings, therapy is a great method.A situational crisis is a type of crisis that results from an unexpected trauma such as loss, illness or displacement. Following such a distressing event, like a car accident, it’s normal to experience stress and anxiety around facing them again in the future. However, by learning to process these fears through therapy, you’ll be better placed to deal with these situations and feel calmer as a result.

How can therapy help with your crisis?

Whenever I’ve supported clients that are experiencing a crisis, the first thing for us to do is simply talk. Talking therapy has helped a lot of my clients understand their thoughts and feelings. Not being able to get these feelings and emotions off your chest will only put you under more stress. The strong feelings you experience during a crisis can be managed if you pay attention to the signs, such as questioning various aspects of yourself, experiencing anxiety, or having difficulty making decisions. If you do not explore these thoughts and challenge them, your crisis may only worsen. Therapy is such a powerful tool and helps to break down these questions, allowing you to find the answers and closure you are looking for. Therapists like myself can help you get to the bottom of the causes and allow you to move forward with your life.People struggling with a crisis usually find that the condition is caused by a combination of different things. So, it’s our mission as therapists to work with you in order to discover the root causes, allowing you to overcome them in order to find acceptance and heal. The most successful therapy for treating a crisis is Person-Centred Therapy. Person-Centred Therapy has many unique benefits and strengths, and as a result, you can learn incredibly useful coping strategies, better understand yourself and improve your mental state all at the same time!

What strategies can you learn through therapy?

First off, it’s important that you are able to challenge negative thoughts. During our therapy sessions, I will teach you to evaluate your crisis, focus on positive thoughts, and avoid thinking in extremes. This can help to change how you perceive difficult situations. Not only that, but you can also learn to practice self-care! Treating yourself physically, socially, mentally, spiritually and emotionally can help you feel much better about yourself. By aiming to include self-care in your daily life, you’ll be able to improve your self-acceptance and self-awareness.Meditation is another tool that anyone can do at any time and in any place. This can be practised during therapy to help you learn how best to meditate, and it is proven to be very effective. Once you understand meditation, it can be used to help you manage your crisis, ensuring negative thoughts and feelings are kept at bay. Not only that, but you can make an effort to steer clear of negative coping strategies like avoiding your issues, sleeping too much, excessive drug or alcohol use, impulsive spending, and over or under-eating. These negative coping strategies can lead to other problems with your physical and mental health.Finally, you should focus on positive near-future events. Research suggests that thinking about the future - a process known as prospection - can help us to lead more fulfilled lives. Therapy will therefore allow you to practice this - and give you the tools to do so as well!

Who to turn to for therapy in Warrington, Cheshire.

Therapy can be a daunting prospect, but it’s incredibly powerful and effective!Visit my website today in order to learn more about my Zoom and in-person appointments. For anyone experiencing issues relating to mental health, confidential therapy could be exactly what you need to improve your life for the better. I am confident that I can help you feel more at peace with who you are.Get in touch to book an initial consultation with me today!