How To Help A Family Member In Crisis

When you come across a family member who is going through a crisis, it can be an incredibly frightening experience. Not only are you dealing with your own emotions about what is happening–you might also have to take on some additional responsibilities. It can be overwhelming to think about how much help the person might need. However, you should not avoid this responsibility–crises often cause people to withdraw from their loved ones instead of leaning on them for emotional support. If anything, crises create more opportunities for strong bonds between people because they put everyone into high-stress situations that would not have occurred otherwise.

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Here are four tips for supporting your family members in times of crisis:

• Meeting With The Person And Their Doctors To Ensure Accessibility *
  If your family member is in an abusive or otherwise difficult situation, it can be incredibly helpful for you to try to meet with their doctors and/or counselors. If they are unwilling to do this by themselves, you might want to consider scheduling a meeting with them yourself, especially if the crisis seems very severe. You can also ask if they would be willing to give you some kind of access that would allow you to monitor their information. This way, you will know exactly what is going on with your loved one’s case without overstepping any boundaries.
• Giving Them A List Of Local Emergency Numbers *
  When someone suffers from a traumatic experience–like abuse or assault–it often leaves them emotionally scarred long after the event itself is over. If this is the case, they might find it difficult to seek out help even when they start to feel threatened or unsafe again. By preparing a list of local emergency services and other resources, you can ensure that your loved one always has access to help should they need it–even if their abuser tries to threaten them into silence again.
• Offering To Watch The Kids *
  If your family member is in crisis, there’s a chance that their life has become incredibly hectic as a result. Their job might not be going well due to frequent absences, for example. Or maybe they have been neglecting household chores because of what’s going on with them personally. In these cases, you might want to offer your help with their kids. Having one less person to take care of can make a noticeable difference in your friend or family member’s life, especially if they have been struggling with something for a while.
• Volunteering To Help With Their Day-To-Day Tasks *
  Sometimes, the only thing holding someone back from getting help is that the thought of it seems too overwhelming. Maybe that person doesn’t want to be criticized by doctors or feel judged by counselors–or perhaps they’re just starting to get used to the idea and need more time before they’re ready to go through anything official. In any case, you can give them a little peace of mind by taking over some of their usual responsibilities–like paying bills or picking up groceries. This will allow them to focus their energy on the crisis at hand without worrying about how their lives outside of it are getting by.
  

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There are many other ways that you can be supportive of your family members during times of crisis. However, these four tips should give you a good place to start–and they’re also easy to do even if the person refuses help for any reason. By following these tips, you can potentially make everything easier for both you and your family member during tough times!