Stating that all events that disrupt people's routine and where they struggle to solve problems can be defined as a crisis, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, points to the importance of being prepared for a crisis. “A crisis is an abnormality within normality,” says Tarhan, “During a crisis, that is, within the abnormal, it is necessary to remain normal. If a person does not have the ability to stay calm, they get caught up in the crisis. They become a part of the crisis.” he warned. Tarhan also added that couples, in particular, should meet at a common point to overcome family crises.
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, made evaluations regarding crisis and risk management psychology.
Defining crisis as “situations and events that disrupt a person's usual order and balance,” Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “All events that disrupt a person's routine and where they struggle to solve problems can be defined as a crisis. Crises have positive and negative aspects. Crises are two-sided. There are precursors related to crises. Seeing these precursors is very important, and having a crisis plan is important. It is also valuable for a person to be prepared in advance for what they will do if any crisis occurs.”
Pre-crisis measures prevent disintegration
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, likening life to a chain, stated that crises are the weakest link in that chain, saying, “When the chain is strained, the strongest part of that chain is its weakest link. In a crisis, disintegration and breakdowns usually occur at the weakest link. If a person knows this beforehand and takes precautions, they will be prepared for the crisis and manage it more easily and comfortably. The most important thing in a crisis is for the person not to know what to do.”
Stating that people experience a feeling of losing control during a crisis, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “For example, if you lose control of the steering wheel while driving fast, you experience serious panic. A crisis moment leads to such a state of mind.”
It is necessary to remain normal during a crisis
Emphasizing the importance of staying calm during crises, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “In family crises too, it is important and necessary not to be prejudiced and to remain calm. For example, if a child hasn't come home, or a person heard gossip about their spouse. If a person acts without thinking in such situations, does the first thing that comes to mind, or believes the first thing they hear, they are largely making a mistake. They are acting with prejudices. They are catastrophizing the crisis. In such situations, we advise people to stop, think, and then re-evaluate the crisis. In other words, we say stop, think, act (STA). A crisis is an abnormality within normality. During a crisis, that is, within the abnormal, it is necessary to remain normal.”
If there is no ability to remain calm, one becomes part of the crisis
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that if a person has training or skill on how to behave in crisis situations, they can manage the crisis well, saying, “If a person does not have the ability to remain calm, they get caught up in the crisis. They become a part of the crisis. Therefore, we need a roadmap for what to do if a crisis occurs. Corporate structures and companies are prepared for crisis situations. They establish a command center for the crisis and produce alternative solutions. There is a general management for problem-solving in potential family crisis situations.”
Three steps in family crisis management
Noting that the first step in potential family crises is to define the problem, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “The second step is to identify possible solutions. The third step is to decide on one of the solutions and try it.”
Crises are easily managed when acting with common sense
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that most family crises can turn into gains if there is good will and love within the family, saying, “In this case, crises turn into gains. They teach family members things and strengthen their bonds. Just as there are people who interfere with couples and create crises, economic difficulties can also lead to crises. In all these crises, if the parties can act with common sense, they can easily get out of the crisis. If they cannot use common sense and approach it with judgment and blame, a blaming attitude towards the other party, such as ‘You are already like this, this happened because you did that,’ escalates the crisis.”
Crises should be approached with the firefighter model
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, likening a crisis to a fire and stating that crises should be approached like firefighters responding to a fire, said, “When a fire breaks out, the first goal is to extinguish it. Then it is cooled, and finally, its cause is investigated. Crises need to be approached with the firefighter model.”
Crises harbor both threat and opportunity
Stating that a crisis harbors both threat and opportunity, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “Every event has a threat dimension. A person thinks that balances will be disrupted and they will lose, but on the other hand, there is also an opportunity dimension. Therefore, serious preparation is required to turn a crisis into an opportunity. For example, individuals who were able to turn the current global Covid-19 pandemic crisis into an opportunity easily came to the forefront and achieved growth during the crisis.”
Turning crises into opportunities is important
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that data on how people emerge from crises is measured in the ‘Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory’ used in psychiatry and psychology, saying, “This inventory can measure how people draw conclusions from traumas like crises. The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory yields results such as ‘My relationships with loved ones improved, I spend more time with them, I attach more importance to spiritual values, I appreciate what I have more.’ People manage the crisis better with this kind of approach. Thus, they turn that crisis into a gain. Those who cannot turn a crisis into an opportunity lose.”
The midpoint rule ensures crises are overcome quickly
Emphasizing the importance of both parties meeting at a common point in family crises, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “It is natural for crises to occur from time to time in married life. Two different people from two different environments come together. They try to build a common life. There is a midpoint rule in solving marital crises. Both sides will take a step towards the middle, and they will meet at the midpoint. If one side always says, ‘It will be my way,’ and that side is always decisive, there will be no fair relationship here. The biggest reason for a crisis is already the lack of fair sharing. Where there is sharing, there is trust; where there is trust, there is peace. Where there is peace, panic during crises decreases. Therefore, social peace and a peaceful and warm environment within the family mean that problems are overcome much more easily.”