Crisis service on the phone: “We often tend to hold out too long” – Fürstenfeldbruck

Especially during the Christmas season, many people long to hide their worries for at least a few days and spend a good time with their loved ones. And yet the days around the turn of the year can also put a strain on the psyche and plunge people into emotional crises. In such cases, a phone call to the Psychiatry Oberbayern crisis service helps, regardless of whether it is a minor concern or a major burden. The service has more than 1,000 employees and is supported by a large network that includes social organizations such as Caritas and Diakonie, but also psychiatric outpatient clinics. The crisis service receives around 30,000 calls a year. Birgit Linsel is the area coordinator of the Bavarian Crisis Services and knows what questions people turn to the service with, when is the right time to call and how to react in good time when a crisis is looming.

Ms. Linsel, how does the crisis service help people who get into a mental emergency during the holidays?

Birgit Linsel: Of course we can be reached by phone 24 hours a day. But it is nice that we also have visiting teams and they are also there over the holidays. Those affected can contact us via the control center on 0800/65 53 000 and then it will be clarified whether something is bothering them that we can catch on the phone. In 80 percent of the cases, it is enough if people can simply have a conversation that relieves them. And in complex cases, we decide together with those affected whether it would not be better to have a team on site.

Many people are probably familiar with the situation where you are simply not feeling well mentally from everyday life. When is the moment to contact the crisis service?

Always. We often tend to hold out for too long. Especially our seniors, who have often experienced difficult things in their lives. But you don’t need that. It’s better to call early and have a relieving talk before the stress becomes too great. It’s called crisis service, but those affected decide what a crisis is, it can be lovesickness or homesickness, but also a depressive illness or a certain tiredness of life. If there is something that is bothering you, then it is right to call us. We can’t always pack our backpacks fuller and fuller, otherwise it becomes more and more difficult to walk.

For many people, calling the emergency services may feel like a high inhibition, perhaps for fear of being labeled as mentally ill or losing control of the process.

It is very important to say that we do not do anything that the person seeking advice does not want. Nobody has to be afraid that we will send the police or force them to see a psychiatrist or a clinic. There are exceptions when people endanger others or themselves, we have to act. But otherwise we don’t say you have to do it this way or that way or go this way or that way. Everything we find in terms of solutions, we work out together with those affected. I also work in an outreach team, and at first you often notice a certain distance, a little distrust. People called us and now they are afraid that we want to take them to the clinic. But that’s not exactly what we want. One of the goals of the crisis service is to avoid the clinic.

How do you manage to break down this distrust on the ground?

We always explain to people that we are helping them to use the structures that can specifically help them. With these joint discussions, we always overcome the distance very well. At Christmas, we wish that people would dare to call us more and really not have any inhibitions. If it’s really just a small burden, then it’s quickly caught up in a conversation. Not necessarily after a call, but then we’ll talk to each other again.

What are typical concerns that people are currently turning to the crisis service with?

Around Christmas it’s really often loneliness. But also the financial burden. Of course you want to give gifts, but due to the inflation, that’s just not possible for many people this year. And then the people who have great existential fears begin to pile up. In addition, we are all still plagued by the pandemic and now we have a cold epidemic that is making it difficult for people to get in touch again. Basically, one can say that our calls reflect the problems and burdens that are the order of the day in society.

Is the turn of the year a similar trigger for personal crises as Christmas?

I’d say the calls pick up throughout December. It’s such a small spiral: At the end of the year you often review how everything was, think about how the next year could turn out. If that makes you feel hopeless, it’s difficult to look positively to the future. Then the spiral starts and can escalate to the point of suicidality. That is why it is so important to call us early, before there is an escalation.

Based on your experience, what tips do you have for people who are worried about slipping into an emotional crisis?

It’s really important to get out of the house regularly and walk around the block. What I personally always find very helpful is to perceive your surroundings with all your senses. What am I hearing right now? How does the floor feel? what am I smelling I know that sounds a bit social pedagogical, but something like this can really help. Especially when you are ill, it is important to exchange ideas with friends and family, for example over a meal together over a video call. Exchange is very important against the feeling of being alone. And you should definitely listen to yourself, many people know what is good for them, what might have helped them in the past. You should be open to trying things and practicing mindfulness.

The crisis service can be reached 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 0800/65 53 000