Dark night of the soul: the lived experience and meaning of mental health crisis

Abstract

Objective: Mental health crises are often described in terms of involuntary hospitalisation criteria or the presence or exacerbation of a psychiatric disorder that places people at risk of harm to themselves or others. However, there is limited research on the meaning of crisis from the perspective of people accessing crisis services. This paper reports on the subjective meaning of the construct of crisis that results in contact with crisis services. Method: This phenomenological study used in-depth interviews with 31 people who accessed emergency departments (ED), crisis alternatives, and crisis phone lines. Findings: The findings represent overlapping mental illness, life events/trauma, an..