10.2 Whose crisis is it?

A Family Guide to Concurrent Disorders - Part III: Treatment

Sometimes issues related to concurrent disorders happen suddenly. The symptoms, problems and needs of the person affected create a crisis that galvanizes all members of the family into action. At other times, issues can unfold slowly, and may build until someone in the family decides that it’s time to take action. For example, a behaviour that has become quite regular, such as an adolescent son coming home intoxicated, can suddenly become a heated issue because a parent decides that it is finally time to address this behaviour. Another example is a person who skips one session in his or her treatment program because of feeling down, but is confident that he or she will go back the next day. Family members may react strongly because they are worried that the person might be backsliding, missing needed care and risking relapse.

In both of these examples, how family members will perceive the situation will vary. One person might feel that things are at a point where immediate action is necessary—that things are in crisis; another might not see why today has to be treated differently than any other day. Sometimes the person with the co-occurring problems feels that something has suddenly gone seriously wrong and needs immediate attention, while family members aren't as concerned. In other situations, family members are convinced that action needs to be taken, but the person with the problems may not agree, or may be afraid of what taking action will mean for them.

So you need to ask yourself: Whose crisis is it? The answer will help you understand who is really asking for help—your relative, the family or both.

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