The Crisis Escalation Spiral

The Crisis Escalation Spiral
A Risk Assessment Tool uses to Identify Individual
Triggers
The goal of the crisis escalation spiral is to identify various level of escalation.
To aim is to identify and Utilize the crisis
DE-ESCALATION skills learned to effectively de-escalate a crisis situation.

The Crisis Escalation Spiral
Triggers and Warning Signs
Certain features may serve as warning signs to indicate that a person may be escalating.

The Crisis Escalation Spiral
 Tense and angry facial expressions
 Increased or prolonged restlessness,
 Poor concentration
 Body tension,
Reporting anger or violent feelings
Delusions or hallucinations with violent
 General over-simulation of vital signs. increased RR,BP,HR, Sweating

The Crisis Escalation Spiral
 Verbal threats or gestures
 Twitching
 Dilating pupils
 Replicating words
 Increased volume of speech
 Increase movements episode spacing, irritation
 Prolonged eye contact
 Refusal to communicate

The Crisis Escalation Spiral
Questioning/Challenging
Information - rational questioning seeking a rational response. Power - authority questions seeking a power struggle or attempt to evade the real issue.

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Refusal
Non-compliance with a direct instruction or expectation (an unreasonable response to a reasonable request).
E.g. Are you OK?- Why you want to know?
This behaviour often indicates the beginning of a loss of rational control.

The Crisis Escalation Spiral
Venting
Verbal “acting out” behaviour. Release of emotional energy
Behaviour characterized by yelling, swearing, and unfocused or non-specific threatening
(i.e., “angry at the world”).

The Crisis Escalation Spiral
Threatening/Intimidation
Focused, targeted threat of violence or direct intimidation. This unfocused or non-specific threat has now become Focused on you, another, or property.
The risk of physical acting out is high.

The Crisis Escalation Spiral
Physical Acting Out
Assaultive and displayed physical