A crisis is an emotional and physical reaction to a life event. The life events that can cause a crisis are diverse, and may include receiving a new medical diagnosis, loss of a loved one, experiencing violence, witnessing a natural disaster, or being exposed to triggers that bring back past trauma. A crisis event may interfere with your ability to cope and do daily activities. This fact sheet goes over what to do during a crisis, who to go for help and how to cope with a crisis in the future.