De-escalation Strategies

Introduction

There are many ways to de-escalate during a crisis. Given the fact that we likely have to de-escalate verbally in most cases, we have outlined some evidence-based tools for de-escalation. While every situation is unique, these are some basic skills that you can utilize. This does not encompass all de-escalation strategies, but we felt it may be helpful to have a refresher on what steps can be taken to de-escalate and ensure the safety of our loved ones and ourselves.

What is De-escalation? 

According to the Department of Homeland Security, De-Escalation is “the use of communication or other techniques during an encounter to stabilize, slow, or reduce the intensity of a potentially violent situation without using physical force or with a reduction in force” (CISA, n.d.).

Also important to add, de-escalation techniques are crucial to know for not only your safety, but the safety of your loved one. Sometimes the best thing to do is assess the situation, know your limits, and obtain help if you feel uncomfortable or the situation puts yourself and others at a high risk of injury. Escalation may not always be a risk of violence, but rather a difficulty in individuals to utilize emotional regulation skills. Autistic children and adults may have difficulties in reading social cues and communicating certain emotions. For example, some may misunderstand the purpose of social communication, such as taking things literally. If someone says “Could you turn on the light?”, an individual may think: Yes I COULD turn on the light but I’m not going to (Brown, 2014).

Joining a conversation and reading a room may also be particularly difficult for autistic children and adults. Misunderstanding emotional cues, hyper- or hypo-sensitives, whether that’s through taste, smell, sight, touch, or hearing can be a lot to process all at once. Lastly, executive functioning such as flexibility of thinking, emotional regulation, engaging and disengaging attention, and managing change may be potential triggers for some individuals. As you may already know, it can be very distressing to live in a world that intends to promote neurotypicality – therefore we must be prepared to guide others in big moments of feeling by regulating oneself, and modeling regulation when it is appropriate (Brown, 2014).

Descriptions of Overwhelm from Martin Silvertant’s Perspective 

Feeling overwhelmed can potentially trigger an escalation of emotions or behaviors. Overwhelm signs and symptoms may involve reactions to minor stressors, withdrawal, mood changes, cognitive fatigue, and physical reactions such as rapid heartbeat and dizziness (Gupta, 2024). For autistic individuals, overwhelm may lead to more rapid escalation. Eva Silvertant (2021), an autistic individual, suggests that overwhelm can manifest in three distinct areas: 

• Sensory overload

Sensory overload is when your senses take in more information than your brain can actively process. Examples of sensory overload may include loud noises, unexpected or unwanted physical touch, intense smells, and crowded spaces. For some autistic individuals, sensory differences may be exacerbated. Here are some tips for interacting with individuals who may be hyper- or hypo- sensitive to sensory information from the national autistic society: Sensory Differences – a guide for all audiences

• Emotional overwhelm resulting in a meltdown

Silvertant (2021) indicated that emotional overwhelm is typically due to anxiety and mental distress, but also due to having a challenging time reading one’s own bodily signals, such as having low blood sugar, not sleeping enough, or not eating when hungry.

Though Silvertant (2021) describes a number of symptoms she feels when in emotional overwhelm, such as extreme anxiety, stomach pain, pressure in the chest, and no mindfulness of bodily sensations; mentally she notes that she tends to feel like a grave injustice is being done to her and feeling as though she is entitled to validation and compassion.

• Complete shutdown or burnout

Silvertant (2021) describes a complete shutdown or burnout as no longer actively overwhelmed and out of control because she’s burned through her emotions. Others may empathize with this feeling of burnout, of feeling like everything is so much you just can’t even deal with it at all. You feel mentally exhausted. Imagine feeling this way, but really struggling to communicate or understand it. That in itself is distressing and can be incredibly frustrating.

Tips for De-escalation

The question is, how can we tell if someone is getting escalated? For a neurotypical individual you may see different facial expressions, such as a rise in voice pitch or volume, unreasonable demands or threats, negative language, or showing physical signs of stress such as fidgeting or, if threatened, making oneself appear very big. Autistic individuals may not display these indicators as clearly, so it is important to consistently apply these steps in every environment:

1. Stay calm:

   use a calm tone of voice and monitor your volume. Speaking can provide additional sensory overload for some individuals so it’s important to assess whether speaking at all is appropriate given the situation. Sometimes no words are the right words.

2. Relaxed Stance:

   it is easy to tense up in escalated situations. However, try to remain relaxed, refrain from pointing fingers, use deliberate and slow movements while keeping your hands visible at all times. This is to ensure that there is no confusion about your own body language.

3. Verbal De-escalation:

   while being silent may be best in some situations, verbal de-escalation may be particularly helpful in some circumstances. In these cases, refrain from negative talk and focus on empathetic talk such as:

   1. “I can see that you are upset…”
   2. “I want to help, what can I do?”
   3. “I notice…”

4. Be Prepared to Block:

   If there are instances of aggression, keeping your hands in front of you can be helpful for visibility purposes and if you need to block hitting or other aggressive behaviors – be sure to tuck your thumb against your hand as to prevent injury to yourself AND the person you are actively deescalating. Furthermore, if there are self-injurious behaviors, having helmets, padding, or other strategies for reducing the chances of self-injury can be useful.

5. Maintain Safe Distance:

   make sure to provide space between yourself and the individual. Added stimuli can increase escalation, whereas space allows for the individual to possibly notice what is upsetting them, and utilize skills of emotional regulation independently.

6. Change the Setting:

   If there seems to be a trigger within the environment that you recognize, possibly removing any other objects or people from the environment may be helpful.

7. Nonverbal Communication:

   nonverbal communication is extremely important in high stress situations.

   1. When you’re extremely angry or stressed and everyone’s attention is on you, you’d likely prefer to see empathy, calmness, and hear a quiet but direct tone of voice from others. This approach tends to be more soothing and can help de-escalate your emotions.
   2. Conversely, if people appear scared, standoffish, or start escalating their own reactions, it often makes you feel more agitated, misunderstood, or out of control. This can worsen your emotional state and the overall situation.
   3. A calm, empathetic response from others can help you feel understood and supported, potentially easing your anger or stress. On the other hand, fearful or aggressive responses might make you feel like a threat or a problem, possibly intensifying your negative emotions.

8. Use Checklists:

   reminders on what you need to do in a situation of high stress can be helpful to have with you at all times.

Conclusion

De-escalation techniques are crucial for managing high-stress scenarios. These skills may not only be beneficial to the person you are assisting but also serve as a reminder to reflect on your own non-verbal and verbal language. Though de-escalating an individual may never be as simple as outlined in this blog post, mastering these techniques are an imperative part of enhancing safety. 

Sources

Brown, S. (2014). Autism spectrum disorder and de-escalation strategies : A practical guide to positive behavioural interventions for children and young people. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency. (n.d.). De-escalation: How can you help defuse potentially violent situations. CISA. https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/De-Escalation_Final%20508%20%2809.21.21%29.pdf

Gupta, S. (2024, January 4). What does it mean to feel overwhelmed? Verywell mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/feeling-overwhelmed-symptoms-causes-and-coping-5425548

National Autistic Society. (2020, September 2). Sensory differences – a guide for all audiences. National Autistic Society. https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/sensory-differences/sensory-differences/all-audiences

Silvertant, Eva. (2021, May 4). The autistic experience of overwhelm. Embrace autism. https://embrace-autism.com/the-autistic-experience-of-overwhelm/