HOW TO DEESCALATE AN ANGRY PATIENT | 5 tips to Calm Someone Down

Hey everyone, in this video, I'm going to share with you five tips on how to calm down an angry psychiatric patient. The tips are focused on safety, staying calm, letting the patient vent, validating their feelings, and asking open-ended questions. The presenter, who is a nurse working in behavioral health, emphasizes the importance of creating a safe environment and remaining calm while approaching the patient. The tips are helpful for healthcare professionals working in behavioral health settings. If you're interested in learning how to de-escalate an angry patient, then check out this video!

0:00 Intro
0:35 Tip 1: Safety
1:32 Tip 2: Fight Fire w/ Water
2:48 Tip 3: Let them Vent
3:10 Tip 4: Validate Their Feelings
4:24 Tip 5: Ask Open-Ended Questions
5:20 What to do if the tips don't work

[amylynch]

Thank you for this video. I don’t work in psych but I live with a family member that battles Schizoaffective disorder and alcoholism. I was looking for videos that help others deescalate an uproar. And came across this. Thx 🙏🏼 again

[crimetimeproductions]

I wish psychiatric places would treat patients like this more. I got hospitalized a few months ago and anytime I had a freak out or panic attack they just beat the shit out of me. It was so dehumanizing. Didn't matter if I was scared, or angry, or panicked and trying to escape, the solution was always for them to hit me until I stopped moving and then put me back in my room. My stay there did far more harm than good for my mental well-being, and I can't help but think the outcome would have been different had they followed these guidelines.

[hopeup]

I am so thankful for your advice. This is exactly what I needed to hear. I have worked at an outpatient psy facility years ago and now looking at doing some prn at my hospital on their Behavioral Health. I am older but i feel that i have experienced a lot and seen a lot and I care a lot so I believe God will help me share hope with these patients. Deescalation was a concern, so I am thankful for your five tips as they see very practical and even if you didn’t realize it they are biblical. You overcome hate with love and you should listen more than you talk.

[calculatedchaos]

Going through and listening to this, I’m realizing that there were definitely some things I could have done better deescalating at work today. I’m going to put more effort in to letting them vent and working on derailing destructive mental loops and placing patients on a more productive mindset.

[jenniferhobbs]

Thank you so much! I started working in mental health and addictions and this is helpful. Thank you

[CodingWithJordan]

Thank you for the tips that really helped.

[cathywhiddon]

I wish my office would teach these tips instead of validating the patients right to act the way they do. I am not taking about psych patients in particular. I work in a PCP office and entitled people I get sometimes are rewarded for their behavior while it is made to be our fault the patient acted the way they did. I am going to ask that we have training to know and understand these situations. In the meantime, I will do my best not to allow them to get the better of by using your tips. Thank you!! God bless

[Violida]

This is excellent. I do not work with psych patients. I work in the high school with irate parents sometimes. I believe this will work with them as well. Thank you so much for posting this. Let me know that I was on the right track and dealing with many of them.

[zoku]

Amazing, thanks for sharing these helpful tips!

[nosferatadentata]

I came here from the video where you were telling stories about some of your patients and where you allowed yourself to be a bit emotional while reminiscing and Wow. The way you can alter the your voice is amazing. In this video your voice is much lower and manly and you sound so strict and serious. I could hardly believe you're the same guy from the video I watched before..

[TheGhostOfNickBlack]

Hey, I just wanted to say thank you for posting this

[agreedboarart]

I wish more mental health facilities practiced empathy and used these. When I was in a short term facility for attempting to self-delete, I was treated like a dog. They wondered why I finally had an angry outburst and started yelling, and they were probably two second from sticking me.

[sssparkle]

I hope to go into psych nursing. I really love you videos! Great skills for all relationships too 😊

[CMKMarch]

This is great advice, even for those of us who work in customer service. We deal with some really angry customers at times, these tips are very helpful

[eli_]

Delt with my first aggressive patient today I feel like I followed these steps appropriately and maybe even unknowingly there could have been a misunderstanding in my approach but I definitely got some anxiety and still feel even after the whole situation Descalted. What can I do to calm my anxiety ? And what can I say to the patient to calm them as well ?

Great video btw

[AnthonyVanDerlinden-eyhu]

I worked in adult psych inpatient units and several out patient psychiatric settings and the one thing you do not do is walk away from an angry patient!

[Oohthehumanity]

I like 'Fight fire with water' 👍👍

[jaguarmom]

Thank you for the feedback. I actally use these with my hubby and son sometimes. Esp. The hubby; him beeing 6'4" is rather intimidating but I finaly had to stsnd my ground and do those q's mysf. The only q I have is if he does'nt answer the q what wi help you calm down?" He didnt answer a few times and I lock up s
And i cant walk away or say any thing so I just kinda ask another safe open ended q. I have gotten out of him that he gets a release and high off of getting back or
Emotionally going offbon someone like sabatoge or downtalking or taking the tire stem covers off. Im sure this sounds familiar. Btw the calming techniques are temporary.

[luismontemayor]

What if I'm that patient.. what should I do to calm down.. all the things you are describing it's me what should I do get some therapy?

[sunshinexamberrr]

thank you now i can calm my crazy best friends down😅😢