Polycrisis is a term used to describe a situation where multiple major crises happen at the same time and interact with each other, making the overall impact worse than each crisis alone.
Core Idea
A polycrisis isn’t just “a lot of problems.” It’s when problems are:
- Interconnected
- Mutually reinforcing
- Hard to solve in isolation
Simple Example
Imagine these happening simultaneously:
- Economic instability (inflation, debt)
- Extreme weather
- Constant Threat
- Constant Danger
Each one:
- Makes the others worse
- Complicates solutions
- Overloads institutions and decision-making systems
Real-World Context
The early 2020s are often described as a polycrisis period, including:
- The COVID-19 pandemic
- Supply chain breakdowns
- Geopolitical tensions
- Rising inflation and economic uncertainty
These didn’t occur independently, they fed into each other.
Why It Matters
Polycrisis situations could be especially difficult because:
- Solutions to one problem can worsen another
- Systems become fragile and unpredictable
- Traditional “single-issue” thinking breaks down
Psychological Angle
From a cognitive and behavioral perspective, polycrisis may lead to:
- Chronic stress and anxiety
- Cognitive overload (too many threats to process)
- Attentional fragmentation
- Increased reliance on simplified narratives or belief systems
In One Line
A polycrisis maybe a network of crises that collide and amplify each other, creating a complex, high-stakes situation that’s harder to understand and manage than any single crisis alone.
Shervan K Shahhian
LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION 