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(A12) From a Helpless Victim to a Coping Survivor: Innovative Mental Health Intervention Methods during Emergencies and Disasters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2011

M.U. Farchi
Affiliation:
School Of Social Work, Stress & Trauma Studies Program, Upper Galilee, Israel
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Abstract

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Crisis, disasters, terror attacks or any other traumatic event may cause among the survivors acute stress reaction (ASR). The main goal of the first responder in terms of mental health in the acute phase is to provide the victim the basic support that will stabilized the needed coping resources and re-establish the sense of control and safety (Kutz & Bleich, 2005). This process encourages the shift of the victim's perspective from a helpless victim to a coping survivor. The emergency mental health interventions are differentiated by the location: Location 1: The event's location: Pacing & Leading using varied communications channels. Re-establishing sequences of contingency. Regaining sense of control. Using the cognitive communication channel. Yes-set sequences. Location 2: Emergency rooms or Traumatic Stress First Aid Centers (TSFAC) Stress symptoms reduction using suggestive techniques Memory Structure Intervention (MSI). Psychological Inoculation (PI). Group interventions. Basic deferential diagnosis: ASR-PTSD Patent release decision making. The higher the number of casualties, the more likely is the need for early interventions by non-professionals. This may be particularly true for a mega-terror attack, when the numbers of survivors with ASR can flood the hospital gates. The general principles for intervention by non-professionals, adopted by the Israel Ministry of Health (2002), are: a. Establish personal contact with the survivors and provide words of comfort or supportive touch. b. Encourage survivors to verbalize their experiences. c. Provide orienting information about what happened and what is about to happen in the hospital. d. Ensure physical needs such as hydration, food, and rest when appropriate. e. Enable contact with any significant other as soon as possible through phone or personal contact. During the presentation the above subjects will be elaborated and demonstrated by case studies and short videos.

Type
Abstracts of Scientific and Invited Papers 17th World Congress for Disaster and Emergency Medicine
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2011