After Hurricane Katrina, I was asked how to keep the trauma from resulting in suicide.
While the immediate crisis from Katrina has passed, there is always the possibility of another mass disaster, so the response I gave that inquirer might be helpful.
If someone is at risk of suicide, hospitalization might be indicated until the condition can be stabilized. The person's ability to stabilize and stay safe will often be related to his/her stability prior to the current trauma.
If there were multiple losses experienced, the person is likely feeling the effects of being out of control as well as grief for the losses.
Crisis intervention strategies seem to be the most valuable at a time like this.
Helping the individual make as many decisions as possible often helps the person regain some sense of control.
If the person has any support system available, those people can be advised how to help the individual at risk. They can be taught the danger signs and what to do to get the person to safety.
In a mass disaster, it is likely that members of the support system may also be experiencing difficulties, so shoring them up can be helpful.
Hope Makes Healing Possible!
Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW
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