Psychosocial emergency care

Initial situation

Mr P. and his wife are experienced motorcyclists. At the start of their holiday together, they plan a motorcycle tour. Mrs P. sits behind her husband as a passenger. As Mr P. begins to overtake a very slow, erratically manoeuvring car, the driver unexpectedly turns. The motorcycle loses control and skids. Mrs P. is seriously injured in the fall and must be taken to hospital by helicopter.

After the holidays, Mr P. returns to work. However, he soon realises that he has not yet overcome the shock of the accident. Hand tremors, sleep disturbances, heavy sweating and a persistent fear of imminent danger plague him not only in his private life, but also at work. Since the accident, the couple have been reluctant to drive, and their mobility has been significantly restricted.

Proitera’s assignment

About ten days after the accident, Mr P. contacted Proitera on the advice of his supervisor. The social counsellor assigned to him is trained in psychosocial emergency care and debriefing.

Proitera’s intervention

During the preliminary discussion, it is clarified whether debriefing is the right method to help the couple. Alternatively, triage for victim support or trauma therapy can be discussed. The conscious decision to use the debriefing method and the consent of the person(s) concerned are crucial to its effectiveness. Mr and Mrs P. are given a detailed explanation of what a ‘debriefing’ entails. Both agree to use this method on individually agreed dates.

The two to three-hour session focuses on differentiating between the various levels of experience (facts, thoughts, emotions). This helps to reduce stress in the autonomic nervous system and alleviate the effects of the traumatic event on the present. Six to eight weeks after the debriefing, a second appointment is made to find out what has changed in the meantime.

Result

The debriefing is proving effective: Mr P.'s physical reactions, such as hand tremors, sleep disturbances and heavy sweating, have noticeably decreased. Thanks to improved sleep, Mr P. feels more rested and better able to concentrate at work. He also feels increasingly safer in traffic, and the couple is travelling more again. Mr P. now knows that the event is in the past and that the danger is over. He has learned how to counteract stress reactions.