Crisis Intervention - Term Paper Example

Crisis Intervention Crisis Intervention The victim of an assault incident may develop suicidal thoughts due to trauma anddepression (Petrak, 2003). Sandra developed suicidal thoughts due to the depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder she was experiencing. These thoughts involved taking a bottle of Tylenol and making superficial cuts on her body. This has drained away her trust in herself and suicide would be the final remedy to the problem. Counselors working with victims of sexual assault often encounter suicidal thoughts in their clients.

The counselor is forced to assess and determine the persistence of the suicidal thoughts in their clients as an intervention. Sandra had identified the means to commit suicide and the counselor should treat her as a high risk. Self-inflicted injuries and pain can serve as signs of suicide attempt by the patient.Mental disorders, particularly depression, are predisposing factors to suicide attempts by patients. According to Kanel (2012), suicide is among the leading sources of death among youths aged between the ages of 15 and 24 and women have a higher probability of attempting suicide than men.

For every 100-200 youths contemplating suicide, one successfully completes the act (Kanel, 2012). Sandra is a seventeen-old woman experiencing depression due to sexual assault. This makes her highly vulnerable to suicide, which she has thought of committing. The counselor can intervene by assessing her ability to control suicidal thoughts. She was able to control the idea of consuming Tylenol and the counselor can establish the bases of the motivating forces. Soliciting family support can help prevent suicide attempt by the victim.

This would involve talking to her family members about her problem in order to eliminate the feeling of worthlessness.Post-traumatic stress disorder is the major type of crisis experienced by war veterans. This develops due to exposure to situations involving death or threats of death by enemy combatants (Gilliland and James, 2012). Post-traumatic disorder is a risk factor for suicidal ideation by war veterans. The PTSD is caused by injuries, bombings, rape, ambushes, and death of troop members.

These events make the solders yearn for death due to regular flashbacks. The crisis intervention for a war veteran would involve psychological counseling (Gilliland and James, 2012). This would reduce the anger and irritation caused by war events. The patient would require minimum exposure to stressful interactions from other soldiers. However, veteran to veteran socialization helps create a social network that can facilitate the healing process. Victims of natural calamities and terrorism have frequents triggers that remind them of the traumatic events (Kanel, 2012).

These reminders affect their recovery process by increasing their mental pressure. Anniversaries and living in a potentially violent area remind the victims of the terror attack or a natural calamity. The ecological environment inhabited by the victim may help or disrupt the healing process. A counselor can help the victim make sense of the events in order to eliminate blame and guilt. This helps the victims integrate with the current environment. The intervention can involve active participation in social activities in order to adjust to the environment cause by the calamity or terror attack.

ReferencesGilliland, B. E., & James, R. K. (2012). Crisis intervention strategies. Belmont, CA : Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.Kanel, K. (2012). A guide to crisis intervention. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.Petrak, J. (2003). The Trauma of Sexual Assault: Treatment, Prevention and Practice. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.