Citation

Luiz T. Notfall Rettungsmed. 2008; 11(8): 547-551.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10049-008-1106-9

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Psychosocial emergencies are gaining in frequency and relevance. They represent a subgroup of diagnoses that may be allocated neither to classic psychiatric nor classic somatic diseases. The common factor is a derailment of a pre-existing lack of social resources (i. e. family, workplace) in connection with an underlying mental disorder. Most important indications are chronic substance abuse, domestic violence, panic disorder and social neglect. Key aspects in the management of these emergencies consist of safety measures, verbal crisis intervention, drug therapy, and the facilitation of further treatment. For the future both optimized education and training as well as intensified collaboration with social services are mandatory.