Hotel Collapse on the Mosel - Trauma expert: Relaxation is important for survivors
For survivors of disasters like the hotel collapse in Kröv, it's crucial to have a calm and safe environment, according to a trauma expert. "Their surroundings, their family, their friends should be there for them, providing a safe haven," said Pia Heckel, director of the Institute for Psychotraumatology in Hamburg. Directly questioning survivors about their experience, such as in an interview, could re-traumatize them.
Time, rest, and relaxing activities like walking are important, Heckel said. "You can't just talk yourself out of something like this," she said. It's crucial for survivors to decide what they want to talk about. "She was in a completely helpless situation. She needs to decide what happens," Heckel said, referring to a survivor who was trapped for nearly 24 hours.
Supportive environment helpful for processing
After a traumatic experience, it's important to have friends or family nearby, Heckel said. If that's not possible, crisis intervention teams in emergency services can help. Survivors should also avoid alcohol and drugs: "That interferes with processing. No sedatives, no sleeping pills."
"A trauma is always associated with psychological or physical threat to life," Heckel said. "Something that completely exceeds the normal range of experience." These experiences are beyond what the brain can fully process. In such situations, people may not be present and may experience a kind of tunnel vision.
"Not every trauma requires therapy. It depends on how stable the environment is," Heckel said. Therapeutic options include EMDR therapy, where the event is relived emotionally.
The collapse
In the hotel collapse in the Mosel town on Wednesday night, one man and one woman died, seven people were injured, and some were trapped for hours. Among the injured was a small family with a two-year-old child. The last rescued survivor was trapped for nearly 24 hours. According to a fire department spokesman, the woman was trapped in a bent position under concrete slabs.
The rescued injured are doing relatively well physically, police spokeswoman Romy Berger said on Thursday. There are fractures and scrapes. However, the greater challenge will likely be the psychological strain.
The rescue operation took place in The Moselle town, specifically at the hotel collapse. (First sentence)
Survivors of such traumatic events, like the hotel collapse, need a supportive environment to process their experiences. (Second sentence)
