Crisis Intervention with Trembling Hands: My Reactions as a Helper in the Western Germany Floods
The following blog is a guest post written by Dr. Axenia Schäfer about using Alpha-Stim in Western Germany following devastating flooding.
On the night of July 14, flash flooding decimated parts of Western Germany. The physical damage was immense, as was the psychological trauma of the people affected by the disaster.
What follows is the narrative of Dr. Axenia Schäfer, who assisted with the crisis response by gathering Alpha-Stim devices and guiding distraught residents through treatments to ease their [anxiety].
Using Alpha-Stim Following a Catastrophic Event
Western Germany faced terrible flash flooding in the night of July 14th to 15th. More than 180 people died, and more than 70 are still missing. There are villages where the infrastructure is flooded away (water supply, waste water, electricity, railroads, streets, bridges). Many people lost family members, friends, neighbors, homes, and all their belongings.
Dr. Axenia Schäfer assisted with crisis response by gathering Alpha-Stim® devices and guiding distraught residents through treatments to ease their stress and anxiety.
My brother lives in the region and our relief campaign started in the classic way: pumping water and shoveling mud. But it soon became clear that not only muscle power, rubber boots, and buckets were needed, but also support to help people with the psychological stress. That is why my brother began to collect Alpha-Stim devices available in his area, so that they could be used by doctors and trained teams for crisis intervention and relief.
Companies and private individuals alike donated their Alpha-Stim devices. The manufacturer of Alpha-Stim, Electromedical Products International, Inc. (EPI), donated 25 devices, sent from Texas to Germany.
One woman affected by the disaster had to smile in the middle of the nightmare while I prepared an Alpha-Stim for her. It was an understanding smile: my hands were trembling – a classic symptom of anxiety.
So it came about that I not only prepared the Alpha-Stim devices for flood victims to ease their tension and help them sleep; I also had to use my Alpha-Stim to calm myself down. The Alpha-Stim waveform often works within a few minutes to relieve anxiety. The symptoms are “zapped” away.
Inner restlessness and tension, trembling hands, pain, a knot in the stomach, an inability to sleep properly despite exhaustion, thoughts revolving around a possible failure of one’s own – the reactions of body and mind caused by the fear and horror of a crisis are many. And this applies not only to people who are directly affected by the disasters, but also to their helpers.
Western Germany faced terrible flash flooding in the night of July 14th to 15th. More than 180 people died, and more than 70 are still missing.
In disaster situations in Germany, acute care for severely stressed people is usually provided by doctors, trained laymen, first responders, emergency chaplains, or psychologists. Our resource for this disaster is Alpha-Stim, the small device that emits a special microcurrent via the earlobes. It sounds unusual, but has been proven effective for more than 40 years, and has been examined in clinical research studies. Even with first responders, it is safe and extremely easy to use.
When Tracey Kirsch, the CEO of EPI, became aware of the catastrophe, she did everything to provide fast and exceptional help with this exceptional device. The crisis intervention team that is using Alpha-Stim here in the flooded villages, their helpers and of course the people affected by the flood – and last but not least me, having my steady hands back – are very grateful to have Alpha-Stim for treatment.
Electromedical Products International, Inc. (EPI), manufacturer of Alpha-Stim, is proud to have been able to contribute to the efforts of Dr. Schäfer’s team. Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by this disaster.
