Flood disaster in NRW and RLP: Offers of help for employees of the University and the University Hospital Bonn
The flood disaster has had an existentially threatening effect on many people. Numerous employees of the University and the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) have also been affected.
In order to ensure quick and concrete practical help, the University of Bonn has set up a hotline for affected staff members (https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/university/emergency-assistance-information/emergency-assistance?set_language=en); if psychological support is needed, enquiries will be forwarded to the outpatient clinics mentioned below. University members can call the number 0228 73-5541 at any time.
Furthermore, the outpatient clinics of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy and the Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Gerontopsychiatry, together with staff from the Department of Epileptology and the hospital chaplaincy, offer initial supportive talks and short-term treatment. As during the Corona crisis, you can reach the staff hotline at 0228 (287)-31313 during the following office hours: Mon 9-11am, Wed 3-5pm and Thu 9-11am.
Catastrophic experiences such as natural disasters can lead to stress reactions and in some cases to trauma reactions that require treatment. A sensible way of dealing with exceptionally stressful events from a psychological point of view is described here:
- Dealing with Stressful Events (in german) (Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance)(https://www.kritis.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/BBK/DE/Publikationen/Broschueren_Flyer/Buergerinformationen_A4/Mit_belastenden_Ereignissen_umgehen_Buergerinfo.pdf?__blob=publicationFile)
- Floods: How to cope with such a trauma?(in german) (Spiegel Online 21.07.2021, fee required)(https://www.spiegel.de/psychologie/hochwasser-und-flut-wie-bewaeltigt-man-ein-solches-trauma-a-d7ddb237-681b-4554-ace8-02d9f7dce762) (with costs)
Furthermore, there is the network "Soforthilfe Psyche" (https://sofortaktiv.de/)(german), which was founded by trauma therapists, and the "Kollegennetzwerk Psychotherapie" (https://kollegennetzwerk-psychotherapie.de/)(german), which also offers short-term therapy places for acute treatment in psychotherapeutic practices.
Access to further outpatient psychotherapeutic treatment with established therapists can be found on the websites of the chambers of psychotherapists in NRW (https://www.ptk-nrw.de/aktuelles/hochwasserkatastrophe-in-nrw)(german) and RLP (https://www.lpk-rlp.de/news/detail/kammermitglieder-zeigen-erneut-grosse-hilfsbereitschaft.html)(german).
