[Psychiatric care in emergency victims]

Immediate psychiatric care are realised either in the frame of acute traumatic crisis centres or on specific psychotraumatic consultations. They are indicated for victims of disasters, collective accidents, and hostages taken as well as for rescuers themselves, so frequently exposed to extreme situations. They are also indicated for victims of numerous individual aggressions who are seen in medico-judiciary emergencies. Their purpose is to reduce clinical manifestations of stress (adapted or complicated) by a quick intervention and to prevent the risk of installation of a chronic psychotraumatic syndrome, which is the principal psychiatric complication linked to these situations. These immediate psychiatric care allow the organisation of rapid psychotherapeutic interventions, i.e. psychological debriefing.