Crisis Intervention

Abstract

Thy said it most certainly was a crisis. Old Sam had ‘flipped his lid’ again. The homehelp, a former mental health nurse, literally pleaded with her senior to get something done. Mrs Murray next door could not take any more. Mrs Jones, a life-long neighbour and friend of Sam had been wakened three times the previous night by his knocking on the door. Big sergeant McGill complained too, said two of his officers had been called out because there was Sam wandering in the dead hour of night with no trousers on; Dr Harvey bluntley asked how ‘dead’ Sam would have to be before we made a move; he had left him an hour ago, totally paralytic and sick having consumed half a bottle of whisky; now, said Dr Harvey, he was gulping down that peculiar mixture of vinegar and sugar, which, in phases like this, he simply could not resist. And this was a very sudden phase, because Sam had been discharged from the psychiatric ward no more than two weeks ago. The consultant was saying a very definite ‘no’ to the request for readmission.