How To Keep House While Drowning

How do you stay calm when drowning?

Breathe – Panic is understandable. Your brain tells you that you’re in danger, and your sympathetic nervous system – that ‘fight or flight’ instinct – kicks into action. The main symptom is shortness of breath or hyperventilation (fast, gasping breaths).

This is often exacerbated by your wetsuit, which feels tight across your chest. So, what should you do? It’s down to your rational self to signal that you’re okay. The main way to do this is through your breathing. Slow it right down. Concentrate on your ‘out’ breath, gently trickle breathing when your face is in the water.

Turn to take an ‘in’ breath, but don’t gasp. Many swimmers find a rhythm, count or even recite the line to a song to help them breathe in a calm way. For example, you might say to yourself ‘bubble, bubble, bubble, breathe’, or ‘one, two, three, breathe; one, two, sight, breathe’.

Should you save a drowning person?

What to do if you witness someone drown –

1. Call for emergency help.
2. Do NOT attempt to rescue the drowning person by entering the water if you have not been trained as you will be endangering yourself.
3. Throw a flotation device such as a rescue tube and life jacket, or extend a long pole for the drowning person to hold onto.
4. Once the drowning person is on dry land, begin resuscitation/CPR if there is no spontaneous breathing or pulse. Keep the head and neck very still in case of spinal, neck, or head injuries.
5. If the person was swimming in cold water, get blankets or otherwise help bring the person’s body temperature back to normal.

What do you throw to save someone from drowning?

A ring buoy is a buoyant ring with 40 to 50 feet of lightweight line attached to it. The ring is thrown by a rescuer to someone who needs help in the water.

What time does death come through at drowning?

Every year, more than 3,500 people in the United States die from drowning, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), It’s the fifth most common cause of accidental death in the country. Most people who die by drowning are children.

Drowning is a form of death by suffocation. Death occurs after the lungs take in water. This water intake then interferes with breathing. The lungs become heavy, and oxygen stops being delivered to the heart. Without the supply of oxygen, the body shuts down. The average person can hold their breath for around 30 seconds.

For children, the length is even shorter. A person who’s in excellent health and has training for underwater emergencies can still usually hold their breath for only 2 minutes. But the health event we know as drowning only takes a couple of seconds to occur.

1. If a person is submerged after breathing in water for 4 to 6 minutes without resuscitation, it will result in brain damage and eventually death by drowning.
2. This article will discuss safety strategies to prevent drowning.
3. It doesn’t take a lot of water to cause drowning.
4. Every year, people drown in bathtubs, shallow lakes, and even small puddles.

The amount of liquid it takes to cause a person’s lungs to shut down varies according to their:

• age
• weight
• respiratory health

Some studies indicate that a person can drown in 1 milliliter of fluid for every kilogram they weigh. So, a person weighing around 140 pounds (63.5 kg) could drown after inhaling only a quarter cup of water. A person can drown on dry land hours after inhaling water in a near-drowning incident.

1. This is what’s known as secondary drowning.
2. Dry drowning, which refers to drowning that takes place less than an hour after someone inhales water, can also occur.
3. However, the medical community is trying to distance itself from the use of this confusing term.
4. Medical emergency If you or your child has inhaled a significant amount of water in a near-drowning incident, seek emergency care as soon as possible, even if things seem fine.

Drowning happens very quickly, but it does take place in stages. The stages can take between 10 and 12 minutes before death occurs. If a child is drowning, it may happen much more quickly. Here’s a breakdown of the stages of drowning:

1. For the first several seconds after water is inhaled, the drowning person is in a state of fight-or-flight as they struggle to breathe.
2. As the airway begins to close to prevent more water from getting into the lungs, the person will start to hold their breath involuntarily. This takes place for up to 2 minutes, until they lose consciousness.
3. The person becomes unconscious. During this stage, they can still be revived through resuscitation and have a chance at a good outcome. Breathing stops and the heart slows. This can last for several minutes.
4. The body enters a state called hypoxic convulsion. This can look like a seizure. Without oxygen, the person’s body appears to turn blue and may jerk around erratically.
5. The brain, heart, and lungs reach a state beyond where they can be revived. This final stage of drowning is called cerebral hypoxia, followed by clinical death.

Drowning happens quickly, so being proactive about preventing drowning accidents is essential. Children between the ages of 5 and 14, as well as adolescents and adults over 65, are at a higher risk for drowning. Children under 5 years old face an extremely significant risk of drowning.

How long do drowns live?

What Happens to the Body During Drowning? Drowning causes thousands of deaths yearly, even though it’s preventable with proper training and precautions. What most people don’t know about drowning, however, is how it affects the body while it’s happening.

If you’re curious about what happens to the body during drowning, keep reading to learn more about the science of drowning. How Long Can You Hold Your Breath Underwater? Most people can hold their breath for about one minute. But some people can train themselves to hold their breath for much longer. This is called apnea.

Free-divers can hold their breath for more than eight minutes. And in 2016, SpanishAleix Segura Vendrell set a world record by holding his breath underwater for 24 minutes! How Long Does it take to Drown? It takes only a few seconds to drown, but it can take up to three minutes for a person submerged in water to become unconscious.

During this time, their airway may be blocked by fluid in the lungs or mouth, making breathing difficult or impossible. Here’s what happens to the body during drowning. The body’s response to drowning begins when the brain senses hypoxia (oxygen deprivation). This causes the nervous system to trigger a series of reactions meant to protect vital organs, e.g., the heart and lungs, from damage until the victim is removed from the water and resuscitation efforts begin.

A person can survive for hours or even days after being immersed in water and still be alive, depending on how deep the water was, how long the person was underwater, and other factors. However, there is a consensus that someone can die from drowning within minutes of submerging.

They’re unlikely to survive within an hour, and within twelve hours, they will almost certainly die from their injuries. How Fast Do Lungs Collapse Underwater? Under normal circumstances, our lungs can collapse and reform as we breathe in and out. However, when we’re submerged underwater, the water pressure is so great that it can prevent our lungs from collapsing.

This can cause our chest cavity to fill with fluid, which puts pressure on our heart and prevents it from pumping blood effectively. In severe cases, this can lead to cardiac arrest and death. Another vital aspect of drowning is oxygen deprivation, When someone’s head goes under water, their airways close off due to an automatic reflex called the laryngeal sphincter.

1. These airways need to remain open for a person to breathe naturally and keep their oxygen levels up.
2. Without air or oxygen, hypoxia can set in quickly, causing brain damage or even death if not treated soon enough.
3. For hypoxia not to occur, a person needs 100% oxygen saturation.
4. This means they need all the parts of their body, including skin and organs like kidneys, liver, and brain cells–to receive enough oxygen from the bloodstream.

Do We Black Out Before We Drown? You might think you would black out before drowning, but that’s not necessarily the case. Scientists have found that a loss of consciousness follows a period of hyperventilation. But this doesn’t happen immediately, and here’s how drowning happens. what happens to the body during drowning? An illustration of drowning chain of survival. Author credit: By David szpilman – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34111788 When someone starts to struggle and then gasps for air, they’re filling their lungs with both air and water.

1. And because the airways are already narrowed from panicking or struggling against water, it is hard to get oxygen into your lungs as you go under.
2. If a person manages to avoid panicking completely, they’ll be able to calm themselves down enough that they won’t inhale any water, even if they’ve been submerged for some time.

However, even those who remain calm still need oxygen if submerged under 10 meters (32 feet) of water or more. This is how you die from drowning – oxygen deprivation or brain damage due to hypoxia (a lack of oxygen). Does Water Temperature Affect How Quickly We Drown? Many factors affect how quickly a person drowns, including their swimming ability, the temperature of the water, and whether they are wearing a life jacket.

Cold water immersion can generally lead to hypothermia and make it difficult to swim, contributing to drowning. However, even in warm water, drowning can occur quickly if a swimmer is not prepared or does not have adequate swimming skills. Does Alcohol Affect Your Ability to Swim and Avoid Drowning? Alcohol decreases your coordination and reaction time, making swimming more difficult.

It also increases your risk of hypothermia and lowers your body temperature. Alcohol also dehydrates you, which can make cramping more likely. So next time you’re headed to the beach, leave the booze at home. If you happen to fall in, though, be sure to know how to save yourself! First, roll onto your back so water doesn’t get into your nose or mouth.

Then, extend both arms straight out on either side of you for balance. When you feel like trying to stand up is safe (keep an eye on currents!). You can do this by using slow motion, such as swinging one arm back while using the other for balance. Steps to Issue CPR First Aid to a Drowning Victim When someone is drowning, every second counts.

That’s why knowing how to administer CPR properly in an emergency is important. Here are the steps you should take:

1. Call 911 immediately.
2. Check for signs of responsiveness. If the person is unresponsive, begin CPR first aid,
3. Start chest compressions. Place your hands in the center of the person’s chest and push down firmly at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute.
4. Open the airway. Tilt the head back and lift the chin up to open the airway.
5. Give rescue breaths. Pinch the nose shut and place your mouth over the person’s mouth to create an airtight seal.

If the victim is still unconscious, continue with chest pushes until trained rescuers arrive. Find someone with CPR knowledge if you do not know how to issue chest compressions. CPR First Aid training teaches what happens to the body during drowning and how to assist a victim.

• Can You Do Anything When a Person’s Face Has Turned blue from Drowning? When someone has gone blue in the face from drowning, they have suffered oxygen deprivation for too long, and their body is starting to shut down.
• Very little can be done at this point, as the damage has already been done.
• The best thing to do is to get the person out of the water immediately and start CPR First Aid.

With prompt medical attention, some people have been known to survive even after being submerged for over an hour. What are the Chances of Recovering from Drowning? If someone is not breathing or has no pulse when pulled out of the water, they may have no brain function and thus be in a coma or vegetative state (a comatose state).

• However, this doesn’t mean that they won’t recover eventually; however, survival rates are lower than other types of injury, so doctors consider this when treating patients rescued after a suspected drowning incident.
• What Factors Can Increase the Risk of Drowning The first factor that can increase the risk of drowning is the time spent in water.

The longer you’re in the water, the greater your risk of drowning. Other factors that may contribute to drowning include:

• Being alone or being with a limited number of people.
• Not wearing a life jacket, especially when swimming in open water where rescuers can’t reach you quickly enough.
• Disease and disability. Individuals with a history of cerebral palsy, an injury or fracture, or amputation are at greater risk of drowning than healthy people who have not experienced those types of injuries.
• Swimming near a significant body of water like a river or lake where there’s a lot of traffic and more people are around.
• Not knowing how to swim or not having any training for swimming techniques (such as treading water).
• Age is also a factor. Children and people of age are at a higher risk of drowning.

Lastly, drug and alcohol use can increase the risk of drowning by impairing judgment, coordination, balance, and muscle strength. Last Words on What Happens to the Body During Drowning The risk of drowning increases when the victim cannot communicate with others or has no means to call for help. This is why it’s crucial to have people around you when swimming in a pool or open water.

What happens to a body after drowning?

Early Postmortem Changes and Signs of Immersion – If a body of water is the primary death scene and the body has been immersed for only a short period of time, the position of the body will be affected by clothing and any personal effects on the body ( Image 1 ).

If the individual has drowned, typically the body will initially submerge and assume what has been called the “drowning position.” This is where the anterior aspect of the individual faces the bottom of the body of the water and the extremities and head hang downward toward the bottom while the individual’s back is toward the surface ( Image 2 ) ( 2 ).

In shallow water, the hands, knees, dorsal aspect of the feet, and the forehead may drag along the bottom, creating postmortem cutaneous abrasions that may be difficult to differentiate from antemortem injuries ( Image 3 ). These abrasions will be exaggerated in a strong current. Clothing on a drowning victim will alter the buoyancy and the progression of decomposition. It may also be misleading as in this case where an item of clothing has the appearance of a blindfold. A body in the water in the standard “drowning position” with the anterior aspect of the body facing the bottom of the river. As the body enters shallow water the distal extremities and forehead are frequently dragged along the bottom. As the hands and feet drag along the bottom, abrasions occur on the extensor surfaces. Differentiating antemortem injuries from postmortem changes may be difficult. Perhaps the most well-known external change that immersion in liquid has on the body is wrinkling of the skin, particularly involving the hands and feet ( 3 ).

• Traditionally this has been called “washerwoman’s hands” or “washerwoman’s changes,” though a better designation on the autopsy report would be cutaneous changes of immersion ( Image 4 ).
• Cutis anserina or goose flesh is another cutaneous change of immersion and is caused by rigor of the erector pilli muscles within the skin.

Both of these changes, wrinkling and cutis anserina, will occur as a postmortem change and do not require the individual to be alive upon entering the water ( 2 ). The usual postmortem changes of vascular marbling, dark discoloration of skin and soft tissue, bloating, and putrefaction occur in the water as they do on land though at a different rate, particularly in cold water ( 4 ). Cutaneous changes of immersion with marked wrinkling of the skin and eventual sloughing of skin, also known as “washerwoman changes.” Typical postmortem changes combined with mud and debris as well as sloughing of the skin of the hands and feet are typical for bodies recovered from the water. Drowning victims frequently have fluid collections in the pleural cavities at autopsy regardless of the postmortem interval.

• While some of the pleural fluid may represent true effusion occurring as part of the drowning process, fluid accumulation in the pleural spaces is also commonly present in bodies recovered from the water that have undergone decomposition irrespective of the cause of death.
• A similar phenomenon is seen with the presence of dirt and vegetation in the respiratory tract.

Some aspiration of foreign material may occur during the drowning process, though water and debris may also enter the respiratory tree in the postmortem period, particularly in turbulent water. Compared to nondecomposed bodies recovered from water, bodies that have undergone decomposition and recovered from water have been found to have increased pleural fluid accumulation, increased animal predation, and more commonly have dirt and vegetation in the lower respiratory tract ( 5 ).

Why is drowning quiet?

Do you imagine drowning to be splashy and loud, with arms flailing and screams for help, as perhaps seen in a movie? If you thought you could hear if a loved one was drowning, you would be sorely mistaken. The reality is that someone could be drowning a few feet away from you and you wouldn’t know it – because drowning is often silent. “When people are drowning, all of their energy is going into trying to breathe and staying above water,” says Shelley Dalke, Director, Swimming and Water Safety Programs for the Canadian Red Cross. “They are not yelling for help or waving their hands around.

• Drowning is often very silent.” On average, 51 people drown during the summer, each year, from non-aquatic activity incidents such as a fall into water, where the person did not intend to be in the water.
• The majority of 1 to 4 year old fatalities fell into backyard pools (52%), and 77% of fatalities occurred when children were alone (without adult supervision or their caregiver was momentarily absent).

That’s why active supervision of children around the water is key. More than 90% of kids who drown in shallow water are either not with an adult or being effectively supervised by an adult. “Caregivers should always designate one person who is responsible for supervising children in, on or around water,” adds Dalke.

1. That person should never take their eyes off the child, not even for a second.” Children who cannot lift their face out of the water can drown in just a few centimetres.
2. And many children who drown never intended to be in the water in the first place.
3. Some people with limited or no swimming ability, may disappear underwater in less than a few seconds without any clear sign of distress.

The “instinctive drowning response” position is when the drowning person has the ability to attempt to stay above the water’s surface. However, in this position it is very difficult to keep the mouth above the water’s surface and to maintain enough air in the lungs for the person to stay afloat.7 warning signs that someone is drowning: 1.

Struggling to keep their face above the water in an effort to breathe – head is low in the water, tilted back, and mouth is at water level.2. Has arms extended to the side pressing down for support.3. Has a vertical or approaching vertical body position with no supportive kick, appear as if they are bobbing.4.

Might continue to struggle underwater, but isn’t making any headway, often facing the nearest point of safety, for example land, a person, shallow water, a buoyant support toy or a boat.5. Eyes appear big, glassy and empty, unable to focus; 6. Inability to respond to the question: “Are you okay?” 7.

Why am I scared of drowning?

What are aquaphobia causes? – Possible causes of aquaphobia include:

• Past traumatic events: People who’ve had a traumatic experience related to water may develop aquaphobia. For example, you or someone else may have had a near-drowning experience.
• Negative stories about water: Some people heard scary stories about water, drowning or shipwrecks during childhood. Others watched movies about frightening incidents in the water, such as the shark in the 1975 film, “Jaws.”
• Family history: Your risk of aquaphobia increases if one of your parents or close relatives has a phobic disorder or anxiety disorder. And you may be more anxious than other people if you have a certain gene mutation (change).
• Modeling: Seeing a person with aquaphobia or hearing someone talk about their fear of water may lead you to develop the same phobia.

Can you stop dry drowning?

Dry drowning can happen after you’ve fallen into water and have been taken out. After taking in water through the nose or mouth, the muscles in your windpipe can become constrained to protect your lungs. Some people have labeled this condition “dry drowning,” though this is not a medical term or diagnosis.

1. Also known as “post-immersion syndrome,” this condition is rare.
2. Dry drowning mainly occurs in children.
3. While 95 percent of children are fine after accidentally slipping underwater, it’s important to be vigilant and aware of drowning symptoms that can happen once your child appears safe and dry.
4. Dry drowning is a medical emergency that requires prompt attention.

Dry drowning and secondary drowning are both the result of injuries that happen underwater. Dry drowning sets in less than an hour after inhaling water. But secondary drowning, which is also rare, can happen up to 48 hours after a water accident. Secondary drowning is caused by water that accumulates in the lungs.

1. It’s more similar to what we think of as “real” drowning because it involves your lungs filling up with water.
2. The water then causes breathing difficulties.
3. Both dry drowning and secondary drowning are serious health conditions that can be fatal.
4. You should notice the warning signs of dry drowning within an hour of getting out of the water.

Dry drowning causes the vocal cords to close over the windpipe. This effect is called a laryngospasm. The laryngospasm could be mild, causing breathing to become difficult, or it can be severe, preventing any oxygen from getting in or out of the lungs.

difficulty breathing or speakingirritability or unusual behaviorcoughing chest pain low energy or sleepiness after a water incident

If your child is having difficulty breathing, they may be unable to speak or express their symptoms. That’s why it’s important to monitor your child carefully after a water scare to make sure they’re breathing freely. If you see symptoms of dry drowning, you need to call for emergency medical assistance.

1. Dial 911 without delay.
2. In the meantime, try to keep yourself or your child calm for the duration of the laryngospasm.
3. Eeping calm can help the windpipe muscles to relax more quickly.
4. Once emergency help arrives, they will administer treatment at the scene.
5. This may involve resuscitation if someone has passed out due to lack of oxygen.

Once the person is stable, they’ll be taken to the hospital for observation. Having symptoms of dry drowning after a submersion incident requires medical observation to make sure that regular breathing resumes and to rule out other conditions, such as secondary drowning or bacterial pneumonia,

1. A chest X-ray or evaluation by a pulmonary specialist may be necessary to rule out water in the lungs.
2. Dry drowning is a type of drowning, which is one of the leading causes of death in young children.
3. But you can minimize the chances of drowning by doing your best to prevent water accidents altogether.

In the case of children 2 years old and younger, any water submersion is a serious risk. Even if a child is just under the water for a minute or two, take them straight to the emergency room after a water scare. Keep these safety rules in mind when you have small children in your care:

Supervise children who are under 4 years old in any body of water. This includes the bathtub.Children under 4 years of age should never swim or bathe unassisted. Passengers of all ages should wear lifejackets while boating. Consider taking an infant CPR class if you frequently supervise children at the pool or the beach. Invest in swimming lessons for yourself and your children.Keep pool gates closed at all times. Don’t swim or play near the ocean without a lifeguard present.

People who are treated immediately when symptoms of dry drowning occur have a high probability of recovering with no lasting side effects. The most important thing to guarantee a good outcome is carefully watching for symptoms after a water accident. The minute symptoms occur, call for emergency assistance. Do not try to wait it out.

Can you drown and be saved?

Drowning Is Not Always Fatal Medical and health organizations around the world debated for a long time to determine what actually constitutes a drowning. In 2002, numerous worldwide organizations came together to create an official definition. Drowning is now defined as “the PROCESS of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in a liquid.

If someone has difficulty breathing as a result of being underwater, then they have drowned.” Why is a definition so important you may ask? The means drowning is a process that is NOT always fatal, just like strokes and heart attacks do not always end in death. People survive heart attacks and strokes often, but occasionally they have complications.

The same is true for drowning. Thousands of people survive drowning with no complications and sometimes they may have various degrees of brain damage from oxygen deprivation. That’s why immediate rescue breaths are so vital prior to giving CPR to drowning patients.

1. Many people who receive standard CPR training today are only taught compressions.
2. Advanced CPR training for rescuing someone drowning requires five initial rescue breaths, followed by rotating 30 compressions, and two breaths until help arrives.
3. If someone survives drowning, they can exhibit symptoms that can progressively get worse if not treated.

Blue lips and fingernails are serious signs of low oxygen levels. If anyone who has been underwater has symptoms of difficulty breathing, excessive cough, foam in their mouth, or they just aren’t acting right, they need to be taken to an emergency room immediately.

Regardless of all the knowledge we have about drowning today, medical institutions and the media continue to use inaccurate terminology, especially on the internet, about non-fatal drownings like dry, wet, near, and delayed/secondary drowning. When cause of death is recorded as some subsequent result of drowning, such as respiratory arrest, the initial drowning cause of death is not accurately recorded.

Starfish Aquatics Institute (SAI) estimates that fatal drownings account for approximately 10 deaths per day in the United States. However, the misuse of terminology makes it difficult for any organization in the U.S. to accurately count all drownings, including those not fatal.

• Based on emergency department data, SAI estimates that there are an additional 30 to 70 persons per day who drown and survive.
• That means that according to the official definition of drowning, possibly up to 80 persons per day are drowning in the U.S.
• And that’s astonishing! You’re never too old to learn to swim.

Plus, you can improve your swimming skills with lessons and practice! Some classes are even offered with just you and an instructor. To find an adult swim lesson instructor in your area enter your zip code at https://www.usms.org/alts/altsinstrsearch.php According to U.S.

1. Army Corps of Engineers statistics on water-related fatalities, 89% of those who drown were not wearing a life jacket, and they’re only counting fatal drownings on the waters they manage.
2. It’s undebatable that there would be many more people surviving drowning, without complications, if they had all worn a life jacket.

References: Justin Sempscrott MD and Seth C. Hawkins MD, “Use of Terms Near, Dry, Delayed, and Secondary Drowning”, 2015, Starfish Aquatics Institute, Position Statement 15-1. : Drowning Is Not Always Fatal

What are 5 effects of drowning?

Pathophysiology – Drowning causes hypoxemia, loss of consciousness, apnea, and ultimately cardiac arrest. Fluid aspiration results in lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Cerebral hypoxic-ischemic injury is a major factor in morbidity and mortality.

How long after drowning can you be saved?

With winter stubbornly hanging on throughout much of the country, there’s a small bit of comfort to be had in the midst of the cold — at least on the drowning rescue front. New research shows that cold water drowning victims can be brought back to life as long as two hours after they drown if the right steps are taken. As it turns out, spending the duration of a Disney movie in ice-cold water isn’t necessarily a death sentence, with appropriate treatment. By dwightsghost, Researchers say the cold water triggers something called the ” mammalian diving response “: Once the body detects an impending cold-water immersion, it attempts to thwart the cold and preserve blood flow to the brain and internal organs.

The heart rate slows down, decreasing oxygen demand. And capillaries in the hands and feet begin to tighten, squeezing blood to the core of the body and brain, where it’s needed most. That response gives cold water drowning victims the equivalent of a second life — if rescuers know how to treat them. Research shows the key is to call 911 and start CPR immediately, without trying to warm the body.

Once victims reach the hospital, doctors can slowly warm and restore blood flow, often bringing the dead back to life. And the difference between life and death for cold water and regular drowning victims is more than a matter of minutes. Dr. Robert Helm, a New Hampshire cardiac surgeon tells of a 3-year-old girl who was resuscitated after nearly 50 minutes.

1. And it’s not just young children who get a second chance in cold water drownings.
2. Helm also knows of a 32-year-old woman who was not resuscitated until nearly 80 minutes after her drowning.
3. Being brought back to life might seem like the amazing part.
4. But it’s the other part that’s truly miraculous: both victims recovered without a brain damage.

Why is that amazing? Drowning isn’t just an event that causes death. Often, drowning survivors suffer brain damage because of the amount of time their brains go without oxygen. That’s why more than 50 percent of drowning victims who survive require hospitalization.

And for every child who drowns, three suffer brain damage, according to the Swims Foundation, So as spring slowly comes this year, bringing with it the inevitable falls through ice, remember that cold water drownings don’t have to be a death sentence, nor a debilitating trauma. They just need to be treated differently than regular drownings.

Doing so could give someone a second chance at life. Tags: best practices, CPR, drowning Category : Natural water, Safety

Is drowning a traumatic death?

Drowning A drowning death is sudden, unexpected, and traumatic for family, whānau, and friends. It is also shocking and distressing for those who witnessed it or who tried to rescue or resuscitate the person. A drowning can happen very fast – in seconds – and be a tremendous shock.

• In some water accident situations more than one person can lose their life by drowning, often from within the same family or group of friends.
• Tragically, at times a person can drown attempting to save the life of someone else.
• In some circumstances the person’s body may not be found straight away, or perhaps at all, and searching can continue for some time.

This intensifies the distress and trauma of those who love them and are anxious about them. Despite the best efforts of rescue and dive recovery teams, some drowning victims are never recovered. If other people have survived the incident they can often feel deeply guilty that they didn’t do enough to prevent the tragedy, or that they are alive while others aren’t.

It can be intensely overwhelming for them. Guilt can be harrowing to cope with and counselling support may be essential. Sometimes people who are trying to make sense of what happened will look to blame someone, or an organisation. Some people find that they become extremely angry, even if it was an unavoidable accident.

When we lose someone very suddenly, we will naturally ask why. The impact and consequences of a sudden drowning death, or deaths, are very painful and far reaching. Most people will experience both grief and traumatic stress reactions, which can be exhausting.

Help and support is available for you. Who gets involved and why After a drowning death, a wide range of people and agencies can become involved. It helps to understand who they are what their role is. A drowning death will first be responded to by those at the location, and then by emergency services, or surf lifesavers if the location is at a public pool or beach.

If the family and whānau were not present, police will advise them about what happened as soon as possible. In some circumstances, specialist search teams may also be involved in recovering the person’s body. Sometimes family, whānau, friends, and community members may want to be part of the search and police can advise how best they can assist with this.

• The information in our explains the roles of the key people you may meet and some of the legal processes that must happen.
• These people understand how distressing this time is and will work respectfully and with care.
• If the incident happened at your home address In this situation, you may need to find alternative accommodation until the police investigation has been completed and you have been given permission to return home.

You might need to stay with family, whānau, friends, or in a local motel for a night or two. A Victim Support worker may be able to support you to find accommodation. Call us 24/7 on 0800 842 846 to be connected with a Support Worker. If you’re a tenant in a rental property, you may want to contact your landlord to let them know what has happened.

Our helpful guide provides information and advice on a wide range of practical matters you are likely to need to attend to after a sudden death, including after a drowning. After any drowning in the sea, river, or lake, local Maori iwi may put a rāhui (ritual prohibition) in place for a time to restrict access to the site where it happened. Police work with iwi to allow this customary Māori practise to happen. A rāhui respects the person who has died and their family and whānau. It is established through the karakia (prayers) of iwi elders and tikanga leaders and is enforced by the respectful understanding and acceptance of the surrounding community. It will be set for a certain number of days, after which it will be lifted. You can speak to your local Police contact about any aspect of this if you have questions. They are able to get advice from a Police Iwi Liaison Officer on such matters. Also see our for helpful information about:

Blessing the site If the person died overseas Managing media interest If police decide to charge someone for being criminally responsible for causing the death.

Give yourself time to recover after this traumatic experience See below for some common reactions that people experience after a drowning death and also ideas for coping with them as best you can in the days ahead.

Witnessing a drowning, or discovering someone who has drowned, is a shocking and extremely distressing experience. What you saw, heard, or had to do may be difficult to deal with, especially if the incident involved people you knew, or were close to, or if the incident involved multiple victims. See our traumatic incident witness support information

When a body has not been recovered, you just want to know what’s happened to them and where they are. Holding out hope for their safety can continue, even against the odds. As searching continues, anxiety can naturally be very high. As the wait goes on, the level of stress can feel extreme and hard to bear.

The media may take an interest in a missing person’s case and ask for interviews with the family or whānau. This can be stressful, even if a family feels it may help the person to be found. See our helpful media guidelines, If a search is called off, families, whānau, friends, and the community will often continue to search, and hope.

Those who have been through this difficult situation suggest that these things helped them:

Maintain hope. Keep positive as best you can and take things one day at a time, Keep busy with routine things as much as possible – this is especially important for those with children. Do things that get you physically moving and things that help you unwind some of the tension – you need both physical movement and rest. Even if your emotions are extreme for a time, you are not going crazy. Remind yourself that you’re experiencing normal reactions to a terrible and traumatic tragedy. You are under tremendous stress. Reach out to others. Find people to talk to. Accepting practical help from others can often make a real difference. Spend time with others but give yourself time alone too when you need that. If there are a lot of people around or contacting you, consider having one person managing visitors, messages, and phone calls for you, to decrease the stress a bit. Look after yourself well. See a doctor if any of your physical or emotional reactions are concerning you, such as flashbacks, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, or chest pains. See a counsellor if talking things out with them might help, especially if difficult thoughts or mental images go round and round in your mind and cause you acute distress that is ongoing.

After a drowning death, most bereaved family, whānau, friends, and communities find their reactions to a sudden death are very strong. Some can find them overwhelming at times. People commonly experience both reactions of grief and trauma, due to the frightening and overwhelming nature of what happened.

Everyone’s different and will react in their own way People will often first experience shock, numbness, and disbelief. So much can be happening so fast that it’s hard to take it all in. Many say the experience left them feeling many different emotions. These include feeling helpless, powerless, frightened, horrified, overwhelmed, angry, blaming, regretful, guilty, despairing, and deeply sad.

If other deaths have been avoided there is often also relief and gratitude, but the impact of a death can be harsh on all affected. The grief that follows can be intense. As we try to make sense of what’s happened, we can find ourselves asking why questions, such as Why did this happen? Why didn’t they get help fast enough? We can have lots of ‘what-if’ questions going round and round in our minds.

Some people may blame themselves or others for what happened, or for a lack of response. Personal guilt or accusations from others can become very difficult to cope with. You might also find it’s hard to concentrate on other things because you’re preoccupied with what happened. It may come into your mind often, uninvited.

You may be more distracted and forgetful than normal. It might be harder to think clearly. You may feel more edgy and jumpy, in case there is another traumatic event. Often people find that certain sights, sounds, smells, sensations, or feelings remind them of the incident.

1. Reminders could be, for example, an ambulance speeding by, coverage of a another drowning on the news, photos of the person who died, or having conversations about what happened.
2. Some people can find they have ongoing and distressing flashbacks to what happened.
3. See our info sheet on Physical reactions often include having difficulty sleeping or having changes in appetite.

Other common physical effects are being shaky, tight chest, a racing heart, difficulty breathing, body aches, nausea, upset stomach, or headaches. Existing health conditions may get worse because of the stress. These kinds of reactions are all normal after a traumatic death, or deaths However, they might not feel normal and may affect you more, and for longer, than you expect.

See tips below for coping with the impact of your loss, and your reactions. If children or young people have been affected by the death See our information sheet for parents and caregivers about See below for suggested ways to cope with your reactions. The loss of someone by drowning naturally has a big impact.

Coping can be challenging. Recovering after any intense, traumatic event often takes longer than we expect. Our overall health and emotional wellbeing can be affected. Gradually the intensity of our reactions will lessen, and life will slowly begin to move forward once again.

It naturally will take time. Looking after yourself is important In the middle of a crisis we can easily forget that taking care of ourselves is one of the best things we can do – both for ourselves and for others relying on us. Some helpful self-care tips to consider are: Take it one day at a time. Keep up routines and get good rest and sleep, as best you can.

Eat healthy food. Drink enough water. Do some simple exercise. Take some slow, deep breaths. Spend time with people you can relax with, or with a pet. Spend time in nature. If you find keeping busy helps, find useful tasks to do. See a doctor if you’re unwell, extremely anxious, or are having difficulty sleeping.

Draw on any cultural or spiritual beliefs you may have. Accept caring offers from others if that would help. Remember what’s worked for you before in stressful times and do those things. Draw on your, Encourage others who have been affected to look after themselves too. Talk about what happened When you’re ready, talk to those you trust about what happened.

It could be to a trusted member of your family, whānau, friend, doctor, counsellor, respected elder, rangatira, or a Victim Support worker. If any aspects of your story are particularly disturbing, speak to a professional. Talking honestly about how things are can help you release some of the stress and emotional tension that’s built up inside.