A victim of intimate partner violence comes to the crisis center seeking help. The nurse uses crisis intervention strategies that focus on what?

Choice A reason: Absence of grief feelings after 18 months may indicate denial, not resolution, as grief involves amygdala-driven emotional processing. Suppressing loss via prefrontal cortex inhibition suggests unresolved cortisol and serotonin dysregulation, not successful grieving.

Choice B reason: Realistic recall of both positive and negative aspects after 15 months reflects grief resolution, with balanced amygdala-prefrontal cortex processing. This indicates serotonin-mediated emotional integration, allowing acceptance without excessive cortisol-driven distress, marking successful grieving.

Choice C reason: Talking as if the spouse is alive after 3 years suggests prolonged grief, with persistent amygdala-driven emotional distress and cortisol elevation. This indicates unresolved neural dysregulation, not successful grieving, as acceptance is not achieved.

Choice D reason: Keeping belongings unchanged for 2 years suggests prolonged grief, reflecting amygdala-driven attachment and cortisol surges. This indicates unresolved emotional processing, not successful grieving, as serotonin-mediated acceptance and neural integration are incomplete.

Choice A reason: Availability and lethality of suicide means are critical, as they determine immediate risk. Serotonin deficits and amygdala-driven impulsivity heighten the likelihood of acting on accessible, lethal methods, making this the priority to prevent fatal outcomes in suicidal patients.

Choice B reason: Insight into suicidal motivation is important but secondary to immediate risk. Serotonin dysregulation drives impulsivity, and without addressing access to lethal means, insight alone cannot prevent action, making it less urgent in acute suicide assessment.

Choice C reason: Abuse history increases suicide risk via trauma-related amygdala hyperactivity but is not the priority. Immediate access to lethal means poses a greater acute risk, as serotonin deficits drive impulsivity, necessitating focus on preventing action first.

Choice D reason: Social support is a protective factor but secondary to immediate risk. Serotonin-driven impulsivity and amygdala hyperactivity make access to lethal means the priority, as support cannot prevent action if means are readily available.