other drugs/medications may be used to self-medicate in "worst case" situations. Types of intervention The type of intervention used depended on the situation, the number of people involved, and their proximity to the event. One form of intervention was a three-step approach, whereas different approaches include as many as five stages. However, the exact number of steps is not what is important for the intervention's success. The goal of the intervention is to address the trauma along the general progression: defusing, debriefing, and followup. Defusing A defusing was done the day of the incident before the person(s) had a chance to sleep. The defusing was designed to assure the person or people involved that their feelings are normal, to tell them what symptoms to watch for over the short term, and to offer them a lifeline in the form of a telephone number where they can reach someone whom they can talk to. Defusings were limited only to individuals directly involved in the incident and were often done informally, sometimes at the scene. They were designed to assist individuals in coping in the short term and address immediate needs. Debriefing (Warning of potential harm: Debriefing is controversial and there is empirical evidence that it may cause harm. Those considering adopting a psychological intervention strategy should strongly consider allowing only licensed medical or mental health counselors to engage in any debriefing-like intervention vs. "certified" counselors who are not licensed medical professionals. Individuals trained by CISM businesses/programs often have less than a week of training and are not mental health professionals, are not subject to oversight, are not subject to licensing and are not required to abide by ethics programs. CISM training providers often go out of their way to legally distance themselves from the consequences of their own training.) Debriefings were usually the second level of intervention for those directly affected by the incident and often the first for those not directly involved. A debriefing was normally done within 72 hours of the incident and gives the individual or group the opportunity to talk about their experience, how it has affected them, brainstorm coping mechanisms, identify individuals at risk, and inform the individual or group about services available to them in their community. The final step was to follow up with them the day after the debriefing to ensure that they are safe and coping well or to refer the individual