Buffalo Creek Flood DisasterEmilie Durkheim described the concepts of social regulation and social integration and how both are linked to suicide rates. Both of these concepts can also be used to analyze the effect the Buffalo Creek flood had on individuals and the community. Using the ideas of social regulation and social integration and the book “Everything in Its Path” by Kai T. Erikson, we can see the consequences of the Buffalo Creek flood disaster. Durkheim used the concepts of social regulation and social integration to analyze how social forces influence suicide. Social integration refers to the degree of integration a person has within their social group or the level of attachment a person feels towards their group (Conley 187). Social integration varies greatly from community to community and differs in the degree of attachment of members. A close-knit community, in which citizens interact with each other in various ways, reflects greater social integration. This can be compared to a community where members rarely or never interact with many other community members, which reflects low social integration. According to Durkheim, two types of suicide arise from different levels of social integration. One of the causes of suicide is extremely low social integration, called selfish suicide. Durkheim argues that this is the case because it is others who give meaning to the individual's life, so without this support from the group the person may feel hopeless (Conley 188). The other type of suicide, altruistic suicide, reflects the opposite situation: when an individual is too socially integrated (Conley 189). This type of suicide occurs when members of a group or community become so totally absorbed in the group that... middle of paper... no rules to govern everyday life, no moral compass. The loss The sense of community was keenly felt by the former residents of Buffalo Creek, who had previously been a close-knit people. This was demonstrated by the fact that post-disaster euphoria was completely absent after the flood. Usually this euphoria arises when the survivors realize that the community still exists and is alive. Yet there wasn't a shred of community left in Buffalo Creek to celebrate. This is due in part to HUD housing regulations that not only worsened the feeling of isolation, but also to the massive destruction caused by the flood itself. After the sudden and violent accident the survivors' pain would continue far into their future. The chronic pain and suffering resulting from the loss of community and its effects would last for years.