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Continuing from my series of articles on First Aid, today's article is going to be focusing on mental health and simple first aid tips you can use for yourself or to help others, as always, feedback is really appreciated. Thank you.
About mental health
We all see friends and loved ones going through rough times, but sometimes what we’re witnessing is a developing mental health problem, or a mental health crisis. In preparation for these times, we can learn to provide what’s known as ‘mental health first aid’.
What is mental health first aid?
Mental health first aid is the help you give to someone developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.
You can give this first aid until the person has received appropriate professional treatment or the crisis is resolved.
Mental health first aid can help people experiencing:
Know the signs:
The first step in providing mental health first aid is understanding the signs and symptoms of an emerging or worsening mental health problem. Only a trained professional can diagnose someone with a mental illness, but you can be aware of changes in a person’s mood, behaviour, energy, habits, or personality. These changes may be the sign of a mental health problem.
Some symptoms that may indicate a serious problem include:
Approach the person
Be supportive
Know what’s not helpful
Sometimes even with the best intentions, we can make matters worse. When reaching out to someone you suspect might have a mental health problem, avoid:
Ask the person if they need help to manage how they’re feeling. If they want help, a good place to start is a visit to their GP. You can also chat to them about their options, particularly local and online services. Encourage them to act on their options.
If the person doesn’t want help, try to find out why. They may have some mistaken beliefs about getting help or their options. Try to help them feel better about seeking help.
If the person still resists help, tell them they can contact you if they change their mind. Respect their right not to seek help unless you believe they are at risk of harming themselves or others.
Mental health first aid for someone who is suicidal
Suicide can be prevented. According to WHO estimates, there are around 130k to 270k cases of attempted suicide in Pakistan each year.
Always take suicidal thoughts and behaviours seriously.
Take these actions when helping a person who is suicidal:
If you would like to learn more here are some very good links:
pscentre.org
www.apa.org
References:
[1]Nisar M, Mohammad RM, Fatima S, Shaikh PR, Rehman M. Perceptions Pertaining to Clinical Depression in Karachi, Pakistan. Cureus. 2019 Jul 7;11(7):e5094. doi: 10.7759/cureus.5094. PMID: 31523527; PMCID: PMC6728784.
About mental health
We all see friends and loved ones going through rough times, but sometimes what we’re witnessing is a developing mental health problem, or a mental health crisis. In preparation for these times, we can learn to provide what’s known as ‘mental health first aid’.
What is mental health first aid?
Mental health first aid is the help you give to someone developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.
You can give this first aid until the person has received appropriate professional treatment or the crisis is resolved.
Mental health first aid can help people experiencing:
- depression
- anxiety problems
- psychosis
- substance use problems
- eating disorders
- gambling problems.
- suicidal thoughts and behaviours
- non-suicidal self-injury (sometimes called deliberate self-harm)
- panic attacks
- traumatic events
- severe psychotic states
- severe effects from alcohol or other drug use
- aggressive behaviours.
Know the signs:
The first step in providing mental health first aid is understanding the signs and symptoms of an emerging or worsening mental health problem. Only a trained professional can diagnose someone with a mental illness, but you can be aware of changes in a person’s mood, behaviour, energy, habits, or personality. These changes may be the sign of a mental health problem.
Some symptoms that may indicate a serious problem include:
- bizarre or unusual thinking
- hallucinations, such as hearing or seeing things that aren’t there
- extreme mood changes
- restless, agitated and disorganised behaviour
- marked decrease in activity
- difficulty concentrating
- significant drop in performance at work or school
- significant withdrawal from friends and family
- neglecting self-care (such as neglecting personal appearance and hygiene, and eating poorly)
- suicidal thoughts or behaviours
- non-suicidal self-injury (deliberate self-harm)
- destructive or high-risk behaviour
- confusion and disorientation
- emotional outbursts
- sleep problems
- weight or appetite changes
- being quiet or withdrawn
- substance use problems
- feelings of guilt or worthlessness
- changes in behaviour or feelings that have lasted for longer than 2 weeks.
Approach the person
- Give the person a chance to talk to you. If they don’t open up to you themselves, and you are concerned about them, initiate the conversation. Be open and honest about your concerns about their mental health.
- Make sure you approach the person in a comfortable space and at a time when you won’t be interrupted.
- Speak from your own perspective. Use ‘I’ statements, such as ‘I have noticed…’ and ‘I feel concerned about…’ rather than ‘you’ statements, such as ‘You seem to be withdrawn…’ or ‘You’re not eating and sleeping…’.
- Say you’re concerned and you’re here to help.
- Respect the person’s own interpretation of their symptoms.
- If the person doesn’t want to talk to you, encourage them to talk to someone else they trust.
Be supportive
- Use phrases that will help the person feel listened to, understood and hopeful. Some examples are ‘I’m here for you’, ‘I can see this is a really hard time for you’, and ‘What can I do to help? Just tell me how’.
- Show the person dignity and respect.
- Don’t blame.
- Be consistent in your emotional support and understanding.
- Encourage the person to talk to you or someone else.
- Listen well.
- Give the person hope for their recovery.
- Find accurate and appropriate resources for more information if the person wants it.
Know what’s not helpful
Sometimes even with the best intentions, we can make matters worse. When reaching out to someone you suspect might have a mental health problem, avoid:
- telling them to ‘snap out of it’ or ‘get over it’
- being hostile or sarcastic
- getting over-involved or over-protective
- nagging
- trivialising their experience (for example, don’t tell them to smile or get their act together)
- belittling or dismissing their feelings
- being patronising
- trying to cure them or solve their problems.
Ask the person if they need help to manage how they’re feeling. If they want help, a good place to start is a visit to their GP. You can also chat to them about their options, particularly local and online services. Encourage them to act on their options.
If the person doesn’t want help, try to find out why. They may have some mistaken beliefs about getting help or their options. Try to help them feel better about seeking help.
If the person still resists help, tell them they can contact you if they change their mind. Respect their right not to seek help unless you believe they are at risk of harming themselves or others.
Mental health first aid for someone who is suicidal
Suicide can be prevented. According to WHO estimates, there are around 130k to 270k cases of attempted suicide in Pakistan each year.
Always take suicidal thoughts and behaviours seriously.
Take these actions when helping a person who is suicidal:
- If you think someone may be suicidal, ask them directly.
- If they say yes, do not leave them alone.
- Link the person with professional help. Services such as Umang Pakistan offer free of cost counselling services, Umang can be accessed by dialling: Umang Hotline 03117786264 to speak to a counsellor free of cost 24/7. Rozan is another NGO that offers free of cost confidential counselling services which can be accessed by dialling 03355000407.
- In an emergency, call 911 or 15.
If you would like to learn more here are some very good links:
A Guide to Psychological First Aid - PS Centre
Psychological First Aid for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has been developed for the staff and volunteers of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and other organizations working in situations where psychological first aid (PFA) may be relevant. Psychological first aid is a direct response...
pscentre.org
Disaster mental health information for psychologists
Psychologists can help their communities prepare before disasters strikes, take steps to address emotional distress in the midst of tragedy, and build resilience skills to facilitate longer-term recovery.
www.apa.org
References:
[1]Nisar M, Mohammad RM, Fatima S, Shaikh PR, Rehman M. Perceptions Pertaining to Clinical Depression in Karachi, Pakistan. Cureus. 2019 Jul 7;11(7):e5094. doi: 10.7759/cureus.5094. PMID: 31523527; PMCID: PMC6728784.
