Essay On Mental Health First Aid

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FIRST AID FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS If you are one of those who have been trained in first aid, you know what to do if you are walking down the street and see a person suddenly clutch his chest and collapse. But if that same man instead is crying because he has lost his wallet it’s much less clear what a common man watching can do to help. Often, the response is simply to ignore, cross the road and walk away. Heart attack and feeling panicky are both crisis situation, but the public have been trained in offering first aid for physical issue, but not for mental health issues. Why Mental Health First Aid? Although people are aware about common physical health problems, there is widespread ignorance among the people of issues pertaining to mental…show more content…
 Allow the person to communicate what’s bothering him or her  It’s important to be non judgemental at all times when providing first aid 3. Give support and Information Once a person with a mental health problem has felt listened to, it can be easier to offer support and information. The support to offer at times includes emotional support such as empathising with how they feel and giving them the hope for recovery and practical help with tasks that may seem overwhelming at the moment. 4. Encourage and support the person to get appropriate professional help Tell the person about any options available to them for help and support. A person with a mental health problem will have better recovery with appropriate professional help. However they may not know the various options that are available to them like counselling, psychotherapy or medications, support for family members, and other assistance. 5. Encourage other support Encourage the person to use self help strategies and to seek the support of family, friends and others. Some people who experience mental health problems find it helpful to meet with other people who have had similar experiences as these people can also provide valuable help in the person’s

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