Much like CPR, which assists in preventing heart attacks, mental health first assists individuals going through mental health crises. It aims to offer early interventions and support people in getting professional help when necessa
Join us in this blog as we discuss the role of mental health first aid in crisis intervention and how to address these mental health crises at work.
Understanding Crises Intervention
Giving quick aid to someone experiencing a serious psychological or emotional crisis is referred to as “crisis intervention”. It entails a structured and time-bound strategy that seeks to control emotional harm, assess the person’s safety, and provide the necessary resources and professional assistance.
Crisis intervention acts as a connection between the crisis and ongoing care or support services. Crisis intervention is essential for promoting mental health by providing prompt assistance to those in need. It helps prevent further damage, lowers the possibility of things worsening, and improves an individual’s overall well-being.
Common mental health crises include suicidal thoughts, increased anxiety or panic attacks, or depression.
Introduction to Mental Health First Aid
We must acquire practical techniques to assist ourselves or others who are facing mental health concerns, just as we learn how to treat ourselves when we are in physical discomfort. If you’re not familiar with what is mental health first aid, it’s an action plan that enables people to react quickly in difficult scenarios.
For people in need of assistance, the MHFA action plan or ALGEE offers a comprehensive strategy.
There are five steps, as follows:
A – Approach (Assess for the risk of Suicide or Harm)
Starting with the first step is “approach”. Being a mental health first aider, one of the crucial steps to finding mental health support is approaching the person experiencing it. Try to find a suitable time and place to initiate a conversation and ensure them you are listening, which leads us to the second point.
L – Listen Non-judgmentally
Most people face challenges and feelings of distress while sharing their thoughts. Therefore, listening to them carefully and making them comfortable by showing empathy for their situation is recommended.
G – Give Reassurance & Information
Giving reassurance is the third step of the action plan. It requires you to provide hope and helpful information to help them cope better with the problem.
E – Encourage Appropriate Professional Help
The sooner someone gets appropriate support and help, the faster their chances to recover. Therefore, the fourth step of the process is to encourage them to seek professional help.
E – Encourage Self-help & Relevant Support Strategies
This step involves providing personalized care to those in need by offering them the necessary mental health first aid training, self-care action plans, or the required support.
Fundamental Principles & Goals of Mental Health First Aid
Mental health first aid (MHFA) is based on a few fundamental ideas and objectives to support people suffering from various mental health conditions effectively.
These ideas encourage comprehension and successful intervention. Several of these guidelines include:
- Increased Mental Health Awareness: Mental health first aid increases mental health awareness by teaching staff and the general public about various mental health ailments, including their warning signs, symptoms, and effects on daily life.
- Reduce Discrimination & Stigma: The MHFA also addresses the stigma related to several mental health conditions that don’t talk about. It helps ensure a friendly environment that supports open communication and easy access to the correct and necessary information.
- Encourage Early Intervention: It is one of the crucial steps to take to stop the escalation of mental health issues and guarantee that people receive timely support and correct treatment.
- Offer Practical Support: The MHFA concentrates on offering people practical support for mental health concerns. It emphasizes active listening, nonjudgmental communication, and sharing information about resources and services.
- Enhance Community Resilience: MHFA teaches individuals to be mental health first aid providers to improve mental resilience within their workplaces, organizations, or other work areas. It helps create a network of people who can support those in need and increase awareness of mental health issues in their local communities.
The key principles and goals of Mental Health First Aid come together to create a compassionate, informed, and supportive atmosphere where those struggling with mental health difficulties can get the help they need. It is crucial to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and encourage early intervention to improve the effectiveness of mental health treatments and overall well-being.
Conclusion
Mental health issues are a rising problem in almost all aspects of personal and professional lives. While talking about different working sectors, a considerable workforce population is experiencing various mental health challenges. To cope with these everyday challenges, employers must have mental health first aiders in their businesses to identify, control, and minimize such problems. This content piece has explained some critical interventions for overcoming mental health crises.