Hi Friends,
Today we are going to discuss about 'psychological first aid'. Hold on! I have heard of first aid for injuries, heart problems etc but a first aid for psychological problems too?
YES! FIRST AID EXISTS FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS TOO! AND WHAT'S MORE, ANYBODY CAN DO IT WITH A LITTLE UNDERSTANDING!
So what constitutes psychological first aid?
When faced with a crisis and the person in question is in a state of anxiety, panic or fear, a number of things can be done (or not done/ avoided) by the significant others in order to improve his/ her psychological state or prevent further damage/ development of complications.
First, in one's over-enthusiasm to help, one must not be perceived as intrusive, otherwise, one's desire to help may prove counter-productive!
Two, Make an assessment of what the sufferer's main needs and concerns are. Step back and think calmly as to what exactly is making him/ her feel troubled. What could be the needs of the person in this scenario? What could comfort him/ her the most?
Three, Listen to the sufferer. Do not assume what he/ she wants. Confirm the assessment made earlier by listening patiently before you act. This serves multiple purposes: confirms the exact needs, the sufferer feel listened to and relieved, the sufferer feels supported and does not feel intruded upon.
Four, Make sure (for instance in a disaster setting) that basic needs such as food, drink, shelter and important information are made available. No amount of talking can replace basic needs of food and shelter!
Five, Comfort the person verbally; Convey to him/ her that you have understood his/ her problems and can help him/ her and there is no need to panic.
Six, Provide practical help/ support depending upon the situation and to the extent possible. Very often, the anxious person is unable to think clearly and is confused. The neutral observer has the advantage of being calm and able to think rationally. Thus, you may be able to generate a more effective solution to the problem than the sufferer.
Seven, If all help cannot be given by you, guide them to where the help/ support may be available and
Finally, Make sure to prevent and protect from further harm! For instance, your one's talking to the aggrieved person must not prevent him from taking timely action that could alleviate his problem!
SO FRIENDS, IT MIGHT SEEM SIMPLE BUT GO THROUGH IT AGAIN, AND EACH TIME YOU READ IT, A NEW AND DEEPER MEANING WILL EMERGE! It is often the simple things that we fail to follow that makes the big difference! Think of a scenario where you had a friend/ relative/ loved one in trouble and consider carefully what steps you did correctly and what steps wrong; what steps were omitted and what were needlessly intrusive. This will give further insights into this discussion and help you act better in a subsequent situation.
So, that was about psychological first aid friends! Hope you liked it!
Please let me know if you want me to discuss any specific issue by typing in the comments section below.
So until next time, STAY HAPPY!
Dr. Sathya Prakash, MD, Dip. CBT
Consultant Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist and Behavioural Sciences Expert
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