Hello my friends! I want to share information I learned at a mental health first aid class my daughter and I took a couple of years ago. First of all I’m not a licensed medical doctor, therapist or counselor. I’m just a nonprofessional passing information I learned from the class. I highly recommend you find a mental health first aid class in your area. This post hard for me because I have family members who are dealing with mental health issues. I want to give as much information as possible without overwhelming you or myself. I almost changed my mind about writing this post because honestly I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to give enough information. That’s why its important to find a mental health first aid course in your area. I will do the best I can but this post will be long. The information I will share is from the handbook Mental Health First Aid USA. This book is available on Amazon but I really don’t recommend buying the book since if you take the class you will be provided with a manual which is gold and blue.
A warning suicide is mentioned because it is mentioned in the mnemonic ALGEE action plan.
Action A -Assess the risk of suicide or harm -If the person appears to be at risk of harming self or others, the first aider must seek professional help such as first responders immediately.
Action L -Listen nonjudgmentally-Listening is very important as most people experiencing distressing emotions and thoughts want a listening ear without feeling judged.
Action G- Give reassurance and information- Once the person feels they’ve been heard it becomes easier to offer encouragement and information
Action E- Encourage appropriate professional help – People with mental health problems have a better recovery if they get appropriate professional help such as counseling, medication, psychological therapy and more.
Action E- Encourage self-help and other support strategies- Self-help includes peer support, support from family and friends.
This part is not in the handbook but it does mention taking care of yourself after giving mental health first aid. I recommend spending some time in prayer and thanking the Lord for allowing you to be there for the person and pray for the person you helped.
I realize this is a long post and it probably wasn’t helpful at all and maybe I shouldn’t have even posted this. There are a few YouTube videos on the topic and some are old but the information is the same.
