Continuing to celebrate our Mental Health awareness month in May, one of our partners -BNH- has kindly provided us with this amazing information written by one of their Psychiatrists,Dr. PiyapatChitpirom. Find out more about Psychological First Aid and how it can be implemented below.
Psychological First Aid (PFA)
During pandemic, psychological first aid is one of a useful skill which is helpful to relive psychological distress. Psychological First Aid(PFA) is about reassuring someone who is upset and assisting them in feeling safe and secure. It offers emotional support and assists people in meeting immediate basic needs, as well as locating information, resources, and social support.
What is Psychological first aid (PFA)?
- Assisting with emotional issues.
- Keeping people safe from further damage.
- Assisting someone in distress by making them feel safe and calm.
- Paying attention to people without prompting them to talk.
- Identifying and addressing needs and concerns.
- Assisting people in obtaining information, programs, and social assistance.
- Assisting in the provision of urgent necessities such as food and water, a blanket, or a temporary shelter.
What is NOT Psychological first aid (PFA)?
- Professional counseling or therapy.
- Making people feel compelled to share their feelings and reactions to a situation.
- Putting pressure on others to include more information about what happened.
- Encouraging an in-depth investigation of the condition that has triggered the anxiety.
Psychological First Aid: Who, When, Where?
- Who would get benefit from PFA?
- Distressed boys, girls, women, and men who have recently experienced a crisis event.
- Some people, such as those with life-threatening injuries or who are unable to care for themselves or their children, require more than PFA alone.
When should PFA be providing?
When encountering a distressed person, usually immediately after a crisis event
Where should PFA be providing?
Anywhere that is safe for both the helper and the affected person, preferably with some privacy as appropriate to the situation.
Psychological first aid action principles
PFA is a way of approach someone in need, determine what assistance he or she needs, and assist him or her in obtaining that help, according to the three action principles of LOOK, LISTEN, and LINK.
LOOK
- Determine who needs assistance.
- Determine the extent of any physical injuries.
- Determine the dangers to your safety and protection.
- Keep an eye out for emotional responses.
- Determine the immediate basic and functional requirements.
LISTEN
- Listen to people and help them feel safe.
- Ask about their needs and concerns; what you can help and what they need right now.
- Listen for sign of serious distress reactions.
- Be an active listener.
- Pay close attention to what the affected person says.
- If appropriate, gently touch the affected person’s hand or shoulder.
- Pay attention when people describe what happened. People will benefit from hearing their story.
- Do not interrupt them or try to reassure them that everything will be fine.
- Maintain constant eye contact and make sure your body language indicates that you are listening.
LINK
- Provide information that people should know related to the situation.
- Help them address their problems and deal with practical issues.
- Establish connections between people and their loved ones, as well as provide social support.
How to Help Responsibly?
- Adapt your actions to account for the person’s culture.
- Respect safety, dignity and rights
- Safety –Do not put people in danger; instead, make sure they are safe and protected from further physical or psychological harm as best you can.
- Dignity – People should be treated with dignity and in accordance with their cultural and social norms.
- Rights – act only in the best interests of the people, ensure equal access to impartial assistance without discrimination, assist people in asserting their rights and gaining access to available resources.
- Be aware of additional emergency response procedures.
- Take care of caregivers: practice self-care and team-care.
Credit
http://www.hhyp.org/downloads/HHYP_PFA_Youth.pdf
https://ifrcgo.org/ecv-toolkit/action/psychosocial-support-psychological-first-aid-pfa/
https://www.apa.org/practice/programs/dmhi/psychological-first-aid/resources
https://www.who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/ppt.pdf
https://ifrcgo.org/ecv-toolkit/action/psychosocial-support-psychological-first-aid-pfa/
Remember, you are not alone. If you are experiencing symptoms that affects your well-being in anyway, reach out to us! Call us at Enliven today to book your appointment with our experts in Mental Health, may it be BNH or others. We will get through it together 😊