“Approximately 1 in 4 adults in England have been diagnosed with mental illnesses (26%), while 1 in 5 report experiencing mental health issues without being diagnosed (18%) with between 1 in 5 and 1 in 6 overall experiencing depression or anxiety.” - Adult MHFA manual, pg 60
Mental Health awareness and support is increasingly becoming more necessary and relevant in today’s fast paced world. We will all either know of someone else or experience a Mental Health issues ourselves, so isn’t it time we started to raise awareness and work together to offer support and understanding to each other and those around us?
What is a Mental Health First Aider?
As a Mental Health First Aider, I am able to help and assist people with mental health by having developed and achieved the following through my qualification:
An in-depth understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect well-being
Practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues
Confidence to step in, reassure and support a person in distress
Enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-judgemental listening
Knowledge to help someone recover their health by guiding them to further support - whether that’s self-help resources, through their employer, the NHS, or a mix.
Areas that were covered in the course:
Why Mental Health First Aid?
The Mental Health First Aid action plan?
What is mental health?
Impact of mental health issues
Stigma and discrimination
What is Depression?
Symptoms of depression
Risk factors of depression
Depression in the workplace
Suicide
Alcohol, drugs and mental health
First aid for Suicidal crisis
Non-judgemental listening skills
First aid for depression
Treatment and resources for depression
Self-care
What is an anxiety disorder?
First aid for anxiety disorders
Crisis first aid after a traumatic event
Alcohol, drugs and anxiety disorders
Treatment and resource for anxiety disorders
Cognitive distortions and CBT
Personality disorders
Eating disorders
Self- harm
What is psychosis?
Risk factors of psychosis
Alcohol, drugs and psychosis
Schizophrenia
Bipolar disorder
Warning signs of developing psychosis
Crisis first aid for acute psychosis
Treatment and resources for psychosis
Recovery and building resources
Action planning for using MHFA
“Some of the most comforting words in the universe are ‘me too.’ That moment when you find out that your struggle is also someone else’s struggle, that you’re not alone, and that others have been down the same road.”