Mental Health Awareness & First Aid Training Course - 1 Day

Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which people are able to actualise their full potential; they can successfully manage the normal stresses of life; they can work productively and effectively; and they are able to add value to themselves, and others and society.

Mental health disorders are composed of a number of different types. They are all caused by abnormal thought-processes, which lead to negative feelings and destructive behaviours, which in turn may lead to a breakdown of physical health, personal performance, professional and personal relationships.

Most illnesses are linked to specific signs and symptoms. First aiders should know the signs and symptoms which may be early indicators that a particular person is suffering a mental health disorder. We will discuss the most important signs and symptoms that indicate a person is not coping and needs help.

Everyone is affected by their surrounding social and physical environment. There are certain environmental triggers that initiate negative responses in vulnerable people. On this course you will learn the most common environmental triggers that are associated to triggering negative mental health.

First Aiders provide proper immediate care in order to achieve two goals:

• To give immediate assistance to the person, and
• To direct that person to agencies who can give extended support.

You will learn techniques for positively and immediately affecting the person you are caring for. We will devote the largest portion of this course to this section.

Your immediate aim is to “stabilise the person” and make them feel immediately more comfortable.

Every sentence triggers an emotional response which either: makes people feel better, or FAILS to make them feel better, or it makes them feel worse.

Our first priority is to eliminate common mistakes that many untrained people make; we teach you the things you definitely should NOT say.

Our second priority is to teach you therapeutic communication skills: The words, phrases and questions that you should say, in order to have a positive effect.

After your initial intervention the immediate situation is over. But the M.H. First Aider gives ongoing support, by working with the person in question, and if necessary, with the persons colleagues, and perhaps, by initiating changes to the organisations policies and systems.

Everything operates within limits. And in relation to Mental health first aid, there are definite limits to what you should expect from yourself. We will note what are “reasonable expectations”.

Mental health first aiders may direct people to access professional agencies. We will cover the most common ways to access mental health services.

How will you put this training into practice? We will review our notes and make detailed written plans.