Things About Mental Health First Aid Australia Residents Should Know About

20 Aug Things About Mental Health First Aid Australia Residents Should Know About

The issue of mental health first aid Australia is a matter that should not be taken lightly. Many of you reading this must have seen someone close (maybe a family member or close friend) go through some sort of mental health issues and might feel very confused in those situations which can get frustrating all the time.

So to help you not to feel useless in those situations, we are going to be going through some things about mental health first aid Australia residents should know about its importance and how to identify someone with mental health issues. 

What Is Psychiatric First Aid and How Do You Identify Those With Mental Issues 

One thing about mental health first aid Australia residents should know, first of all, is how to define it. Mental health first aid can be defined as the help you give to someone who is either suffering from developing mental problems or already in a worsening psychiatric crisis.

This is done before the appropriate personnel arrives to provide care for the patient. Cognitive impairment isn’t like an open sore or a broken bone that can easily be identified but there are certain patterns which you could use to diagnose it and they are;

• Extreme mood change; people with psychiatric disorders usually have rapid mood changes and could be happy this minute and extremely Angry or violent the next minute.
• Significant withdrawal from friends and family; A person that is normally extroverted and becoming very introverted is a sign of psychiatric disorders
• Deliberate self-harm; Masochism is a major tell-tale sign of psychiatric instability. Actions like cutting the wrist and other parts are a major example of this behaviour.
• High-risk behaviours; a person living like he or she has nothing to lose and taking part in otherwise life-threatening activities are a sign of psychiatric instability.
• Sleep and eating disorders; people with a deteriorating psyche tend to have trouble sleeping. They also develop eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia.

These are just some of the tell-tale symptoms of serious psychiatric instability. These are things about the diagnosis of mental health first aid Australia residents should know about.

How To Administer Mental Health First Aid Australia

 It’s one thing to know the definition and it’s another to know how to apply effort. This is perhaps the most important thing about mental health first aid Australia residents should know. There are several ways you could register for first aid and we are going to be looking at just some of them;

• Approach the individual; This is the first step to administering first aid and is most sensitive. When approaching the individual, let it be in a comfortable setting and give the person the chance to open up to you. If they don’t open up immediately, you should be patient and initiate a conversation
• Be supportive; no matter the story, don’t blame the person. Give a good listening ear and show emotional support.
• Know what is helpful; avoid things such as nagging, patronising and trying to solve their problems. It could make them push you away.
• Encourage them to seek medical help 

These things are just some of the things about mental health first aid Australia residents should know because psychiatric disorders are becoming more prevalent in our society.