Email:

support@hsmqld.com.au

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Mental Health First Aid Guidelines for Depression – Pt4

In the last article, we looked at what difficulties you may encounter when talking to the person. We looked at exercising patients, being accepting of responses, being as supportive as possible, and not interrupting, criticising, expressing frustration or being hostile or sarcastic. This article will look at encouraging the person to seek professional help, some […]

Depression – Mental Health First Aid Guidelines – Pt3

Have realistic expectations for the person You should accept the person as they are and have realistic expectations for them. Everyday activities like cleaning the house, paying bills, or feeding the dog may seem overwhelming to the person. You should acknowledge that the person is not ‘faking’, ‘lazy’, ‘weak’ or ‘selfish’ and not push them […]

Depression – Mental Health First Aid Guidelines – Pt2

HOW CAN I BE SUPPORTIVE? Treat the person with respect and dignity Recovery, for the most part, must be led by the person and you should resist the urge to try to cure the person’s depression or to come up with answers to their problems. Each person’s situation and needs are unique. It is important […]

Mental Health First Aid Guidelines for Depression – Pt 1

HOW DO I KNOW IF SOMEONE IS EXPERIENCING DEPRESSION? If you notice changes in the person’s mood, behaviour, energy levels, habits or personality, you should consider depression as a possible reason for these changes. However, you should not attempt to diagnose the person with depression, as only a trained professional can do this. Do not […]

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID for a TRAUMATIC EVENT – Pt3

HOW CAN I SUPPORT THE PERSON OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS? Be aware that in the weeks or months following a traumatic event the person might have good days and bad days and that there is no timeline for what can be expected. They may be more sensitive to events or stress that […]

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID for a TRAUMATIC EVENT – Pt1

WHAT IS A POTENTIALLY TRAUMATIC EVENT? A potentially traumatic event is a powerful and distressing experience that is life threatening or poses a significant threat to a person’s physical or psychological well-being. Many events, past and present, have the potential to be traumatic, but not all events commonly perceived as traumatic will cause extreme distress […]

Supporting Children after a Traumatic Event.

In a previous article, I looked at how to support adults after a traumatic event. This article will explore options to support children. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT CHILDREN CAN DIFFER A LOT IN HOW THEY REACT TO TRAUMATIC EVENTS: What are the first priorities for helping a child after a traumatic event? You […]