What is psychological first aid?
Le 2022-12-15
Have you ever heard of psychological first aid? If this term is unfamiliar to you, it is because it is not as common as physical first aid. However, this practice is also important in order to come to the mental aid of a person who is the victim of an accident or an unfortunate event. So what’s it all about?
Psychological first aid corresponds to an approach to help people in distress in order to calm them down and provide them with moral and psychological support in the face of the ordeals they are going through. The basis of psychological first aid is based on a human approach. The goal is to assist the victims and boost their morale. This requires empathy, attention and a great ability to listen.
Psychological first aid is a very important step in the face of a tragedy. Indeed, everyone can be brought to experience a stressful or difficult event in their life. Moreover, not everyone reacts in the same way in this type of situation. In any case, an overwhelming experience can lead to psychological crises, especially if the victim were to go through these delicate moments alone.
Here is an overview of the events for which psychological first aid is needed:
How upset a person is depends on the suddenness, intensity and severity of the painful event they are going through. Once again, it should be emphasized that each person’s personality is also decisive.
Each person will react in different ways to this type of situation without being able to control their emotions. Mental health professionals are in the best position to manage such a situation, but it is quite possible for those around the victims to adopt the right reflexes to help them as best they can.
If you are faced with a person who has suffered severe mental trauma, you should have the following reactions:
