Psychological ‘first aid’ strategies implemented by trained professionals could help people in the immediate aftermath of traumatic and tragic events, according to the Bahrain Red Crescent Society (BRCS).
BRCS health awareness committee head Muyssar Awadhalla recently conducted a Psychological First Aid (PFA) workshop to train volunteers and health workers on different strategies for administering the techniques.
“PFA is like emotional support, usually given to someone right after they go through crisis or traumatic situation such as an accident,” she told the GDN.
“PFA is a set of skills and knowledge that can be used to help people who are in distress. It is a way of helping people to feel calm and able to cope in a difficult situation in order to make them feel safe and supported, and connecting them with the help they need.”
Unlike traditional psychology-based interventions, PFA is immediate humane support, focused on stabilisation and coping.
It involves caring about the person in distress, paying attention to their reactions, active listening and giving practical help.
This is different from psychological intervention, administered by specialised professionals like psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists, to treat a mental condition and help patients heal over a longer period of time.
“PFA can be given by trained helpers like teachers, volunteers, community workers, while psychological interventions must be delivered by licensed professionals,” Ms Awadhalla added.
Helping those going through a panic or anxiety attack in the immediate aftermath of a crisis is the main focus of PFA.
However, not everyone who is in distress may need or want PFA.
“We need to remember that, people react in different ways and at different times to crises, some people can manage difficult situations on their own and do not need help,” Ms Awadhalla explained.
PFA can be administered anywhere including homes, community centres, malls or schools, ideally in a place that is safe, quiet and calm.
It is hinged on three basic sets of actions – look, listen and link.
“Look – is the person safe? Listen – be present and attentive. Link – help them access support if needed,” she explained.
The training also helps volunteers and community members implement stabilisation strategies in critical moments.
These are designed to help individuals maintain emotional, psychological or physical balance during moments of high stress or anxiety or while they are re-experiencing trauma.
These easy-to-learn, easy-to-remember, and easily usable methods are used to ‘ground’ a person in the present moment.
A simple breathing exercise can ease the mind, while the 5-4-3-2-1 sensory method can help them re-focus.
“Say out loud what five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste,” Ms Awadhalla explained.
Other strategies include focusing on physical sensations, such as the feeling of feet on the floor or back against a chair, as well as describing objects in the immediate environment and their colour, texture, shape, and temperature in detail to anchor the mind in the present.
By practicing these strategies in day-to-day life, people can better train their mind to be able to revert to them in moments of crisis.
“When sirens and ‘booms’ become part of daily life, beyond our control, we need to help people’s nervous systems stay within a manageable range despite repeated triggers,” Ms Awadhalla added.
“The following strategies can be used before, during, and after these triggers: keep a daily routine; identify a safe, quiet spot like a room, hallway or corner; keep essentials nearby like water, headphones and phone; use headphones or earplugs; play steady background sounds like a fan, white noise, Quran or music; close windows and curtains if possible; check updates at set times only; and avoid continuous background news.”
Those interested in learning more and receiving the training can contact hilal@batelco.com.bh or rana.yousif@rcsbahrain.org.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))