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How comfortable do you feel dealing with someone suffering a psychological illness?

Poll

How comfortable do you feel dealing with someone suffering a psychological crisis?

It's World Mental Health Day today and this year the theme is psychological first aid. Psychological first aid is basically what to do when someone is suffering a mental health crisis.

How comfortable would you feel if you had to support someone going through a crisis? Would you know what to do? Who to call? Or even what not to do?

Have you had to do this before? How did you feel? Do you think you helped?
(edited 7 years ago)

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This is something I've had to deal with a number of times. While I'm confident I know what's best, I'm not a professional and can never be 100% sure. Sometimes it can be very distressing, and something might feel wrong, even if I know it's the right thing to do
Not had to do it and wouldn't know what to do.
At a friend of mine was hospitalised without us knowing she was struggling so I know what to do in future. Depending on the situation I d call an ambulance or someone's local crisis team,try to stay calm and if I can keep them out of any danger to themselves I would.
It's like I ve learnt CPR and basic first aid in case I ever need to use it,I think both physical and psychological first aid is a skill everyone should have.
(edited 7 years ago)
I've supported lots of people from afar (via text, phone, or online) and I feel I do a reasonable job of it. Am probably less good in person though, since I don't recall ever having to do it :colondollar:
Original post by Sabertooth
It's World Mental Health Day today and this year the theme is psychological first aid. Psychological first aid is basically what to do when someone is suffering a mental health crisis.

How comfortable would you feel if you had to support someone going through a crisis? Would you know what to do? Who to call? Or even what not to do?

Have you had to do this before? How did you feel? Do you think you helped?


Do you mean as if someone's depressed and wants to kill themselves? Because I've dealt with that a few times in the best way I could and thankfully the persons in question stopped being suicidal
Dealt with mental health crisis situations in various forms from suicide threats and self harm to psychosis through various jobs. To be honest I think the basic principles are always the same: be a calm influence, non judgmental and don't be afraid to seek professional help from whoever is available
I wouldn't know what to do, perhaps include it in OP? :smile:
Every student has mental health problems now a days lol. You're all probably already dealing with those people without knowing.
Original post by ChickenMadness
Every student has mental health problems now a days lol. You're all probably already dealing with those people without knowing.


Gotta disagree, there are a lot of people with legit MH problems but I don't think every attention seeking girl moaning on FB about "my OCD" or "my depression" actually has it lol.
Original post by HannaMarin
Gotta disagree, there are a lot of people with legit MH problems but I don't think every attention seeking girl moaning on FB about "my OCD" or "my depression" actually has it lol.


Self diagnosis irritates me :angry:
Reply 11
Avatar for novaDRGN
novaDRGN
As long as the information and important details are given to me, I have no problem dealing with a person who has a psychological illness.
Depends on the illness. I will never try to deal with BPD again, for example, but I can and will help out anyone suffering with anxiety, depression or most illnesses.
Reply 13
Avatar for Airmed
Airmed
21
Original post by AlexFam
Depends on the illness. I will never try to deal with BPD again, for example, but I can and will help out anyone suffering with anxiety, depression or most illnesses.


What was your experiences with BPD? Asking because it's one of my personality disorders, and I know how horrible it can be to deal with it on occasion.
Original post by Airmed
What was your experiences with BPD? Asking because it's one of my personality disorders, and I know how horrible it can be to deal with it on occasion.


Ex gf was an emotionally abusive whore
At a distance, like on here, pretty comfortable because all I'm doing is directing them to the best places for advice and i'm not personally involved. In a more personal capacity, like a friend, more uncertian as I have my own limitations and would always want to do more to help and be there for them. It's also a bit heigher stakes in some ways and I'd feel more responsible for anything that happened. Also puts more pressure on my mental state and means I have to balance things.

Tried to help a friend with some issues when I was at the height of my own and it was just impossible to get the balance right, especially since I didn't really know what I was doing. I now feel more confident in the advice I can give, having been through at least some issues myself and being somebody who tends to keep an open mind to most things, but still feel like nobody can ever be fully equipped to deal with something like that.

Would feel out of my league dealing with any complex issues like OCD, bipolar etc and probably wouln't be good with anything that makes them too distanced or grumpy with me cos i'd eventually take it the wrong way, but I like to think I'd be decent with uderstanding and being there for somebody with general depression and anxiety sorta stuff and hopefully capable of giving at least some good advice for stuff I don't understand and making sure they know their options and have some sort of net.

I also have a terrible poker face and will either tear up or awkwardly smile in tough situations so... yeah better with words than actions :P

I think the hardest part for me would be if I ever had to betray somebodys trust and call in help for them. I feel like that's a decision I would end up messing up because i'd be too worried about them not trusting me again.
(edited 7 years ago)
Very. I have been in both positions and the following quote sums it up well from my experience:



Support, patience, and listening are the most important things and we all need that to get better :heart:
A mental health crisis could cover such a range of things, some of which nobody would be comfortable dealing with.

For example, a relative of mine had occasions of full blown psychosis where he would need physical restraint to stop him hurting himself or others. Not even the mental health doctor could handle him. They had to get the police to go in the ambulance.

That's a bit different to something like depression which I would be a bit more comfortable handling.
I know how to help with certain illnesses, OCD being the main one.
But I'd feel comofortable dealing with people suffering big time from any MH issue.

I've done my research, I have 3 Mental Illnesses of my own and I've had a lot of therapy.
I may not always help much, but I'm always willing to help out.
I know how hard it is to live with these illnesses (I hate calling them illnesses tbh) and everyone who has one is incredibly strong! And I mean super incredibly strong!
Honestly everyone deserves the best in life but these people who are suffering, they are heroes!
Original post by FireFreezer77
I know how to help with certain illnesses, OCD being the main one.
But I'd feel comofortable dealing with people suffering big time from any MH issue.

I've done my research, I have 3 Mental Illnesses of my own and I've had a lot of therapy.
I may not always help much, but I'm always willing to help out.
I know how hard it is to live with these illnesses (I hate calling them illnesses tbh) and everyone who has one is incredibly strong! And I mean super incredibly strong!
Honestly everyone deserves the best in life but these people who are suffering, they are heroes!


:yy:PRSOM

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