EXPERT TALK ON PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID

Govt. College of Teacher Education, Thycaud , Jeevani center for student well being conducted an expert talk on the topic - " Psychological first aid " on 17/03/2023 at 2.30 PM. The resource person was Mr. Abhishek M.S, Clinical Psychologist at the Mindport Psychological Clinic in Trivandrum. Jithin Prem, Psychology apprentice , Rahul sir and Santhosh sir, college principal shared their views on the need and significance of the topic in the post covid world.

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is an evidence-informed approach that is built on the concept of human resilience. PFA aims to reduce stress symptoms and assist in a healthy recovery following a traumatic event, natural disaster, public health emergency, or even a personal crisis. Emotional distress is not always as visible as a physical injury, but is just as painful and debilitating. After going through a life altering experience it is common that we get emotionally affected. Everybody who experiences a disaster is touched by it. Reactions manifest differently at different periods of time during and after the incident. Some common reactions include confusion, fear, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, sleep problems, physical pain, anxiety, anger, grief, shock, aggressiveness, withdrawal, guilt, shaken religious faith and loss of confidence in self or others. While Physical First Aid is used to reduce physical discomfort due to a bodily injury, Psychological First Aid is a strategy to reduce the painful range of emotions and responses experienced by people exposed to high stress. 

The goal of Psychological First Aid is to create and sustain an environment of:

1) Safety

2) Calm & Comfort

3) Connectedness

4) Self-Empowerment, and

5) Hope

Psychological First Aid addresses basic needs and reduces psychological distress by providing a caring comforting presence, and education on common stress reactions. It empowers the individual by supporting strengths and encouraging existing coping skills. It also provides connections to natural support networks, and referrals to professional services when needed. Psychological First Aid is tool that each of us can use to reduce our stress level. By understanding your stress reactions and utilizing Psychological First Aid principles, you can enhance resilience in yourself, your family, workplace, and community.

PFA is not traditional psychiatric or professional mental health treatment, but rather a strategy to reduce stress reactions by providing additional support to those who have been affected by a traumatic or emergency incident. Psychological First Aid can help everyone—children, adolescents, adults, elders, families, and communities who have been exposed to a traumatic or emergency incident, including responders and support service providers.Psychological First Aid for children and adolescents uses the same basic core strategies of: safety; calm & comfort; connectedness; self-empowerment; and hope, but with modifications to make them developmentally and age level appropriate.

When in doubt – consult! While most people will recover on their own from a traumatic incident, some people may need more intensive or professional support services. If you feel that someone needs more help than you are qualified to provide, speak with your supervisor or a mental health professional on how to best assist the individual, or how to refer them to on to professional mental health services.