What is Psychological First Aid, how does it help in mental problems?

Summer season not only affects physical health but also mental health. Increasing heat, lack of sleep, dehydration and problems in everyday life increase anxiety, stress, nervousness and sadness in many people. At such times, Psychological First Aid (PFA) can prove to be very useful.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is a simple and effective way to provide immediate mental support to distressed people in crisis situations. Psychological first aid is not a medicine or therapy. It is a helpful response to people who are going through a crisis, disaster or stressful situation. Its main purpose is to make a person feel safe, connected, calm and hopeful. It is based on listening, comforting and giving emotional support.

In summer, many people face problems like irritability, sleeplessness, lack of interest in work and fights in the family due to heat. In these situations, PFA can help immediately and has been shown to improve mental health in the long term.

Now the question is why is PFA necessary? When a person is in mental distress, what they need most is to feel safe, connected to others, and have hope. Psychological first aid strengthens these feelings. This helps the person to calm down and makes the further recovery process easier.

Any person can give psychological first aid, it is important to keep a few things in mind. For this, first of all take care of the person’s safety and essential needs (water, shade, rest). Along with this, listen carefully and patiently to the victim without interrupting or giving advice. Accept their feelings with respect and do not interrupt unnecessarily.

Support the person suffering, let them know they are not alone. Connect them with the right services or help when they need it. The most important thing is to remain calm, to give them a sense of stability by remaining calm in their turbulent situation.

This is not a complex training task. Any person can provide psychological first aid to the people around him with a little training. Family members, friends, teachers or neighbors can easily provide this support. If a person seems worried, sad or nervous during the summer season, listen to him immediately, let him rest in a cool place and if necessary, contact a mental health expert.