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Self Mental Health First Aid

Life crises
Revital Ordan, Psychiatric Nurse, Director of the Outpatient Ward, Mental Health Division, Ministry of Health
1 September 2025

Mental distress can arise from life challenges, exposure to traumatic or life-threatening events, or even from watching upsetting news or videos. Sometimes, it can develop suddenly without a clear reason.

Distress can show up as worry, fear, or a sense of helplessness. It can also appear physically, such as trouble sleeping or staying awake, fatigue, changes in appetite, digestive issues, or effects on blood pressure or heart rate.

In most cases, it’s possible to cope with mental distress on your own, with support from friends and family. There are also various tools that can help. Some, like breathing and relaxation exercises or grounding techniques, don’t require prior experience. Others, like mindfulness practice, can be incorporated into daily life so they’re available during moments of crisis.

In most cases of mental distress, we can cope on our own, with support from family and friends. There are also a variety of tools that can help manage mental distress. Some tools don’t require prior experience and can be used immediately and once-off. Others can be practiced as part of daily life, so they’re available and effective during moments of crisis.

How Mental Distress Can Manifest

  • Emotional signs: Mental distress can show up as troubling or confusing internal experiences, sadness, worry, fear, anger, irritability, frustration, or a sense of helplessness. Often, it may also involve feelings of loneliness or thinking “no one understands me.”
  • Physical signs: Disturbances in sleep patterns, fatigue, muscle tension or pain, changes in appetite, headaches or stomachaches, and changes in bowel function. Distress can affect blood pressure or heart rate, and significant or prolonged distress may contribute to physical illness.
  • Behavioral signs: Behavioral changes such as social withdrawal, increased conflict, neglecting personal care, or decreased ability to function at home, at work, or in social life.

Situations that may cause mental distress

Mental distress can be attributed to various reasons, for example:

  • Life crises
  • Traumatic events
  • Exposure to videos
  • Fear of catastrophes
  • Sudden distress
  • Life crises include things like losing a loved one, being fired, being bullied or socially shunned at school or on social media, or splitting up with a partner.
  • Exposure to harsh, extreme, threatening, or life-threatening events: being physically present during difficult events such as earthquake, war, terrorist attack, car accident, and so on, or receiving information about a known person who was injured in such an event.
  • Exposure to news, videos, or rumors: exposure to harsh news through the media, especially visual media such as television or social media such as WhatsApp and TikTok, can trigger or increase distress.
  • Anxiety about potential future events or disasters: personal disasters or harsh events such as wars, terrorist attacks, fires, and so on.
  • Sudden or unexplained distress: mental distress can also suddenly occur for seemingly illogical reasons, when there is an inner feeling of sadness or anxiety that cannot be explained or linked to a specific event. A feeling of distress that has no clear explanation can be just as frustrating and scary as a feeling of distress that has an explanation.

Ways to Take Care of Yourself During Tough Times

In most cases, it’s possible to cope with mental distress on your own. Each person can identify activities or actions that help them manage their feelings. Some people turn to music, a shower, or physical activity like running or walking. Others might watch a comedy to distract themselves or engage in creative activities like sculpting, writing, or painting. Many of us also seek support and encouragement from family and close friends. Reaching out to people we trust and love, and talking with them, can provide comfort, encouragement, or even an effective distraction. Often, a hug or the presence of a loved one can help ease the pain and make it easier to cope with distress.

There are also tools that can help you help yourself, such as:

Breathing and Relaxation

Take a slow breath while counting to 5, hold the air while counting to 5, and then exhale slowly while counting to 5. You can also squeeze your hand into a fist and release it at the same time.

Grounding

Five Senses Method – Observe your surroundings and say out loud 5 things you can see, listen and say 4 things you can hear, identify 3 things you can smell, 2 things you can feel with your hands, and 1 thing you can taste.

Mindfullness

This practice is designed to increase awareness and attention to the present moment, here and now, approaching experiences and feelings through nonjudgmental observation—without labeling them as positive or negative. This focus can help many people cope with difficult experiences or feelings related to the past or anxiety about the future, allowing us to fully process what we are experiencing in the present.

Important

Important

In daily life, staying physically active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help build resilience, which supports coping with crises, distress, and mental health emergencies.

More information on the mind-body connection and building resilience

Who to Contact in a Mental Health Crisis

If, despite your efforts to cope on your own, your mental distress persists or worsens, and you feel you need immediate help, reach out to one of the support centers.

Mental Health First Aid Centers

Mental First Aid Kit

During emergencies, any of us may experience distress—or come across someone who needs help. To help you know what to do in the moment, a new app has been developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Israel Resilience Authority.

The app includes calming exercises, self-help tools, and simple instructions for supporting someone in emotional distress. It can also be used without an internet connection.

Download the app: For Android | For iPhone

The app is free to use, with no registration required and no collection of personal information. Feel free to use it—and share it with others.

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