Practical Tools for Providing Mental Health First Aid

What can we do to help someone in emotional distress? Difficult events, especially those seen as life-threatening, can trigger intense emotions and unusual behaviors, such as severe anxiety, uncontrollable crying, restlessness, or agitation. Others may react by withdrawing or disconnecting from their surroundings. In most cases, these reactions are expected because they are considered a “normal response to an abnormal situation.” They are usually temporary and pass with time. Providing immediate support to someone in distress can be highly effective in helping them regain emotional balance and return to their daily routine. Sometimes, even without a triggering event, a person may show signs of emotional distress that require attention and care.

Signs of Emotional Distress

Emotional distress involves a state of psychological suffering, which can manifest in various ways. Common signs include:

• Intense negative emotions: Sadness, anxiety, frustration, hopelessness, anger, or shame.

• Behavioral changes: Social withdrawal, changes in eating or sleeping habits, difficulty concentrating, reduced activity, or increased restlessness.

• Negative thoughts: Pessimism, self-criticism, or suicidal thoughts.

• Physical symptoms: Headaches, muscle pain, digestive issues, chronic fatigue.

It’s important to remember that emotional distress is a personal experience that can present differently in each individual. If you notice these signs consistently and they interfere with your daily life, it’s crucial to seek professional help.

How to help a person in distress after a difficult event

Anyone can help a person who is suffering from mental distress, particularly following exposure to traumatic events such as an attack or an accident. To help in this case, you can perform several simple steps based on what is known as the MAASEH Model. The Ministry of Health adopted the Dr. Moshe Farchi MAASEH model as a practical and tested framework for action during personal and societal crises. The model's primary objective is to assist someone experiencing immediate distress in changing from feeling powerless to feeling capable, from emotion-driven irrational behavior to effective, functional, intelligent, and active behavior.

Help phases based on the FEAC (MAASEH) model

F: Focus and expression of commitment: communicate your dedication and let the people in need know they are not alone and that you will not abandon them. Try to substitute a sense of belonging for a sense of loneliness.

E Encourage effective actions: to transition from a state of helplessness to a feeling of ability and desire to act, encourage those in distress to perform simple but effective actions. For example, suggest collecting equipment that has become scattered, for example, if the bag fell and its contents scattered. Clean up the environment, communicate with relatives, prepare equipment or walk to a safe site together.

A: Ask simple questions that require thought; in situations of distress, the person before you is experiencing a flood of emotions. Ask short, straightforward questions to boost communication and decrease excitability. Refrain from asking sentimental questions. Asking questions like "are you alone?" can help you think and make decisions. Would you like to speak with someone? Where are you supposed to go? Or questions that have very obvious answers, like "What street do you live on?" Can you tell me your parents' phone number?

C Constructing the sequence of events: when distressed, people experience feelings of confusion, detachment and lack of continuity. Assist them in organizing their thoughts and comprehending that the traumatic event has ended by assisting them in setting up the events in a certain order. Give a brief, straightforward account of the event's occurrence and conclusion. Remember to let them know that they are safe now.