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Mental Health First Aid

2020 could have pushed even the calmest person to the brink! So here is a unique DR ABC model from Mark Mathieson, to provide some much-needed mental health first aid.

D = DANGER

‣ Assess if you believe the person is in any immediate danger (harm to self or others)
‣ If YES – seek immediate support. Call 000.
‣ If NO – gather further information about what the issue is:
  • What has been going on for the individual?
  • How long has this been happening?
  • What have they tried to do to fix or alleviate it?

R = RESPONSIVENESS

‣ Assess how immediate the issue is (does it need to be solved in the next 24 hours and if so, will you be able to sleep tonight)?
‣ Is the person willing or wanting to talk with you, or is there someone else better suited?
‣ Assess what other resources the person might have available to them within their current life that they could access?

A = AROUSAL REDUCTION AND ACT WITHIN YOUR LIMITS

‣ Try and calm the person if they are agitated, anxious or panicked. Suggest they try doing some calm, deep breaths for at least two minutes.
‣ Try and get them moving slowly – walking, outdoors, calming space, anything that establishes a rhythm that will slow them down (cognitively and physiologically) – think cool down!
‣ You are not responsible for the person’s wellbeing – only for trying to help.

B = BRAINSTORM SOLUTIONS

‣ Try and spend a few minutes brainstorming solutions:
  • Have they tried taking a five-minute ‘time out’?
  • Have they tried talking with another person?
  • Have they tried distracting themselves or getting some more sleep, if possible?
  • Ask what has worked in the past.
  • Ask what has NOT worked in the past
  • Put a time-limit on this – be prepared to perhaps admit that you can’t help.

C = CONSULT WITH OTHERS

‣ If it’s safe to do so, call in some help. For example, try and consult with someone more experienced such as a team member or a family member or friend who knows the person well.

By being mindful of these DR ABC elements and applying them appropriately, you can support the people you love and/or work with, to help them retain optimum mental health. ®

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  • Mental Health First Aid
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Mark Mathieson

Mark is an Extreme Psychologist and the founder of Mounted Missions and Psyched Up. Over the past 20 years Mark has worked in some of the strangest, harshest and least ‘clinical’ environments on the globe. Mark is the developer of the Patterns of Life model of extreme performance, and he currently spends his time working with elite performers from his base in North East Victoria on a 130-acre farm. Learn more at www.psychedup.com.au

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Raising The Bar is published by FITREC and HealthyPeople. Before trying any new exercise, nutrition or health regimes, you should seek clearance from an appropriate health, medical or fitness professional. The information in this publication is not a substitute for advice or consultation with any health, medical or fitness professional. The health and fitness industries often provide conflicting – sometimes even contradictory – information; as the reader it is your responsibility to safely determine what does or does not work for you. Any prices stated are the recommended retail prices in Australian currency and may be subject to change. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, all parties associated with the production and publishing of this magazine accept no responsibility for the correctness of any facts and the copyright responsibility of all articles lies with individual contributors. Opinions expressed by the authors in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of other authors, the publisher or any of its production or publishing team. Copyright ©2024. All rights reserved. No material in this magazine may be reproduced without written consent from the publisher.