I wish the concept of mental health first aiders had been around when I was younger and struggling with anxiety. Yes, I had friends who were supportive, but I think a workplace with designated mental health first aiders not only signifies that the employer cares about the wellbeing of its staff, but it also helps break down the stigma surrounding mental health more widely. When I started work in the late 1980s, the landscape was very different and having a mental health issue often felt like something which needed to be hidden rather than be open about.
The Adult MHFA Manual 2016, states that:
“Approximately 1 in 4 adults in England have been diagnosed with mental illnesses.”
“At any given time 1 in 6 working age adults have symptoms associated with mental ill health (eg sleep problems, fatigue, etc) which do not meet the criteria for diagnosis”
“A further 1 in 6 working age adults experience diagnosable mental health conditions at any given time”.
“Mental illness is the largest single source of burden of disease in the UK. No other health condition matches mental illness in the combined extent of prevalence, persistence and breadth of impact.”
Thankfully, the stigma around mental illness is gradually reducing and legislation has been put in place in the UK making it illegal to discriminate on the grounds that someone has a mental health issue. There are many charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises doing amazing work to support people with their mental health.
There is obviously much work still to be done, but the introduction of mental health first aid training over the last 10 years or so is surely an important step in the right direction. I, along with several of my Action Hampshire colleagues, became a mental health first aider in 2021, having completed a 2 day online MHFA England course via this link led by Tom Cleary, from Train Your Mind (via this link). I’m proud to have the MHFA logo in my email signature, demonstrating that Action Hampshire cares about the wellbeing of its staff and the people it works with.
What does being a mental health first aider mean in practice?
The aims of a mental health first aider are very similar to those of someone providing physical first aid.
| Aims of physical first aid | Aims of mental health first aid |
| Preserve life | Preserve life where a person may be at risk of harm to themselves or others |
| Prevent further harm | Provide help to prevent the mental health issue from becoming more serious |
| Promote recovery | Promote recovery of good mental health |
| Provide comfort to the person who is ill or injured | Provide comfort to a person with a mental health issue |
MHFA England Manual 2016
As a mental health first aider, I’m not a therapist nor am I able to diagnose a mental health condition.
Instead, I am able to give help to someone experiencing a mental health issue or crisis before professional help is obtained. The MHFA course trains you how to spot the early signs of a mental health issue, the signs and symptoms of common conditions and how to provide initial support to the person as well as guiding them towards other forms of help and treatment.
One of the key aspects of the training which stood out to me was the importance of listening non-judgementally and with empathy, before going on to offer any options for further help. Our trainer Tom likened it to climbing down into the hole to sit with the person rather than shouting down advice to them from the ground above, helping the person feel accepted and valued. It’s about ‘listening to understand’ rather than ‘listening to respond’ and it’s a deceptively difficult skill to master. However, it’s something I would have so appreciated when I started out in the world of work all those years ago and one that I hope to be able to offer to anyone who comes to me for support.
It is not an easy course to do. Not that the content is hard to understand, but it can bring up difficult feelings and emotions. Tom, our trainer, was excellent though at supporting us through this and ensuring everyone on the course was ok. If you haven’t already done so, I would thoroughly recommend looking into having mental health first aiders within your workplace.
