Psychologica

l First Aid

Guide for all

Francisco, Lara Aleyah G.

PSY 4YA-2
Ms. Raessel B. Gutoman
Distressing occurrences of all kinds occur on a daily basis and have a variety of effects on
people. Losing one's home, being cut off from family and friends, or witnessing violence,
devastation, or death are all possibilities. Numerous individuals can feel overburdened,
perplexed, or utterly unsure of what is happening.

In a time of crisis, certain people are especially weak and may require more assistance.
This includes those who could be at risk or require extra assistance due to their age
(children, the elderly), or because they have a physical or mental disability. Some
persons are a part of groups that may also be ostracized or the subject of violence.

What is PFA?

The idea of human resilience serves as the foundation of the evidence-based

strategy known as psychological first aid (PFA). It is a strategy for providing initial
assistance. After a disaster, first responders continue to serve their communities.
Following a traumatic occurrence, natural disaster, public health emergency, or simply a
personal crisis, PFA tries to lessen stress symptoms and aid in a healthy recovery.

By preventing mental breakdown, psychological interventions are essential for

supporting disaster survivors' resiliency and rehabilitation. Dong and Bouey (2020)
specifically claimed that PFA improves patients' coping skills by a variety of means, such
as disseminating the proper information and consoling, supporting survivors of disasters
emotionally and fundamentally, and thereby limiting mental health conditions like post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PFA involves following the theme:

 giving people practical care and support without interfering.

 identifying their needs and concerns.
 assisting them in meeting basic needs (such as access to food and water and
information).
 listening without pressuring them to speak.
 reassuring them and assisting them in feeling at ease.
 assisting them in finding information, services, and social supports.
 protecting them from further harm.

PFA is NOT:

 not a task reserved for experts exclusively.

 not a professional counselor.
 not a therapeutic or psychiatric intervention, although it may be a component of
excellent clinical treatment.
 not "psychological debriefing"
 not requiring people to arrange events in chronological order or to assess what
occurred.
 not requesting specifics about how someone feels or what happened, or pressing
individuals to tell you their story.
 PFA Action Principles
Look

 Look for safety

o Determine whether it is safe to
access the location by scanning it.
o Are you able to help mentally?

o Obtain permission before assisting them.

 Search for blatant medical and basic needs
o If someone requires special assistance or has evident,
urgent basic requirements, be aware of your
responsibility and strive to get aid for them.
o Send individuals who are badly injured to medical
professionals or anyone who have received first aid
training.
 o Does anyone seem to be seriously hurt and in need of
immediate medical attention?
o Call emergency hotline if needed.
 Keep an eye out

for anyone having

severe distress reactions.
o Some typical distress reactions include being incredibly agitated, becoming
"dazed," or not answering questions. This is going to help these people.
o Think about who might benefit from PFA and how you can assist them the
most.
o Are there any individuals who seem to be incredibly disturbed, unable to
move independently, unresponsive to others, or in shock?
o Who and where are the individuals in the most distress?

Serious Distress Reaction

 headaches or pains, uncontrollable trembling, or trouble sleeping;

 uncontrollable sobbing, anguish, despair, or terror; being jumpy or "on guard";
worrying that something horrible may happen; or feeling apprehensive or afraid;
 exhibiting excessive exhaustion, being withdrawn, acting as though they are in a
dream, feeling emotionally numb;
 Feeling irrational, agitated, confused (not knowing their name or what
happened), or unable of taking care of oneself.

The most individual will gradually recover well, especially if they can resume meeting
their fundamental requirements and get assistance from those around them or from
PFA practitioners. However, those who experience severe or persistent distress
reactions could require more help than PFA can provide, especially if they are unable to
go about their regular lives or pose a threat to others or themselves. Ensure that people
in extreme distress are not left alone, and try to keep them safe until you can contact
 the appropriate authorities, medical professionals, local
authorities, or other community members. In some cases, just
being present quietly will be enough to help.

Listen

 Talk to everyone who could require assistance.

o Respectfully and in accordance with each person's culture,
approach them.
o Identify your organization and name.
o Ask if you may be of assistance.
o Try to find a place where you may chat in safety and
peace.
o If you can, offer water to make the person more
at ease.
o Make an effort to keep the person secure.
 Ask whether you can assist and what they need most urgently.
o You may ask them, “How can I help you? "Communications, information,
shelter, food, water, and blankets are all necessities.
o Always ask individuals what they need and what worries they have, even if
some needs can be evident, such providing a blanket or covering for
someone whose clothing is ripped.
o Learn what matters most to them right now and assist them in
determining their priorities.
 Pay attention to others and make them feel at ease and safe.
o Locate a secure, private area for your conversation; first, get their
permission.
o Take them out of media coverage and turn off the TV.
o Request assistance if you can.
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Assistance in meeting basic needs and obtaining services.
o Try to provide the individual in
need with the fundamental
things they seek right away,
such as food, water, shelter,
and sanitary conditions, as
soon as a crisis occurrence
occurs.
o Find out what particular needs people have, such as those for food,
clothing, or cups and bottles for feeding young children, and try to connect
them to the resources that can help.
o Make cautious to not overlook those who are weak or underprivileged.
o If you say you'll follow up, keep your word.
 Assisting those with difficulties
o Assist individuals in finding social supports in their lives—such as friends or
family—who can offer assistance at the moment.
o Give them helpful advice on how to satisfy their own needs (for instance,
describe how they can sign up for food assistance or other forms of
assistance, such as financial assistance).
o Inquire about the person's past success at handling challenging
circumstances, and confirm that they can handle the current scenario.
o Find out from them what makes them feel better. Encourage them to
employ constructive coping mechanisms in place of harmful coping
mechanisms.
 Provide details.
Those who are impacted by a crisis event will need precise information on:
o the event
o family members or those that are affected
o their security
o their rights
o how to obtain the services and resources they require
 Make connections between people and their family and friends.
Keep children with their parents and other family members to preserve family
unity.
o Assist anyone seeking support in making contact with friends and family
o Try to put a person in touch with their spiritual community if they mention
that prayer, religious practice, or support from religious leaders could be
beneficial for them.
o For ideas regarding spirituality in crisis situations, see the following box.
o facilitating the gathering of afflicted individuals to aid one another.
Stress Management
Daily job stress, particularly in times of crisis,
is a major cause of stress for caregivers. Job-
related stress that might impact assistance
includes things like long hours, a lack of a
clear job description, and inadequate
management or communication. You might
feel accountable for the protection and well-
being of others as a helper. Terrible things like
damage, injury, death, or violence might be
seen by you or even personally experienced.
In order to help and be helped by your fellow
volunteers, think about how you can manage
your stress the best.

 To help you manage your stress, consider the following advice.

 Consider your former coping mechanisms and your options for maintaining your
resolve.
 Even at brief intervals, try to make time for eating, sleeping, and relaxing.
 To prevent overexertion, try to maintain normal working hours. Think of, for
instance, assigning tasks to assistance in shifts during the crisis' acute phase and
scheduling frequent relaxation breaks.
 When you are unable to solve all of a person's difficulties, you could feel
inadequate or disappointed. Please keep in mind that not all problems are your
responsibility to solve. Do what you can to enable others to assist themselves.
 Minimize the intake of alcohol, caffeinated drinks, nicotine and non-prescription
drugs.
 Check in with a fellow helper and vice-versa. Support each other.
 Talk to people you trust the most.
 Referral
PFA is intended for disturbed individuals who have recently experienced a severe crisis
incident. Make yourself easily accessible to individuals who might need support, but
don't force assistance on those who don't want it. Know your limitations and ask for
assistance from others, including local authorities, community and religious leaders,
coworkers, or medical personnel (if available). We have listed those who require more
immediate advanced support in the box below. To save lives, those in these
circumstances require immediate medical attention or other assistance. Individuals who
require more advanced, immediate support:

 individuals who require emergency medical care due to major, life-threatening

injuries
 displeased those who are unable to take care of themselves or their children
 Those at risk of self-harm
 those potentially harmful to others

The following signs of a disaster survivor should prompt an immediate referral for
community care, as per ARC guidelines:

 Memory disturbance that is significant

 Being unable of carrying out basic daily tasks
 Not being able to tend to one's own requirements
 A refusal to start cleaning or request assistance when needed
 A lack of decision-making clarity
 Being overly focused on one idea
 Performing ritualistic actions repeatedly
 alcohol or drug abuse as opposed to "misuse"
 Speaking under severe strain, or "overflowing"
 Suicidal or murderous remarks or deeds
 Symptoms of psychosis
 Overly "flat" feelings, inability to be motivated to act,
 both severe withdrawal
 Excessive flashbacks that happen frequently and are disturbing
 excessive sobbing and nightmares
 A reversal of development into a previous stage
  Improper rage and/or treating others badly
 Dissociative symptoms
 Unsuitable response to triggering events

Last but not least, referrals for medical care will be made for life-threatening conditions.