Forum: Time to also learn psychological first aid
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Follow topic:
I refer to the article “ The 30s are heavy: Understanding suicide among S’pore’s young adults
I recently attended the Certified First Aider course conducted by the Singapore Red Cross Academy to learn how to help people who have suffered bodily injuries or heart attacks.
It may be an oversimplification, but there are parallels we can draw between such people and those who are in emotional distress or experiencing suicidal thoughts.
When someone suffers bodily injuries or a heart attack in public, many people would step forward and do what they can to help. Many are even certified to perform first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and know how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
There are more than 204,000 registered community first responders in Singapore. Coupled with the ubiquity of AEDs across the country, the odds of survival for someone who has collapsed due to a heart attack have increased greatly.
To similarly help those with mental health issues, more people should be trained in basic psychological first aid, such as that conducted by the Samaritans of Singapore. This will help to increase the chance of a positive outcome while waiting for professional help.
Those who are in distress should seek help early instead of suffering in silence. After all, both physical and psychological health are equally important for our well-being and survival.
Lau Wai Leong
