KOCHI: This year’s World Mental Health Day, on Monday, focuses on the need for ‘psychological first aid’ for victims of natural calamities, accidents, war and violence. The theme assumes great significance in Kerala where road and rail accidents are common, according to psychiatric experts. State health authorities should make policy changes to address the issue and introduce a treatment protocol wherein emotional aspects of the affected people are also addressed.
After an accident or a disaster, each person can have varied reactions and feelings. They can feel very fearful or anxious, numb or detached. Some people may have mild reactions while others may have more severe reactions. “In providing psychological first aid, it is the first responders who find themselves in a helping role. These include healthcare personnel, police officers, firemen and community workers. It is essential that these people understand the concept and importance of ‘psychological first aid’ which must cover both psychological and social support,” said Dr. Sandhya Cherkil, Neuro psychologist, Aster Medcity, Kochi.
The World Health Organization’s Guidelines Development Group advises that psychological first aid should be offered to people in severe distress after being exposed to a traumatic event. “Even though grief therapy that aims at helping people cope with grief and mourning following disasters or deaths is part of the standard treatment practice in western countries, the system is yet to be implemented here. People are unaware of such psychotherapy treatments for handling traumatic situations. There should be a treatment protocol to ensure the emotional well-being of injured victims, survivors and those who are affected by disaster,” said Adv. Rajesh R Pillai, president of Befrienders India, the national level coordinating agency of NGOs working in the suicide prevention sector.
