Mental Health First Aid – Reference Guide - bec

1 Mental Health First Aid Reference Guide Can Anyone Help My Mind? The artist is in the middle of a crowd and feeling envious that other people have such full lives with work, families and happiness. He feels like an outcast. All the faces look the same because the artist was reflecting his desire to fit in and be like everyone else. Source: Paintings in this document The painting on the front cover, along with the paintings at the beginning of sections 1, , and , were reproduced with permission from the Out of the Shadows artist s program in Edmonton, which offers community arts opportunities to individuals living with Mental Health concerns. The artist wishes to remain anonymous. Published by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2020 (4th edition) Mental Health First Aid material 2020 Betty Kitchener and Anthony Jorm.

2 All rights reserved. Mental Health First Aid Canada material 2020 Mental Health Commission of Canada. All rights reserved. Material in this Guide is adapted with permission from Australia s Mental Health First Aid program. Disclaimer The information provided in this course is for Mental Health and substance use First aid use only and is not intended to be and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional Mental Health and substance use advice. Welcome to Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) In any given year, one in five people in Canada are living with a Mental Health or substance use problem ( Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2013; Smetanin et al., 2011). Some Mental Health and substance use problems are more common than many physical Health problems. While people often know a lot about physical illness, most people have little knowledge about Mental illness.

3 This lack of understanding promotes fear and stigma. It prevents people from seeking help early and from seeking the most effective help. It also keeps people from providing support to friends, colleagues, family members and people around them simply because they do not know how. Our Mental Health (also referred to as Mental wellness or well-being) allows us to realize our potential, cope with stress effectively, bounce back from life challenges and be active, productive members of our communities. How each of us defines our Mental Health /wellness/well-being can be very different and quite individualized, it is about living well and feeling capable despite life s challenges (Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2006). Note: In this MHFA course, we ll use the term Mental well-being.

4 The Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training course was developed to help people provide initial support to someone who may be experiencing a decline in their Mental well-being or may be in crisis. The philosophy behind MHFA is that Mental Health and substance use crises, such as suicidal and self-harming actions, may be avoided through early intervention. If crises do arise, then members of the public can take action that may reduce the harm that could result. Course participants will learn how to recognize the range of changes that may be a sign of declining Mental well-being or crisis, how to offer and to provide help, and how to Guide a person towards appropriate treatments and supports. This Guide has been developed to accompany the MHFA Canada course. The Contents page provides a snapshot of the topics addressed.

5 Please note that the contents of this Guide , including all wording, graphics, images and other material, are not intended to replace consultations with a doctor or professional, or to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Don t use this information to diagnose or develop a treatment plan for a Mental Health or substance use problem without consulting a qualified Health care provider. We appreciate your interest in supporting others who may be experiencing Mental distress. And, we encourage you to use what you ll learn for your own Mental well-being. Enjoy the course! MHFA Canada: Reference Guide | Welcome to MHFA | Page 3 of 3 Contents Background 7 Mental Health Commission of Canada 7 Acknowledgements 8 Section1:IntroductiontoMHFA9 MentalhealthandsubstanceuseproblemsinCan ada10 Whyis MHFA needed?

6 11 Impacts14 Mentalhealthandsubstanceuseandspecificpo pulations16 Recovery toimprovedmentalwell-being18 MHFAA ctions19 ApplyingMHFAA ctions21 Spectrumof interventions for Mental Health and substance use problems 22 Resources 26 Section 2: MHFA for Declining Mental Well-being 29 Depression 30 MHFA Actions for Depression 38 Resources 44 Anxiety Problems 45 MHFA Actions for Anxiety Problems 51 Resources 54 Psychosis 55 MHFA Actions for Psychosis 62 Substance Use Problems 67 MHFA Actions for Substance Use 75 Resources 81 Page 4 of 6 | MHFA Canada: Reference Guide | Contents Gambling Problems 82 MHFA Actions for Gambling Problems 87 Resources 91 Eating Disorders 92 MHFA Actions for Eating Disorders 98 Resources 102 Section3 (NSSI) Aggressive Behaviours 130 Appendices133 Appendix1:MHFAKeyTermsandConcepts134 Appendix2:Summaryof CommunicationStrategies138 Appendix3:CulturalConsiderationsandCommu nicationTechniques 142 Appendix 4: Considerations for MHFA with members of the 2 SLGBTQ+ Community 145 References 153 MHFA Canada: Reference Guide | Contents | Page 5 of 6 Page 6 of 6 | MHFA Canada.

7 Reference Guide | Contents Background Mental Health Commission of Canada Who We Are The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) leads the development and dissemination of innovative programs and tools to support the Mental Health and wellness of Canadians. Through its unique mandate from the Government of Canada, the MHCC supports federal, provincial and territorial governments as well as organizations in the implementation of sound public policy. The MHCC s current mandate aims to deliver on priority areas identified in the Mental Health Strategy for Canada in alignment with the delivery of its strategic plan. The MHCC s staff, Board and Advisory Committees all share the same goal creating better systems for Mental well-being. How We Work Funded by Health Canada, the MHCC convenes stakeholders, develops and influences sound public policy, and seeks to inspire collective action in a range of areas that impact the lives of Canadians living with a Mental Health or substance use problem as well as their families.

8 Examples include, among others, the justice system, primary Health care, workplaces and housing. Each of MHCC s initiatives and projects is led by experts from across the country who bring a range of experience and a variety of perspectives to the table. Consulting with people who have experience living with a Mental Health or substance use problem as well as their families is a key aspect in all of the MHCC s work. This work includes offering a host of resources, tools and training programs aimed at increasing Mental Health and substance use literacy and improving the Mental well-being of all people living in Canada. MHFA Program This program is run by MHFA International, trading as Mental Health First Aid Australia, which is a not-for-profit company. MHFA training has been licenced to operate in numerous countries: Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Japan, Malta, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, Sweden, UAE, USA and Wales.

9 When the MHFA Program was adopted in these countries, either a Mental Health government agency or a nongovernment Mental Health organization tailored the MHFA Australia course materials to their own culture and Health care system and worked out the method of dissemination best suited to local conditions. The MHFA Canada program came under the leadership of the Mental Commission of Canada (MHCC) in February 2010. An important factor in the MHFA Program s international spread has been the continuing attention to research and evaluation. The MHFA course has been thoroughly evaluated using randomized controlled trials and a qualitative study and been found to be effective at: MHFA Canada: Reference Guide | Background | Page 7 of 8 Improving course participants knowledge of Mental Health and substance use problems Reducing stigma Increasing the amount of help provided to others Acknowledgements The MHFA course was originally developed in Canberra by Betty Kitchener, an educator and Mental Health consumer, in partnership with Professor Tony Jorm, a Mental Health researcher.

10 The aim in creating the program was to extend the concept of First aid training to include Mental Health and substance use problems so that community members were empowered to provide better initial support to someone who is developing a Mental Health and/or substance use problem, has experienced a worsening of an existing Mental Health and/or substance use problem, or is in a Mental Health and/or substance use crisis. The First aid information in this Participant Reference Guide is based on guidelines developed by the Australian Mental Health First Aid Training and Research Program from 2006 to 2008, using the consensus of international expert panels involving Mental Health and substance use consumers, caregivers and professionals. The following people worked on the development of these guidelines: Claire Kelly, Robyn Langlands, Anna Kingston and Laura Hart.