All help is good... skilled help is better…
A Mental Health First Aider (Darryl) was visiting his business adviser. The adviser knew he was a Mental Health First Aider and broached an issue that was worrying him.
The advisers wife was having panic attacks and they were becoming more frequent and causing her more distress. The adviser described how he found his wife collapsed on the floor, in the middle of the night, having a panic attack. He didn't know what to do to help her during the panic attack or afterwards.
Darryl was able to reassure the adviser that what he had done was helpful, that all attempts to assist the person having the panic attack were reassuring. They then discussed how he could assist his wife during a panic attack and how he could approach her (when she was not having a panic attack) to begin a conversation about how she could get more assistance.
Darryl talked to the adviser about the 'supported sitting position' being the Mental Health First Aid for panic attacks and how to talk calmly in short sentences to his wife while she was experiencing the panic attack. Reassuring her that the panic attack would not harm her and would pass.
They discussed what help the adviser's wife had already sought. She had been to her GP who had wanted to prescribe 'pills' and told her to give up her job. As she did not want to do either of these things she had given us help seeking.
Darryl told the adviser about finding a GP who was experienced in mental health issues, through the Beyond Blues website. They discussed the most effective treatments for anxiety and panic attacks (cognitive behavioral therapy) and Darryl said that his wife would be relieved to know that help was available.
Darryl supported the adviser to formulate an 'I' statement to begin a discussion with his wife about her panic attacks.
This business adviser had been doing the best he could to support his wife but after getting advice from a Mental Health First Aider felt more confident and hopeful for his wife to get the help she needed. He decided he would attend a Mental Health First Aid course.
Remember Mental Health is everyone's business.
