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South Pole offered employees a paid-for course for employees who wanted to become ‘mental health first-aiders’ (MHFAs). I took the course and became one myself. Afterwards, I spoke to people about it and realized there was a great deal of miscommunication about what the course was, what a MH first-aider was, and why the company was doing it at all. So I thought I’d write about it here and share it around.

Issues with mental health awareness

In the UK, 1 in 4 people will experience mental health issues of some kind each year. That means it’s safe to say everyone experiences some kind of mental health issue in their lifetime. And yet, there’s still a stigma around talking about mental health issues and what they actually mean. Why? Because there isn’t enough awareness or knowledge about what to do, or where to get help.

If you broke your arm, you’d know to be careful and call 999, or go to A&E. If someone burnt their hand with boiling water, you’d put some cold water on it, or call 999, or go to A&E. I bet you know someone who knows first aid? But do you know what you should do, or who to call, if every time you eat you want to make yourself sick? Or if your friend has a panic attack?

As far as I’m concerned, anything that raises awareness and encourages open communication is a good thing. Which is why I was surprised when the feedback I heard about the MHFA initiative at South Pole was generally negative. The sentiment was ‘I wouldn’t reach out to any of those people, they’re not going to be able to relate to my experience, or understand where I’m coming from, why would I talk to them?’

‘Ah’, I thought, ‘A very good point.’

Mental health first aid (MHFA)

A MHFA-er is unlikely to get it. A MHFA-er is unlikely to truly understand. In fact, a MHFA-er may not look like you, sound like you, or have any of the same experiences as you. But I promise, they don’t have to.

A MHFA-er is supposed to be a point of contact. Someone who is happy for their colleagues to reach out, talk, listen, and ultimately to provide information to them. If you know they won’t understand what you’re going through, maybe its about gender or race, you don’t have to tell them, just raise your hand and say you would like help. They have the information needed to find someone who will understand.

A mental health first aider is supposed to listen and use the knowledge they gained during the course to point you in the best direction for what you might need. They can’t diagnose, they can’t tell you what to do, and shouldn’t be giving you advice, but they can give you information, and raise the awareness that is sourly missing in society, and so in the company. If you caught a cold you’d know who to tell and how to sort things out. Well, if you’re struggling with mental health issues, MHFA-ers know the best people to talk to and how to help.

If you put your hand up, they’ll help, even if that just means finding you a better person to help.

The course itself

MHFA courses are available in lots of different countries at different levels of experience. They vary from country to country because the relevant national support systems are different but the fundamentals are the same, and they range from one day courses to higher education courses. I took a two week course with MHFA England.

It was four sessions, 4 hours each, with a group of other people taking the course, plus an online assessment with a big fat book of information. During the sessions we looked at case studies, and discussed scenarios about 8 of the most common mental health conditions.

Out of the back we came away with lots of good discussions, a big book of information, and more importantly directions on the correct way to listen and approach discussions around mental health and how to direct people to the best resources.

Conclusion

A mental health first aider is not a therapist, or mental health professional, and they really don’t have to ‘understand’. Instead, a MHFA-er is someone with the knowledge and resources to help. They can take the burden of finding help out of your hands and make sure you get the right help for the right person. All you have to do is take the step to raise your hand.

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