We all have a first-aid kit at home. But do we really know what to do beyond applying Dettol or popping painkillers when there's an emergency? And, what about mental health-related crises, for example, if your roommate is experiencing a panic attack, or is silently dealing with depression? In both cases, professional help may be necessary. However, considering that's not something you can avail of instantly, it can help to be trained in providing first-aid so that the injury — whether physical or emotional — doesn't worsen till the time professional help arrives. Dhiren Talpade, a Borivali-based first-aid trainer, and Erinda Shah, founder and MD of the Chennai-based Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) India, tell us why these skill-sets are useful not just to help others, but also for our own welfare.

Aiding the mind

This year has shined the spotlight on mental health like never before. This, in turn, necessitates the need to create an ecosystem where those struggling with mental health conditions feel free to seek help. And we're not talking about just clinical help here. "Mental health care starts from the self. If we are sensitive to the matters of our own mind, we can empathise with others," shares Shah, a psychotherapist from Albania, who set up MHFA India in Chennai in 2017, based on this principle. The organisation, which imparts basic training on providing first-aid to those showing signs of mental distress, has taken its course online amid the pandemic.