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# Mental Health Emergency |
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Abrupt changes in thinking, behavior, hallucinations, and severe |
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confusion can be frightening for the person experiencing it, and also |
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for the people around them. |
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When someone's thinking and perceptions cause them to want to hurt |
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themselves or others, it becomes an emergency and they need help |
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quickly. As with any other emergency, first try to check breathing, |
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stop any bleeding, and check for other physical injuries. Then |
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reassuring, calming and comforting a person having a mental health |
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emergency can save lives. |
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> If someone says he wants to hurt himself or others, believe him. |
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If the person is dangerous to others, it is often easier to move |
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other people away than to move him. You may need help to make him |
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and the area around him safe. And look out for your own safety as |
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well. |
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Calm listening |
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If he says he wants to hurt or kill himself, the first thing he needs |
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is someone to listen calmly. Ask gentle questions, to show you care |
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and to be sure you understand. Your questioning can help to |
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interrupt his thoughts and distract him from his purpose. |
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Step 1: Ask if he plans to hurt himself or someone else, or if he has |
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already done so. |
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Ask questions |
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Step 2: Ask how he plans to do it, and if he has the means to do it. |
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The more specific the plan, the more serious the problem. |
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Ask for specific details |
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Step 3: Ask the person to make an agreement that he will not hurt |
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himself or others. Take away the means he would use to hurt himself |
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or others. |
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Make a temporary agreement |
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Take away the means |
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Happy helping ☃ here: You tried to output a spurious TAB character. This will… |
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Making an agreement like this can keep someone OK long enough to get |
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more lasting help. Do not leave him alone. Stay with the person, or |
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have family members or friends stay with him. Make sure he stays |
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sober and does not drink alcohol or use drugs. Alcohol or drugs can |
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further cloud his judgement and make self-harm more likely. It may |
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be helpful to seek the help of spiritual or community leaders who he |
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respects. Following up to see that he continues to get help, and to |
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show that you care about him, is important. |
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> Asking someone if he wants to kill himself does not make him more |
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> likely to do so. |
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> from NEW WHERE THERE IS NO DOCTOR © Hesperian Health Guides, |
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> 1919 Addison St Ste 304, Berkeley, CA, 94704, 1.510.845.1447, |
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> [email protected] |
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