60 seconds with a mental health first aider
This Mental Health Day we caught up with mental health first aider, Sarah Duffy.
Why did you become a mental health first aider?
I’ve suffered with mental health issues all my life. Helping people look after their mental health is something I’m passionate about.
I can help people to do this because I can relate to what they are going through and I draw on my own experience to offer advice and suggestions.
Some people don’t have friends and family who they can talk to. We spend so long together at work so I think it’s nice to keep an eye out for people who may be struggling and be that person they can confide in and help them relieve some pressure.
How do you approach people who you think may be having mental health issues?
There was a gentleman in work who I could was struggling. I let him know that if he wanted to talk, have a cup of tea or go for a walk at lunch time that I was available.
Another time on an away day, we had to swap experiences as an icebreaker and I told the person I was paired with that I suffer from anxiety and depression. He told me that he did too. He was actually quite pleased that I was forthcoming about it.
I’m not sure if more people talk about it now or if more people suffer from it but I believe you’ve got to say exactly how you feel when it comes to your mental health so you can get across what the problem is.
What qualities do you need to be a mental health first aider?
- You need to show empathy; you need to give emotion to someone who’s not feeling good.
- You have to be a strong person
- You need to have good judgement - it may be that the person you’re talking to needs to seek professional help
- You must listen
- You should be compassionate and caring
To find out more about the mental health first aider scheme, please email: Rukshana.Begum4@bartshealth.nhs.uk
How a mental health first aider helped me - Sian James
"I’ve suffered with depression for a long time. It’s something I have to manage on a daily basis. When it flares up, I find it hard to get up and come into work.
"I work with Samantha Ming, who’s a mental health first aider. She’s always there when I need help. If I know that Sam’s going to be in work, then I know it’s going to be ok. She’s very comforting and my safety net.
"She reminds me that it’s ok to not feel quite right; she listens to me, and reminds me to breathe and calms me down.
"I speak to Sam every day – not always about depression, sometimes it’s just about stuff. She’s a very good person to be around.
"I would very much recommend speaking to a mental health first aider. If you’re feeling down you should talk to someone before it gets too bad. It’s never stupid and no one will laugh at you. There’s always someone who’s willing to listen."