Psychological First Aid

The truth is that apart from 'classical' First Aid, I didn't know there was Psychological First Aid, at least until I attended the Postgraduate Program in International Medicine and Health Crisis Management. As part of this Master's, I was lucky enough to learn what it is and how I can provide Psychological First Aid to any person in a moment of crisis. And what do I mean by 'crisis'? A crisis can be an earthquake, a fire, a shipwreck, a car accident, or even the announcement of a man's death to his own people. It can also be a manifestation of anxiety disorder and panic.

Let's take a brief look at the Basic Principles of PFA, as defined by the World Health Organization, in the table below, from the manual you will find on the WHO website.

PFA is defined as a human encouraging response to a fellow human being who is suffering and in need of support.

For even more information about available material and educational opportunities for health professionals, you can refer to the WHO site. Bibliography: WHO website