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fandomhigh2006-07-18 10:38 am
blonde-doctor.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2006-07-18 10:38 am
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First Aid II, Danger Shop, Tuesday Morning, July 18
Elliot seemed more serious than usual as she stood in front of the assembled students.
"Hi. We did a lot with physical first aid last session, and we'll get back to it next week, but for today I'd like to talk about psychiatric first aid, or emergency psychiatry. Psychiatry is a clinical medical discipline that involve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental and behavioral disorders such as clinical depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders. I've heard Dr. Pevensie at the clinic is a psychiatrist; it's not my specialty, but it's something I respect a whole lot.
Psychiatric, or psychological, illnesses aren't as obvious as physical ones. It's not like people who are depressed start sprouting green fur, or people with anxiety disorders turn purple -- though sometimes it might be easier if they did. But it is possible that within your lives, you'll come across someone -- maybe even a loved one. Maybe yourselves (about one in six adult americans has a mental illness, though most go untreated) who is having issues.
With some mental illnesses, you aren't going to be able to do anything as a first responder. For example, if you believe someone has delusions, about all you can do is protect them and get them to a clinic as soon as possible.
But the more likely situations that you would encounter would be a panic attack or someone having suicidal feelings. People who are contemplating suicide don't usually walk up to everyone and say, 'Hi, I'm Elliot, I'm going to kill myself Tuesday at noon, how ya doing.' But there are some signs you can watch for, and some resources you can point them toward. Or get them to go to any hospital or physician's office.
And if you or someone you care about is suicidal, please don't think it's crazy, or unique. A 1995 survey found that 24 percent of students had seriously thought about suicide and 8 percent had attempted it -- 3 percent in a way that required medical attention. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among young people ages 15 to 24. In 2001, 3,971 suicides were reported in that age group. And for whatever reasons, 86 percent of that group were male and 14 percent were female."
Elliot paused and looked around the room. "So. This stuff is big, and it's real, and I hope you understand why it's as important a health risk as sunburn or a skinned knee. There's a simulation on helping someone through a panic attack set up in that corner over there. Once you've done that, I've set out a bunch of psychiatric self-diagnosis tests that can help spot a psychiatric emergency. Work alone or in pairs or small groups; if you work together, remember that anything you find out does not leave this room, and I am five hundred percent serious about that. It's a detention if you discuss something about someone else and I find out."
"That's it for today."
[OOC: OCD is up. SP from me after 1:30 EST as usual.]
"Hi. We did a lot with physical first aid last session, and we'll get back to it next week, but for today I'd like to talk about psychiatric first aid, or emergency psychiatry. Psychiatry is a clinical medical discipline that involve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental and behavioral disorders such as clinical depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders. I've heard Dr. Pevensie at the clinic is a psychiatrist; it's not my specialty, but it's something I respect a whole lot.
Psychiatric, or psychological, illnesses aren't as obvious as physical ones. It's not like people who are depressed start sprouting green fur, or people with anxiety disorders turn purple -- though sometimes it might be easier if they did. But it is possible that within your lives, you'll come across someone -- maybe even a loved one. Maybe yourselves (about one in six adult americans has a mental illness, though most go untreated) who is having issues.
With some mental illnesses, you aren't going to be able to do anything as a first responder. For example, if you believe someone has delusions, about all you can do is protect them and get them to a clinic as soon as possible.
But the more likely situations that you would encounter would be a panic attack or someone having suicidal feelings. People who are contemplating suicide don't usually walk up to everyone and say, 'Hi, I'm Elliot, I'm going to kill myself Tuesday at noon, how ya doing.' But there are some signs you can watch for, and some resources you can point them toward. Or get them to go to any hospital or physician's office.
And if you or someone you care about is suicidal, please don't think it's crazy, or unique. A 1995 survey found that 24 percent of students had seriously thought about suicide and 8 percent had attempted it -- 3 percent in a way that required medical attention. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among young people ages 15 to 24. In 2001, 3,971 suicides were reported in that age group. And for whatever reasons, 86 percent of that group were male and 14 percent were female."
Elliot paused and looked around the room. "So. This stuff is big, and it's real, and I hope you understand why it's as important a health risk as sunburn or a skinned knee. There's a simulation on helping someone through a panic attack set up in that corner over there. Once you've done that, I've set out a bunch of psychiatric self-diagnosis tests that can help spot a psychiatric emergency. Work alone or in pairs or small groups; if you work together, remember that anything you find out does not leave this room, and I am five hundred percent serious about that. It's a detention if you discuss something about someone else and I find out."
"That's it for today."
[OOC: OCD is up. SP from me after 1:30 EST as usual.]
Re: Lecture & general class stuff, First Aid, 7/18