The value of mental health first aid training

As well as holding stereotypical views of mental illness, many people are unable to recognize mental health problems, are likely to underestimate the severity of a person’s mental illness, and believe that non-professional strategies will fix the problem. Therefore, they are not likely to respond constructively to people in crisis or know where to find help during the early phases of a mental illness. Media representations of people with schizophrenia frequently highlight violence, in contrast to how the majority of physical health problems, which do not have the widespread stigma or fear associated with them, are represented. Many lay people are afraid of anybody with (or suspected of having) a mental illness, and those who would try to help someone commonly assume that they will make mental health problems worse by getting involved, or put themselves in danger.