I went on "Mental Health Awareness" training yesterday, and it was fantastic. I learnt some valuable things. Mostly not so much to do with poeple with mental health problems but just life and work in general.
The absolute most useful thing was the advice about dealing with angry and/or verbally abusive people. This is for on the job, if someone is being abusive remember that they are abusing the position and not the person. Do not take it to heart. I sort of knew that already, but it is so very hard to do. Having the framework of 'position not person' was really useful. I wish I'd had that last year when I was being a building manager and dealing with certain residents of the top floor of my building.
Also, if someone is yelling at you, they are being emotional and not thinking particularly rationally, so if you somehow engage them in rational thinking processes then they will calm down. Getting angry yourself doesn't help because then you're both out there with your emotions getting more and more upset and wound up.
Mmm. Lovely learning and they gave us a delicious lunch which was just wonderful.
Got another my little pony this morning, a 'peek a boo' baby called Noddins. She's a bit tatty, but very cute all the same.
Posted by jenni at March 4, 2004 10:43 AM