Do's and Don'ts

Do's

Treat the person with respect Listen Remove yourself and others from dangerous situations and seek help Try to establish a rapport, be careful not to come off as "phony" in insincere Understand that the person may be terrified by experience of loss of control over thoughts and feelings Remember that there is a person behind the symptoms of the illness Avoid belittling conversation, try not to speak in "baby talk", it's demeaning Speak in simple sentences Ask questions: you might save a life Avoid direct, continuous eye contact or touching (can accelerate or encourage aggressive behavior)

Dont's

Shout. If the person appears not to be listening it could be that other voices are interfering or predominating, not that the person is hard of hearing. If the person is shouting, make a point to lower your voice Criticize. It only makes matters worse, increases agitation Bait the person into acting out, consequences could be tragic Stand over the person. If he or she is seated, seat yourself Attempt to transport the person if you perceive he or she may be dangerous Block entry or exit, especially if the person is experiencing paranoia or agitation Deny delusions or paranoid thoughts, they are "real" to the person experiencing them. Your denial could be perceived as calling the person a liar. Try instead to meet them where they are, i.e. "It must be frightening feeling that you are being followed" or "I understand how frustrating that must be for you." etc. You may also want to ask them "Have you always felt this way?" "When did you start to feel this way?" This line of questioning may be an effective lead-in to determine if the person has previously taken psychotropic medications.

It is sometimes not a good idea to ask if someone is taking medications, or if they have been diagnosed with a mental illness. It may prove helpful to approach the issue by asking leading questions. The more psychotic the individual, the less likely your chances of success in getting answers:

Have you had your blood pressure checked recently? Have you ever been checked for diabetes? How is your appetite? Do you take any type of medication? When is the last time you had it? How have you been feeling lately? (depending on the answer…) How long have you been feeling this way? Why do you think you feel this way now? Have you ever talked to a doctor about this?