Video - 1
The indicators for the man getting angry
Different hostile body language, facial expressions, and gestures can differ in a person in aggression. In the shown video, it is evident that the man is quite aggressive as can be indicated by his facial expressions. In the beginning, he has furrowed eyebrows, suspicious gestures with an impatient body gesture. His face redness and pursed lips portray his aggression. When the helper arrived, he started screaming and sounded irritated which too signifies aggression (Arriaga & Aguiar, 2019). Unstable body language was also noticed when he tapped his feet once and later raised them to make some space. While talking, he conveyed his words loudly with hand gestures showing threatening behavior towards the staff. While abusing others, he tends to destroy the property kept there. Considering the psychosocial symptoms, his condition deteriorated when he felt agitated and started hurting himself on his head. Self-harm in the form of hitting self is another indicator. He seems confused and his pacing words made it difficult for him to communicate. His assertive nature demonstrated that he was experiencing uncomfortable physical pain. An argumentative tone of speaking with the staff and emotional distress graces his anxiety throughout the video. His impaired communicative style with altered behavior defined his aggression well (Allos Australia, 2018).
How and why is his anger increasing?
Many factors can be responsible for increased aggression among patients. Here in the given video, it can be noticed that the patient is in a hospital where disturbing background noises can be heard. Noises are considered as a significant psychological stimulus that enhances responses like aggression. Secondly, it can be noticed that the client was sitting alone in a room and no one was there to listen to him, later he got irritated that no one was responding to him when he asked for painkillers. Ignoring a person with aggressive behavior intensifies their perpetuate behavior that makes them feel emotionally abused.
Responding to him
- The patient should be responded calmly by ensuring an eye contact with them without making them feel confronted or threatened.
- He can be shifted to a room where there is minimal background noise so that his anger does not intensify.
- Utilizing effective communication behavior can resist his aggression.
- It is important to inform his family members by finding his details and knowing more.
- Trying to understand his problem by responding to him in an empathetic way.
- By maintaining a distance to be safe.
- Not ignoring him rather listening with patience for what he requires
Do you think this type of situation can be avoided?
This type of situation cannot be avoided at the workplace since it may harm the patient as well as the working staff there. It is important to respond to the patient in aggression otherwise it may lead to long-term physical or mental illness. On the other hand, it is important to express anger otherwise it may lead to destruction or may cause violence. It should be taken care that the background voices in the service centers should be kept minimal to prevent heating up of the situation. Supporting a person emotionally might help in this case as the person in the video seems to ask for help.
Video-2
Describe your thoughts and feeling around the 2 approaches used
In the video shown, there are two ways in which the helper deals with the patient:
- The first way is a rude and aggressive manner of talking with a psychologically ill patient. It seemed that the helper is threatening the patient when he came to him shouting that he should have checked his phone in the cupboard. It is not the right way to handle the mentally ill patient. The loud voice, sharp tone, and threatening body language of the helper are not calming the patient, instead, it is making him more aggressive. The helper should have shown some respect and empathy towards the patient who is complaining about his lost phone. Questioning him for his complaints is not the right approach. In the end, he even touched the patient instead of maintaining a distance while talking. This made me anxious to continue watching the video. Listening carefully is considered a better option rather than interrogating a client while offering him help. It was not a good choice as a helper for handling the patient suffering from mental illness.
- The second de-escalation approach that the helper selected was the right move to resolve the patient's problem. With a calm attitude, first, the helper listened to the patient carefully, rather than interrogating he agreed with him for what he was saying. His non-verbal cues like nodding his head signified a supporting behavior towards the client. He first listened to him then made him seated to maintain a distance showing some respect that was a good gesture as a helper. It was relieving to see this scenario. Later, it was seen that he even tried to distract the patient for a while by talking about all the good times he spent in his free time so that he could be relaxed for a while. This was a better choice to help the patients to communicate patiently and respond to them in the right way.
The key aspects in helping the client/patient
The key aspects in helping the patient suffering from psychological issues:
- It is important to follow the technique of Low and Slow. This technique identifies the way and the tone that should be used while communicating with the patient. Illustrating a low voice with a subtle tone that necessitates a mannered approach that should be taken care of while patient dealing. It is relevant to talk in a low-paced voice rather than high pitched voice.
- Secondly, patients need emotional support that is important to regulate their emotions by validating and empathizing with them. Treating them with dignity and respect is all they need.
- Name it to tame it is the third de-escalating skill that should be focused on to assist the client. It requires the helper to listen actively to the client and then respond to them calmly. The need is to integrate positivity with happy gestures and non-verbal cues that will let the client feel supported.
- Avoid confrontation or yelling at the patient and make sure that they feel comfortable in the environment.
- Precisely, it is also significant to make sure that the patient’s family should be contacted or ask the patient with whom they want to contact at this time.
- A patient should be treated without making any judgment about what they are thinking or doing at that moment.
- It is important to be polite and explain to them why they are here in a non-threatening way.
- Asking the patient if they need anything is a better way.
Reference
Allos Australia. (2018). Assertiveness Vs Aggression: Characteristics Of When Assertiveness Become Aggression. Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.allos.com.au/communication-skills/assertiveness-vs-aggression-characteristics-assertiveness-become-aggression/
Arriaga, P., & Aguiar, C. (2019). Gender differences in aggression: The role of displaying facial emotional cues in a competitive situation. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 60(5), 421-429.
