My Mental Health First-Aid Experience

This article was originally published in our Fall 2026 Bleeding Times Magazine. See the entire magazine by clicking here.

Author: Guillermo Fuentes

When I was a teenager, my constant nosebleeds were usually brushed off as part of growing up and puberty. It was normal for me to bleed randomly in the shower, at school, at birthday parties… but then I got referred to a pediatric hematologist and that’s when I found out that there was something more going on. I had Factor VII deficiency. The erratic nosebleeds finally made sense. Fast forward to today and I can confidently say that my hemophilia is in check with a support team that has helped me understand my condition as well as providing medical assistance when needed.

One personal medical aspect that has changed recently has been my understanding of mental health and the extent in which it affects our day-to-day life. In the past two years, I’ve been lucky enough to embark on my mental health journey and make sense of things I didn’t pay much attention to growing up–kind of like with my nosebleeds.

Throughout this journey I’ve also had an amazing support team that has helped me through therapy and has made me feel listened to and validated, making a huge difference and impact in my day to day activities. Little did I know that nearly two years after starting therapy, I’d have the chance to make a difference myself and positively help others by becoming a certified Mental Health First Aider as part of NYCHC’s MHFA Training Session held on Long Island a few months ago.

Being part of the training made me realize just how quick we all are to brush off mental health issues as tangible things that can be quickly fixed. But the mind is extremely powerful and complex and it is able to completely transform a person in a variety of ways. Being part of the training allowed me to look at the world with more empathy and be more vigilant of the signs that someone around me is going through a mental health crisis.

The program specifically stated multiple times that as someone trained in Mental Health First Aid, we do not diagnose. We offer hope by providing facts and pointing people to the right direction in getting the help they need. Abiding by that rule, I was allowed to remove any judgements and any preconceived notions on what is normal and what’s not. And that absence of judgement is what normalizes the act of helping people as well as creating room to help ourselves.

In a society that relies so much on distractions and stimuli, it’s easy to forget that we are all worth the same. And by bringing awareness as well as learning to lend a hand and offer help when someone is struggling with their mental health, we could become more empathic as a society and we could slowly but surely remove the stigma that comes with asking for help. Thanks to the training, I was able to understand that effectively. And it’s something I’m extremely thankful for.