What to do when your relative suffers from hysteria?

1. Stop him/her physically, set aside.
2. Take your hand / embrace / hold it close to you.
3. Make eye contact.
4. Give water or wash her/his face. Insist on taking at least a sip. Then another.
5. Show how to breathe: “Breathe with me. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.
6. In case of severe affect, shake, pat on the cheeks or other parts of the body.
7. Say, “Now it will pass, now calm down, I’m here.”
8. You need to speak loud, clear and firm. Phrases are just simple, 2-3 words. It is important for you to be as calm and balanced as possible.

The advice was prepared by Daria Selivanova, a psychotherapist for the International assistance headquarters for Ukrainians and the “Bez paniky” psychological center.