There is a heavy burden on the lives of first responders. Police, emergency operators and first-responders all encounter potentially traumatic events and life-threatening situations almost every day. It is not only physically demanding but also mentally exhausting too.
First responders experience a higher rate of mental illness than the general population. For years, the experience of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidal thoughts among emergency medical services professionals, firefighters and law enforcement officers has been noted in multiple reports, as well as a higher likelihood of suicide than dying from work-related injury or illness.
Over 250 first responders in the U.S. (the only ones to publish critical data) were reported suicides in 2019 Just this year, four police officers from the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol killed themselves as cases against them were filed.
First Responder Mental Health Services You Should KnowAs a first responder, or even an administrator who works closely with them it is Important to understand what mental health services are available for first responders. Join us in rising up to lift the ones who help our communities.
Seeking Counseling
Frequent visits to a mental health professional can also go a long way, especially when the counselor is well-versed in treating first responders and has strategies that are targeted towards what their clients need. Seek counseling as soon as possible to deal with your first responder mental health issues and get the mental healthy support you need.
How Employers Can Help
Despite the prevalence of mental health conditions among first responders, there is still a resistance for them to seek help. First responders may be afraid of losing confidentiality or facing negative implications to their professional status if they seek help.
So, what can employers of these first responders do to combat this? Here are a few strategies how the first responders can get the help they need:
- Shift schedules analysis, by prioritizing rest and sleep for workers
- Invest in the awareness of mental health and stress management training.
- Directly Addressing Mental Health, and Building a Culture of Acceptance and Support
- Online Resources
A number of free online resources for first responders are available that also address mental health needs. Consider these methods to get started:
- Helplines: Helplines are another form of immediate counseling, for instance by first-responders in need of assistance after a crisis. Most of the mental health helplines are 24/7 and help caller with resources during crisis.
- Emergency Responders: Caring for yourself - This page from the CDC offers guidance on how to understand and recognize burnout, the warning signs of secondary traumatic stress during emergencies, building a “buddy system” with another responder which allows you to keep an eye out for one another’s stress level and need-to-watch points, and reminders about self-care.
- First Responders and Recovery Workers: Responding to a Traumatic Event: This resource, written by the Voices Center for Resilience as an article in the significant reminder for first responders and their leaders of self-care related needs around such things as physical health, workload management, healthy sleep patterns etc., but adds focus also on understanding vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, burnout, and PTSD symptoms.
- First Responders and Disaster Responders Resource Portal: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides a web portal full of resources for managing stress, from online training on topics such as coursework on unique stressors for law enforcement officers to tips for coping with disaster.
- The 988 Suicide & Crisis Line: is now textable and call-able to anywhere in the U.S. The Crisis Text Line is available by texting “HOME” to 741741, or through web chat on crisistextline. org or via WhatsApp by texting 443-SUP-PORT.
Others may prefer to use helplines for specific groups, including the following:
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline.
- Veterans Crisis Line.
Final Thoughts
First responders instead go to work every day worried about people on the worst days of their lives. We owe them to spend time with them also.
Listen In
