Trauma and First Responders: When the Helpers Need Help
For most of us, about the worst thing that happens on the job is our boss gets angry, or we lose a client, or we discover our lunch has gone missing from the company refrigerator. For first responders—the firefighters, police officers, military personnel, emergency dispatchers, EMTs and others who keep us safe—work can mean close encounters with danger, chaos and tragedy, sometimes on a daily basis.
Over time, exposure to such stress can take a toll on first responders’ mental and physical health. In some cases, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) results, in symptoms such as:
Flashbacks, nightmares, and recurring thoughts.
Emotional numbness.
Extreme worry, guilt, anger or hopelessness.
Avoidance of people, places or things that are reminders of the trauma.
A loss of interest in things that once gave pleasure.
Feeling anxious, on edge or jumpy, and startling easily.
Sleep issues.
Problems with alcohol, drugs or food.
The Challenges of Seeking Help
Professionals trained to treat trauma can help those who are suffering reclaim their emotional footing. But that requires acknowledging the problem, and first responders don’t always find that easy.
There are many reasons why.
For one thing, first responders generally operate in a culture that seeks to uphold an image of invincibility. It’s a way of dealing with all they must encounter. Admitting that there are cracks in the armour can seem not only counterproductive but dangerous—a way of undermining the confidence necessary to do the job effectively and safely.
Unfortunately, that’s an attitude that can rise all the way up to management ranks, with those who open up about what they are feeling to their superiors sometimes being told to simply “deal with it” or “toughen up.”
Original article: David Sack M.D., www.psychologytoday.com