 Imagine being the first police officers or paramedics to arrive on a scene after a child has been the victim of an acid attack, a wife has been killed by her husband in front of their children, or a teen is tearfully reporting the details of a sexual assault.
Imagine being the doctor, nurse, or emergency room staff who treat these victims, or the medical examiners and morticians who respectfully care for a victim’s remains while answering calls from grieving family members. Now imagine having these experiences a few times a month or more, depending on where you live. Imagine doing this over and over while sleep-deprived, under pressure to perform your job to ensure the best possible outcome for the victims, and sometimes putting your own life at stake in the process. The scenarios in the first paragraph come from my own professional experiences as a mental health counselor, and even just hearing the victims tell their stories can lead to vicarious trauma over time - and that’s not even seeing the events as they are happening! Luckily, mental health counselors have an ethical obligation to maintain our own mental health by regularly checking in with our own counselors and maintaining a strong self-care routine. However, those doing battle on the front lines, whether actual military engaged in war or law enforcement and healthcare professionals on the front lines of rescue, often suffer silently. They frequently experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and suicidal ideation, and often attempt to cope with their distress by substance use. They have increased suicide rates, as more die by suicide than in the line of duty (Tiesman et al., 2021). Both the symptoms experienced and the suicide rates occur at rates significantly higher than the general population. Despite this clear indicator of emotional and mental anguish, few in these rescue fields seek mental health treatment. Their reasons for not seeking treatment include, but are not limited to worries about remaining on the job and the lack of providers who understand the first responders’ unique experiences (Luster, 2022). If you are one of these men or women who needs some relief from the despair or wants to build resilience before it happens, from someone who “gets it” a little more than the average provider, please contact me. Your privacy and pain relief are my highest concerns. References Luster, R. (2022, September 9). First responders and mental health: When heroes need Rescuing. Psychiatric Times. Retrieved December 5, 2023, from https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/First-responders-and-mental-health- when-heroes-need-rescuing Tiesman, H. M., Elkins, K. L., Brown, M., Marsh, S., & Carson, L. M. (2021, April 6). Suicides among first responders: A call to action. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved December 5, 2023, from https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science- blog/2021/04/06/suicides-first-responders/
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