Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
To sum things up!
Hi! I feel like in recent blogs, I have been sharing a lot of information on specific aspects of first responder mental health, places to find things and ways to access these through the web. For this blog post, I would like to take a step back and write more broadly about the topic; share some statistics and information that I have found, personal testimonies, and what it looks like to give and get support.
As you may have gathered from my past blog posts, first responder mental health is something I am very passionate about. People are commonly concerned with the physical safety of police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and others, and there is less focus on mental health.
These emergency responders experience trauma that can definitely affect their mental health on and off the job. It is important that we recognize this, raise awareness of it, and learn about ways that all people can help or at least be open to the conversation about and with our heroes. For more information, see my previous blog posts, Why the Mental Health of Emergency Responders is Important!, Where are the facts?!, Navigating the Tangled Web, and Myths Unraveled.
Source of image: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7774459/Jacinda-Ardern-meets-responders-volcano-eruption-leaves-five-dead-dozens-injured.html
For starters, let’s look the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) amongst first responders. As noted in an article called First responder mental health: 10 things you need to know to save lives, chronic stress or exposure to stressful situations can lead to PTSD. According to a study discussed in the same article, about 15-25% of first responders experience PTSD and an additional 15-25% qualify for partial PTSD.
According to a tab called PTSD: National Center for PTSD on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website, approximately 7-8% of the U.S. population will encounter PTSD during their lives. This tab speaks generally about PTSD in the U.S. The rate for PTSD amongst emergency first responders is over double that of the general population, and for this reason, we must give it the attention it deserves. We must look for ways to look out for one another and those who help people every day.
In addition to rates of mental health issues emergency response personnel face, it is important to listen to personal accounts and experiences of those in their workplace and in regards to how these affect them.
I have touched on this story in one of my previous blog posts, but an article called First responders struggle with PTSD caused by the emergencies, deaths, tragedies they face every day, published by Rene Ebersole through The Washington Post, describes the story of Ken Dillon, former 30-year volunteer firefighter, emergency medical technician, paramedic, and police officer.
Kevin Dillon has experienced great tragedy in his career; and he experiences mental health problems and PTSD in response to this. A quote that Dillon says in the article is “We rush into burning fires or deal with the worst injuries – that’s our job, it’s what we’re trained to do… but we’re also human, and sometimes our brains can’t compute the horrible things we see.”
Dillon responded to and processed the scene of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and remembers certain things from that time that haunt him to this day. He has experienced so many other horrible incidents, and in response, withdrew from loved ones, carried his gun always, and began to drink excessively.
Many first responders experience PTSD in similar ways as did Dillon, and later in the article, a small shift or solution is proposed. A past Connecticut state police sergeant named Troy Anderson offers his piece. He believes emergency responders should feel supported before they even experience trauma that can cause mental health disparities.
He said, “…there needs to be training for how to take care of your mental health, because tragedy is going to happen… if you are educated ahead of time, you’re going to say, I know what this is – it’s post traumatic stress – and I know what to do, and I know it’s okay to get help.”
I completely agree with Anderson; he has experienced trauma and understands what can be done, first hand, to help first responders in mental health crises. There are a variety of ways in which PTSD and poor mental health can be reduced for first responders; read on to learn about a few of these!
An article on a website called EMS1.com, which I have referred to in previous blogs as well, shares some good tips and ways to support people when they experience poor mental health due to traumatic experiences.
A good place to start is in raising knowledge and awareness of the mental health disparities that can arise in response to daily trauma. If more people are in the know, we can then continue to learn about this and how to help and support the communities around us.
Below are two sources that provide support for first responders and their mental health. Through looking at statistics and personal accounts, it is clear that this is a topic that requires intervention and attention so as to better encourage those who help us every day.
One widely known resource for first responders is The Code Green Campaign. The Code Green Campaign advocates for and aims to educate people about first responders and mental health. Check this out!! This nonprofit that was started in 2014, has a huge impact on first responders and is an awesome organization that offers a variety of services to emergency responders and others.
A second site is the First Responder Support Network (FRSN), which is a place where first responders and their supporters can seek guidance about treatment to decrease the effects of the stress they experience.
It is coordinated and run by first responders themselves, in collaboration with chaplains and clinicians. Being run by this diverse group allows the network to meet the needs of people, while walking through these experiences and empathizing, as they had undergone similar previous experiences.
These are just a couple of places that you can look for information on supporting first responders and where you can direct them to for help and support!
In summary, first responder mental health is critically important and a topic that deserves more press. Although I have found a fair amount of research and resources in regards to it, there is still much to be learned and done!
Finding reliable facts and educating ourselves and others is a great first step in raising awareness and decreasing the stigma that surrounds negative mental health situations. In addition, hearing and reading about direct experiences that first responders have had, gives perspective to situations and people who have not experienced these traumatic incidents.
We can look to sites including EMS1.com, The Code Green Campaign, the FRSN, and more, to seek information and ways to help. We must band together with those who support and help us every day! Thank you for reading! Please reach out to me to chat or with any questions or comments on this topic!
Myths Unraveled
Hi there! It has been so much fun continuing this journey of learning about first responder mental health and sharing it on this blog with people like you who care about and are interested in spreading awareness of mental health among our nation’s heroes!
Emergency first responders are at a definite risk of experiencing negative physical and mental health outcomes and situations every day. But many people do not recognize the seriousness of mental health and how different situations and stressors can truly affect an individual’s well-being.
The aims of the blogs on this website are to draw attention to the mental heath of first responders, raise awareness of the topic, and reveal where to find credible information. Look back to my previous blogs for more information on first responder mental health: Why the Mental Health of Emergency Responders is Important!, Where are the facts?!, and Navigating the Tangled Web.
For this blog, I will continue in my search of the web for valid information and in sharing this endeavor with you. Below are eight myths and their rulings as to whether they are true or false and why.
Myths
1. First responders experience mental health problems to the same amount and extent of most civilians.
FALSE: Looking at two different sources, first responders and U.S. civilians experience mental health problems at very different rates. In a national survey presented in an article by USA Mental Health First Aid, 85% of first responders reported mental health symptoms, 1/3 having been diagnosed with depression or PTSD.
According to the NIMH, 7.1% of general U.S. adults experience major depressive episodes. And in addition, according to a survey performed in 2001-2003 & presented by the NIMH, 3.6% U.S. adults experienced PTSD in the past year. There are stark differences in these rates.
2. First responders are at a higher risk of being physically rather than mentally affected.
TRUE/FALSE: It is honestly unknown as to whether physical or mental stressors provide a greater risk for harm in first responders. According to a post from the Mental Health First Aid Blog, it is true that training prepares emergency responders for physical demands, but there is nothing that can really prepare you for what will affect your mental health.
I recently finished my EMT course and certification, and can attest that I do indeed feel as if I am trained for the physical work that comes with the job, but there is nothing that can be done to fully prepare one for the mental strains the trauma will have on you.
3. There are not resources for emergency first responders for mental health.
FALSE: the NAEMT, which is a site widely recognized by emergency responders, provides many resources for people struggling with/people helping those first responders who are experiencing poor mental health and need support.
4. Mental health problems are experienced only by new first responders; once you have experienced trauma you become numb to it.
FALSE: Honestly, everyone experiences mental health differently. It is challenging to say who experiences more mental health problems, as first responder individuals definitely experience trauma in different times and ways throughout their years of service.
One account of Tim Casey, who worked as a firefighter for 31 years, is described in an article found on Psychology Today. It talks about a tragic experience he had on a call; we do not know at what point in his service this experience took place, but trauma can be endured at any point along the way in one’s career, and can be carried heavily, lightly, or anywhere in between.
5. Poor mental health/mental illnesses cannot be prevented or helped before they are experienced.
FALSE: A site called MentalHealth.gov, notes this to be a myth. Primary prevention of mental health issues is possible through: focused attention on risk factors including exposure to traumatic events (which would be challenging to limit in this profession); public health methods of raising awareness about mental health and reducing the stigma; and working toward better relationships with talking to support systems before things become severe.
6. First responders are better at handling their mental health than are civilians because they experience greater levels of trauma.
FALSE: Everyone experiences and responds to mental health differently, and it is important to not assume the responses of anyone to different stimuli. In my research, I did not find anything that explicitly eluded to first responders being better at handling their mental health, so at this point, I find it fair to say this is not true.
The Mental Health America of Virginia blog mentioned that sometimes, first responders are expected to be more resilient just because of their courage and career choices. This does not always happen and us believing that it does can add to the stigma around mental health.
7. If a first responder or anyone you know is experiencing challenges with their mental health, it is best to not intervene because they can handle them on their own.
FALSE: It is true that individuals respond to and process mental health crises differently. But in cases in which someone could be at risk or in pain, it is critical that you speak up if you notice something, especially if you do not know if anyone has reached out to them yet. There are sources on the web, one site being EMS1.com, that give tips for talking to people about traumatic experiences, and how to listen in a supportive way.
8. There is no need to raise awareness for mental health especially in first responders because this topic is widely known and there is no stigma surrounding it.
FALSE: Awareness of mental health, especially amongst first responders, should be increased! As mentioned in an article posted in EMS1.com, first responder mental health is not highly talked about and it can be assumed that emergency personnel do not need help or are “strong” and do not experience it to the extent as do others.
We know from previous information shared that this is not necessarily true. The article lists a variety of resources that you can refer individuals to if they need help or want to learn more about this topic. It is important to remember, too, that the first step is noticing that awareness can be raised and that we can assist in this.
Well, there they are! Eight myths about emergency responder mental health unraveled! There is lots of credible information out there, you just have to find it. A couple of good places to look could be the NAEMT site and EMS1.com. In addition, take a look at my twitter account @mentalhealthEM for daily facts on first responder mental health! Tune in next time to learn more!
Navigating the Tangled Web
Hello trusty friends!! Katelyn here! I am back with more information on the topic of mental health in emergency responders and also on the new topic of copyright, creative commons, and other issues that can arise from posting or getting anything from the web.
Emergency responders do so much for everyone each day, and as we are thankful for their continued services to the people, we often forget or do not even consider their health, especially mental health. Emergency responders, including firefighters, police officers, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and others, experience life-giving and also traumatic things every day. There are definite stigmas surrounding mental health in general, and I think we can agree that it is important to break these down and open the conversation about it.
Emergency workers respond to the scenes and endure more trauma than do many civilians; there is a possibility that they experience mental health differently than ordinary civilians and and they need resources. We must make ourselves aware and spread awareness of the mental health of our emergency responders, lean on the facts, and search in a variety of places to find them. For more information on this topic or the campaign in general, look back to my two previous posts, Why the Mental Health of Emergency Responders is Important! and Where are the facts?!.
In regards to the many places to find information on the web, it is obvious that they will not all will be reliable or truthful. In my previous post, Where are the facts?!, I talked about a few good and bad sources out there for this specific campaign. This being said, we must continue to overcome challenges around deciphering these.
In a TED Talk called Protecting Twitter’s Users (sometimes from themselves), Del Harvey discusses the magnitude of Twitter, as an example, and the magnitude of ‘bugs’ and problems that can be present within it. In 2014, there were on average 500 million tweets posted each day around the world. And when your job (Del Harvey’s) is to protect people’s identities and accounts, an account being hacked or something else happening with a “one-in-a-million” chance, could actually mean 500 times per day! This magnitude is huge and should not be taken lightly.
The web in itself is on a much larger scale than Twitter, and therefore copyright/identity issues are nearly commonplace. Lawrence Lessig talks a lot about copyright and creativity issues in his TED Talk, Laws that choke creativity. People today share their creativity in a variety of ways, including remixing music and combining previously created and posted ideas.
There are disagreements about what is ‘pirated’, or illegally copied, and what falls in the category of common sense, in talking about things on the web (Lessig, 2007). Much of the information regarding mental health in emergency first responders has probably been shared and borrowed. In my surveying of the web, I have found so many useful sites and so much information on the topic, which has been so engaging! But I know that this topic in itself is not widely researched and the sources that provide information on resources to help with mental health, or that have statistics regarding it, probably can be found in other works, compiled many times.
These are only fair, however, if they are cited! But the line between common sense and copying is challenging and experienced often. We must be aware in our work and in looking at sources to see where their information really comes from and how it relates to others. The internet can seem like a can of worms sometimes, but it is informative and beautiful in many ways.
In addition to this blog, I actually created a Twitter account (@mentalhealthEM) related to mental health in emergency first responders where you can find a new fact every day, and a Facebook page (First Responder Mental Health Awareness Page) to find and share information on the same topic! Since I have done no physical research and am just sharing what I have learned and found about mental health and emergency workers through the surveying of sites, I am aware of how important it is to cite all of the sources I use, and ensure the copyright abilities of the pictures I post, etc. These things are critical on the web and in any copyrighted work to ensure credit goes to those it belongs to and that these people are reliable accounts as well!
Where are the facts?!
Hello! I am back to insight upon you some of the information I have found throughout my research on first responders and mental health. I am passionate about this topic and I hope that you are as curious as I am to find valid and credited sources of information that will better educate us and others.
For the fact that this topic is not often talked about, there is quite a bit of information on the web about emergency responders and their mental health. This being said, not all of it is valid or appeals to the same audience. I will now sift through a few resources I came across and note their relevance/if they are good or bad!
Good Sources!
The first source I found that provided real, valued information was an article from The Washington Post. Written by journalist Rene Ebersole, this article presents the personal account of first responder of 30+ years, Ken Dillon. It explains some actions that can be taken to care for first responders experiencing PTSD and provides some vision for where we should go next with this topic.
This article is great for anyone who wants to hear about the first-hand account of a responder. To note: it addresses the Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting and 9/11, and it is important to be sensitive to readers and how they are affected by these or other traumatic experiences.
The second resource that proved beneficial was an article written by Sara Jones for the Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. This systematic review of articles observes how the trauma experienced by first responders can affect their PTSD levels, suicidality, depression, alcohol use, etc. A lot of quantitative data and statistics were explained to support claims.
The target audience of this article review is psychiatric mental-health nurses, but it honestly could be good to inform anyone who may encounter first responders off the job, aka nearly everyone. It could negatively impact those who feel this discussed trauma and do not want to be reminded of it. Overall, great source with valuable information.
Another relevant resource is the site for the NAEMT or National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. This resource is trusty because it is well-known and central to EMS personnel in the field. The site contains information on education, different resources and topics revolving around EMS, and more. But, this specific tab acknowledges that EMS mental health is a challenging and real thing and it provides resources for the EMS professional and their supporters.
This resource is helpful for EMS personnel and the people who care about them, especially in times of taking preventive measures and wanting to get help. The NAEMT site seems to be a commonplace for people who work in the field and therefore has some leverage.
Bad Sources!
Okay, the three preceding sources are great places to look for information regarding first responders, their mental health disparities, and other related topics. These next sources I will mention are places you probably wouldn’t want to count on, and might want to turn elsewhere when you reach them.
This first one will likely not come as a surprise. Wikipedia is not going to be your most reliable site! There is a Wikipedia page about first responders and trauma, but do not buy into everything it claims. It provides generic and entry level information and although the sources at the bottom seem legit, it would be naïve to think that everything on the page is backed up and true.
The page explains who first responders are, and the prevalence, treatment, risk factors, etc. that these people face. Although Wikipedia’s reputation would not be something to necessarily wage our case on, it is not a bad starting place to find just basic information that a reader would go on to research further.
This next resource is one I have questions about. It is called ‘First Responder Health’, but I am unsure as to who really runs this site. It looks like it was made involving the bare minimum information using a basic site generator. Occupationally Aware Clinicians run sessions offered for EMS workers. From little research, I believe these being referred to are occupational therapists, but again, I am not totally sure.
The site provides help for healthcare workers including online sessions, etc., but has little available information and is not a place I would necessarily turn to for help. It is geared toward healthcare workers, but offers very little without paying or to the layperson looking to help.
This article clearly proves that the mental health of first responders is of serious concern; unfortunately, CNN is a fairly biased source and not the best to gain valued insight from. Written by Mark Morales and Steve Almasy, it talks about a recent occurrence of suicide in the NYPD, and the general topic of the mental health of emergency responders. It looks at personal accounts and a study.
This would be geared toward the layperson who is interested to become more aware of such health disparities, and is a good awareness point or example for all people. And though the article provides real information, CNN in itself is considered a left-wing biased source that invokes opinions and not all well-established facts.
All in all, the purpose of this post is to provide a little insight into the many sources that exist on the topic of first responders and their mental health. More information is out there than you might think! It is critical to know how to sort through these for the facts that can prove valuable for the well-being of the people who care for our citizens each day!
Why the Mental Health of Emergency Responders is Important!
Mental health is a critical aspect of the lives of all people, and especially the first responders of our nation who put their lives on the line each day for the good of the people. This first blog post will attempt to explain the importance and need for focus on the mental health of emergency response workers.
First responders include all from police officers, firefighters, FBI agents, and paramedics, to people in the United States Army, and many others (http://www.usfra.org/notes/Who_is_a_First_Responder?show=true). First response individuals help to keep the people of our nation and world safe and at peace. Often times, people find themselves concerned for the physical health of response individuals, or their safety in situations they boldly find themselves in, which is so critical. But, the mental health of these brave individuals can often be ‘swept under the rug’ or assumed to be completely intact, which is in opposition to most other civilians for whom which mental health is readily talked about and of concern (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/towards-recovery/201705/first-responders-and-mental-health).
Hi! My name is Katelyn Matheny and I believe the mental health of our first responders is a topic that should be talked about, and that which the barriers to accessing these trends and the authenticity of talking about it should be broken down. These people are the ones we call on in our times of need; we pour our pain onto them and they experience our bad days with us. We should recognize these people for their courageous work, and in addition, there should be increased research, programming, and discussion revolving around all mental health and especially that of the people who physically protect and care for the citizens of our nation. This affects not only the individual first responders, but every person and situation they find themselves with and caring for. Mental health is so important and there is hope for a reduced stigma around the mental health of our nation’s first responders and more free and open conversation about it in the future (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/towards-recovery/201705/first-responders-and-mental-health)!
Introduce Yourself (Example Post)
This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.
Why do this?
- Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
- Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.
The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.
To help you get started, here are a few questions:
- Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
- What topics do you think you’ll write about?
- Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
- If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.
Health of First Responders 