Do You Reject Help?

Know anyone who will reject help?

We know emergency responders battle everything from fires to terrorist threats. They respond to the public’s worst day. Emergency responders, be they fire, EMS, or police are modern-day heroes and should receive all the support they need to thrive outside work. Too often they reject help they need to do their job.

In many instances first responders suffer neglect from a society that does not understand all what goes into the day to day activities in our job. Even close family members and friends may turn a blind eye and deaf ear to what we live at work. Emergency responders face humanity at its worst state on a daily basis.

With all that emergency responders deal with, and given the lack of support from society at large, it is little wonder why many police officers, firefighters, and emergency services staff like paramedics and EMTs become addicted to drugs and alcohol. In fact, about 30 percent of first responders develop mental issues that may lead to drug abuse during their time of service.

Quest 2 Recovery has a mental health program designed to help first responders recover from drug and alcohol abuse.

Reject Help?

It’s well known that emergency responders experience higher levels of stress and emotional trauma that have a negative impact on physical and emotional health. First responders perform a job that requires troubleshooting and mitigating emergencies, mental health issues are all too common for them, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

PTSD is usually triggered by a specific event – either experienced or witnessed. PTSD symptoms can include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety. Since everyone is different and processes trauma in different ways, symptoms of PTSD can vary from person to person. Symptoms are grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions.

It’s also common for first responders to develop substance abuse issues.These can develop slowly and without warning. Working professionals look forward to unwinding after work – sometimes with a drink. Sometimes it’s in the comfort of their own home or sometimes with friends. The same goes for first responders. The difference between the two is the person working a desk job probably doesn’t have trouble sleeping at night, whereas the first responder may be up all night reliving the trauma they experienced during the day. The one drink the first responder uses to unwind after work could turn into drinking an entire bottle so they can fall asleep.

Addiction is something that develops over time, especially when unresolved trauma and stress build up. We hope if you’re a first responder struggling with mental illness and addiction you will not reject help, but will reach out to an organization like Quest 2 Recovery or the All Clear Foundation. It can be challenging for our community front line to emergencies to seek help because they’re worried about the stigma of ‘not being able to handle the job’, but getting help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. Never Forget 9-11 Foundation will always support responders working to overcome the adversity of this job.