Mental Health and First Responders
First responders work hard to protect our communities and maintain our safety. Their work often involves engaging in very stressful and traumatic situations. They often encounter difficult situations many times a day. Frequent encounters with those struggling with mental health issues can cause compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is a mental response to helping others in stress. These encounters can also create misconceptions about individuals with mental health challenges. Misconceptions can create a stigma surrounding seeking mental health support for first responders. Even though a stigma exists, many first responders struggle with mental health difficulties. Reports show 85% of first responders have experienced symptoms of mental health disorders. Depression and PTSD are also up to 5 times more common in first responders. Police officers and firefighters also are more likely to die via suicide than in the line of duty. The brave and heroic work of first responders takes a toll on their emotional well-being. Practicing positive mental health can prevent serious mental health disorders. Understanding how to notice a decline in mental wellness can help, as well.
Mental Health Warning Signs
There are several ways to tell that one’s mental health is beginning to decline. Becoming more anxious or nervous is a clear sign your brain is trying to tell you something is off. Increased anxiety or nervousness could manifest through overthinking or overgeneralizing. An increase in irritability or anger is another sign. This could look like being set off by small, insignificant things. A major warning sign of anger is taking your irritability out on others. This is a defense mechanism known as displacement. Noticing a change in your appetite is another warning sign of a change in your mental health. You could start eating more or eating less. This could manifest through significant weight loss or weight gain. In more severe cases, binge eating or an avoidance of eating could be present. If your mental health is declining, you could notice you have less energy or lower motivation. Another clear sign of declining mental health is isolation or withdrawal from others. When we are struggling with a mental health challenge, we can feel we are going through this alone. This feeling of isolation causes us to avoid social interactions with others. Also, dealing with mental health challenges is hard, so at the end of the day, we may want to be alone and rest.
When to Seek Support
Changes in mood or behavior can sometimes be passed off as being appropriate. Some changes could be expected after experiencing a stressful situation. This may be the case, but if your changes in mood or behavior last more than two weeks, it is important you seek support. Warning signs are your body’s natural way of telling you that something is wrong. Ignoring these signs could lead to significant impairments in your mental health. Seeking support early helps prevent warning signs from developing into something more serious.
Types of Support
There are tons of ways you can seek support for your mental health. The most common method is attending counseling, also known as psychotherapy. Counseling is the development of a therapeutic relationship between client and therapist. In this relationship, the therapist guides the client through their life challenges. This helps the client live a more healthy and fulfilling life. There are many different approaches to counseling. Finding the approach you feel best fits your needs will aid in your journey to mental wellness. Each counselor is unique and different. Finding a therapist who is like you will help you feel validated and understood. Support groups are another route you can take to develop your mental health. These groups can be in person and online. Support groups help by surrounding you with like minded individuals. These individuals are experiencing the same or similar challenges as you. Processing your experiences with others who understand can provide more personalized support. Another option some look into when seeking mental health support is medication. When our mental health has declined, it could take a serious toll on our functioning. When we can’t function, learning how to cope is often the last thing on our minds. Medication, in conjunction with therapy, can assist us in stabilizing our mood. When our mood is stable, we can learn effective coping skills better.
Maintaining Positive Mental Health
Mental health is health. Ensuring we take care of our mental health is as important as taking care of our physical health. A way to ensure you practice positive mental health is to engage in your hobbies. Life gets busy, so hobbies are often put on the back burner. The things we enjoy doing in our free time are as important as our work. Be sure to schedule time for your hobbies. Another way to keep our mental health up is to get involved with nature. There is a link between nature and positive mental health. We spend a lot of time looking at screens. Getting out in nature is a great way to disconnect and get a change of pace and scenery. Exercise is also linked to positive mental health benefits. When we exercise, our brain releases happy chemicals that boosts our mood. Exercise can also help increase our self esteem and sleep quality. Maintaining a healthy diet can also help keep our mental health in check. Higher-quality foods contain more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These foods feed our brain and nourishes our body more than processed foods. Spending time with others is also important to maintain positive mental health. Humans are social beings that crave interaction with others. When we interact with others, we develop stronger and more trusting relationships. Even if you don’t feel like being around others, try to. Having a strong support system can help you cope with any problems you are experiencing.
We Support Our Community
At Be Inspired, our team of highly trained professionals are dedicated to helping better the livelihoods of our police, firefighters, and EMS that serve our Alexandria, Pineville, and Natchitoches communities. If your mental wellness is not at its best, don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here and eager to help.
About the Author:
Brandy Chapman is a counseling intern studying to receive her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Brandy specializes in providing services to children and adolescents and has a focus in play therapy. Play therapy utilizes play, a child’s natural form of communication, to help children express and process difficult experiences and emotions to live happier, more fulfilling lives.
Other Services Offered at Be Inspired:
Adult Counseling isn’t the only service provided at our Alexandria, LA and Natchitoches, LA locations. We also offer online therapy, trauma therapy, grief counseling, and anxiety treatment. In addition, we also offer child counseling and teen counseling. Feel free to visit our consulting services, FAQ, or blog pages for helpful info!
