First Responder Grief During the Holidays
This article is courtesy of Patrick McCurdy, Retired Sergeant/Deputy. — “I sat with my anger long enough until she told me her real name was grief.”C.S. Lewis It was Christmas Eve. We were looking for a domestic violence assault suspect. It was a pretty bad assault, and we were determined to find him. Everyone inside […]
Creating and Keeping Healthy New Year’s Resolutions
After the flurry and liveliness of holiday festivities comes a time for quiet reflection, as many look back on this past year and prepare for the next. This desire to continue improving oneself as we make our New Year’s resolutions is a healthy intention. It is admirable to make goals for ourselves continually, but when […]
Avoiding Burnout as a First Responder
Burnout is a state of mind characterized by emotional and mental exhaustion. When someone develops burnout in the workplace, they may begin to perform poorly, develop a cynical outlook, and struggle to cope with stress. While burnout can happen in any profession, first responders are especially susceptible due to the intensely stressful nature of their […]
How Can You Identify and Avoid PTS Triggers?
Post traumatic stress , or PTS, is a psychological condition caused by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. This may be an event that happened in a moment, such as a serious accident or act of violence, or it may be a series of events that occurred over a long period of time, such as […]
Understanding mental clarity in recovery
First responders who have stayed sober for extended periods are privy to the mental health benefits of experiencing peace of mind. However, any long-tenured recovery alumni can attest that these moments of clarity, feeling content in sobriety and life in general, often lack their portability.
Four signs a first responder may be suffering from post traumatic stress
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), over 30 percent of first responders suffer from a mental health condition, including post-traumatic stress (PTS).
With the rise in critical incidents against civilians and towards our men and women in uniform, first responders must be able to identify PTS.
Four effective methods you can utilize to assist a first responder in recovery
The role that friends and family take on when a loved one struggles with addiction almost resembles the job responsibility of a first responder.
The feeling of being “on-call” for a person who has the potential to go into crisis at any moment and constantly remaining open to the prospect of intervening for your loved one requires both empathy and vigilance, the same characteristics that first responders use to do their jobs.
Three mental health benefits you can reap by disconnecting from technology
First responders are always plugged in and constantly on the go, so it’s essential to occasionally put your phone down and allow yourself to live in the present.
Think back to when you didn’t take your phone with you into the restroom or converse with your loved ones at the dinner table; you allowed yourself to be present and not multitasking 24/7.
How to avoid toxic positivity in three simple steps and help those who are struggling
Understanding how toxic positivity can be problematic is critical to your recovery and imperative to creating meaningful change in the lives of others.
First off, what is toxic positivity? Toxic positivity is an attribute many people have and are unaware of; it involves false reassurances and the dismissal of negative emotions.
Four tips that can help first responders get better sleep
First responders are among the world’s most sleep-deprived professionals due to constantly working 12-16 hour shifts, dealing with work/life stresses, and often post-traumatic stress. Here’s four tips on how to get better sleep!