Why First Responders Commit Suicide
There appears
to be a disturbing trend happening in the public service sector when it comes
to suicides. There are too many incidents of suicidal deaths among police
officers, correctional officers and
although it cannot fully be explained as to why they did it or why it is
happening because we cannot speak of certain circumstances except that these
employees all share common thread as first responders, veterans of a military
service branch and an enthusiasm for serving to protect and serve in various
occupations within the public service sectors.
When you begin to research
suicides the results are frightening. Their rate of killing themselves is much
higher than the average rate nationally and should show a natural vulnerability
to having suicidal thoughts while engaged in their jobs. It seems the toll
takes on several concerns that include mental health stability, their physical
health, addictions and their ability to deal with stress and secondary stress
such as vicarious post-traumatic stress as a result of job related incidents.
The first step
needing to be addressed is the provision of confidential counseling services to
help cope with the stressors while recognizing the warning
signs. Unfortunately despite of some of these individual efforts, there are no
mass recovery tools available that allows many to fall between the cracks of
this phenomena. Their job is filled with acute stress, social isolation,
pre-existing mental illnesses, and substance abuse. A common link too many
professional occupations has been found to exist among this group of workers
and many others including doctors, nurses and lawyers.
One may wonder if the
social pressures of the job or the workplace culture might push them into these
critical conditions that sets them up for suicidal ideations and feelings of no
hope for recovery. Normally filled with workplace energies and motivational
spirits abound, there appears to be a force within this culture that drains
them beyond their reserves of resilience making them vulnerable at times.
For both men and women
in this work-related force, fearlessness and courage is a required ingredient. This
puts a tremendous strain on their own psyche to feel pressured to project
emotional and physical prowess, confidence and an ability to deal and manage
anything placed on their shoulders. Carrying such pressures of expectation
takes a toll on the best of the best and can create many self-doubting moments
for them.
They feel they must
masquerade as being strong and confident at all times. They must pretend to be
untroubled even when they are struggling within themselves and identify sound
judgment and decisions based on the moments in front of them. Many won’t admit
they need help themselves. One thing is for certain – these internal pressures
to excel and perform are real and won’t be reduced anytime soon.
Their need to
be infallible to make mistakes will not lessen as the world they live in
changes rapidly and requires quick thinking and a limited legal ability to get
the job done right. Their jobs as first responders will require them to step it
up another notch as well as their ability to maintain a comprehensive
understanding of what is expected of them by their agency and the public.
Monday morning
quarterbacks and hindsight observations makes it emotionally hard for first responders
to accept poor outcomes. They know that being blamed comes with the job but
with the drastic increase of responsibilities they know the public and their
own leadership does not realize how much the job overwhelms them and how it is
marked with severe fatigue, errors on the job, fear of being harmed by others.
All this plus dealing
with a severe sense of inadequacy as their job requirements change from moment
to moment making up to date training almost impossible at real time strides. Keeping
a charade of composure and humor to blend in with coworkers they sometimes believe
they are in this struggle alone when in fact, their plight is more common than
realized.
A fear of being exposed
of this subconscious feeling they go into denial and refuse to confess there
are issues they need to deal with in a timely manner and very often ignored
until it is too late. The workplace culture does not allow them to be able to
express or voice these self-doubts or fears. They are unable to talk about them
and their emotional or physical impacts for the fear of embarrassment and
possible shunning from others keeps them silent.
A culture that
encourages us to share these vulnerabilities could help us realize that we are
not alone and find comfort and increased connection with our peers. It could
also make it easier for first responders who are at risk to ask for help. And I
believe it would make us all better public servants.
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