Fall 2022 - 13

experience trauma and/or violence while on
shift. In fact, 69 percent of EMS providers
report never having had enough time to recover
between traumatic events, as cited in the
2013 study, 'An assessment of depression,
anxiety, and stress among nationally certified
EMS professionals.' The length of shifts,
poor sleeping conditions while on-call,
and prolonged night shifts all disrupt sleep
patterns, which could contribute to the possible
development of burnout and eventually even
depression or substance use disorder.
In addition to PTSD, depression, and other
mental health conditions, EMS personnel also
experience higher rates of problematic alcohol
and drug use than the general population. In a
2017 published study, Haddock et al. reported
that women first responders had rates of
smoking, alcohol, and other drugs that were
three times that of the general population. Many
paramedics also have access to substances that
carry the potential for abuse.
Mental health disorders frequently co-occur
with other disorders, including substance use,
in the EMS workforce, and treatment for these
concerns is vital to improving quality of life, as
cited by the 2017 study entitled, 'Describing
the mental health profile of first responders.'
Yet, EMS workers are often reluctant to seek
care to avoid disciplinary action, stigma, and
other " codes of silence " that prevent peers from
reporting any behavior that may alert leadership
to the presence of mental health or substance
use issues.
There are multiple strategies that recognize
and want to act on mental health and substance
disorders. Treatment for both conditions
often includes counseling, group therapy,
and medications. An often underutilized and
underrated resource is the range of local peer
recovery organizations. Recovery centers are
aware of local treatment, group meetings,
and many other resources. It is also important
to focus on personal health and hygiene
strategies: getting a good night's sleep, finding
alternative outlets outside of work, developing
new hobbies, exercising daily, and eating right.
For those who need help or individuals
who may be concerned about their loved
ones or peers' behavior, there are a number
of excellent, confidential resources, including
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services
(SAMHSA) www.findtreatment.gov site that
can help identify local treatment resources.
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of
these disorders is essential, but even more
imperative is taking the next step and
seeking help. n
Information from this article was sourced
from the Journal of Emergency Medical
Services.
Stress of EMS Providers Shown
Through Numbers
* 69% - The number of EMS
providers report not enough
recovery time between traumatic
events
* 30% - The number of EMS
providers who developed mental
health disorders
* 2x - EMS providers are twice as
likely to commit suicide compared
to other professions
* 3x - Women EMS providers
are three times as likely to use
alcohol, tobacco, or drugs than
general population
tacticaltrainingandconditioning.com | 13
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Fall 2022

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