Paramedic Suicides

[medicmole]

I was shocked at the number of papramedics that have committed suicide.

Do you think EMS services do enough to help paramedics suffering from stress and PTSD?

http://www.brandonsun.com/lifestyles/breaking-news/group-draws-attention-to-paramedic-suicides-says-professional-help-needed-290160821.html?viewAllComments=y

[paramedicmike]

Do you think EMS services do enough to help paramedics suffering from stress and PTSD?

No. I don't.

I also don't think individual EMS providers make enough of an effort to help themselves.

[scubanurse]

I don't think society does enough for ANYone who has PTSD, so no, I don't think there are enough resources. I have suffered from PTSD since 2008, and in the beginning I wouldn't talk about it to anyone but the mental health team. There is a stigma attached to mental illness and a lot of fear surrounding PTSD, there have been people in my past who have feared I would get violent towards them assuming all with PTSD are violent. It is slowly getting a little better, but now the focus is on military, and it should have attention don't get me wrong. I was talking to someone just last week and mentioned I have PTSD and their response was "why, you were never in the military". There has to be more information available to the public.

I agree with Mike also, a lot don't make the effort to help themselves, but I think part of that may be fear of loosing their jobs or the stigma that is attached.

[island emt]

there has long been the stigma attached to EMS providers who " can't handle it". Just suck it up and move on has long been the mantra.

Some folks can go through a career & never have "that " case that sets you off, or the combined group of calls that are your trigger.

Recognition of these sentinel events isn't taught to providers, nor is the avenue to find help when you become overwhelmed.

I'll admit to having a couple of events that are my triggers. the smell of burnt hair & flesh will send me into a very dark place in my past.

the kind of place nightmares are made in.

As far as the general population understanding the things we deal with on a regular business, there is little hope that many of them will ever understand the good , bad & ugly , that are a normal part of our lives. They couldn't handle it.

PTSD can take many forms and will affect each individual differently.

Some turn to booze or drugs, others tie it up and store it in their subconscious until it boils over. and others just let it out to a loved one or friend they can talk to.

Others still , it becomes the thousand pound weight on them and causes severe depression from which they can see no way out from under.

It usually is the ones who seen steady as a rock that have the worst time with it as they keep it locked in until the powder keg explodes.

[Arctickat]

That story is incorrect. They are misrepresenting "First Responders" as paramedics. The true number is 34 First Responders. This includes Police, Fire, Corrections, CBSA, and others as well.

But hey, if it puts a spotlight on the small percentage that were paramedics, I'll take it,

[island emt]

It might be factually incorrect, but at least they are talking about the problem that seems to be more wide spread than we knew about.

[mikeymedic1984]

Far more medics and emts are killed in ambulance crashes. Far more US citizens are killed in bathtub drownings and lightening strikes.

[medicmole]

Not sure what your point is.

Are you saying that because there are other causes of first responder deaths we should not be concerned about our colleagues killing themselves? If 34 have taken their own lives how many others are in need of help? But hey, people die from other causes so who cares???

By the way, these are Canadian statistics, the average number of lightening caused deaths in Canada is 3 per year. In 2014 as of Oct 28 there were 26 in the US.

Just saying….

[ERDoc]

It's a bit old, but probably still pertinent.

http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan01/suicide.aspx

[scubanurse]

Far more medics and emts are killed in ambulance crashes. Far more US citizens are killed in bathtub drownings and lightening strikes.

So? Does that mean we should keep our heads in the sand and ignore the issue? There are continuous studies into safety standards out there, so why not the same for mental illness. If that's your attitude, you're part of the problem.