Paramedic and emergency work are unpredictable and high stress in nature. This is only compounded by increased workload—which is particularly pertinent currently—and a high focus on performance (Davidson et al, 2021). In 2019, Mind carried out a study that revealed that emergency responders were twice as likely to attribute any mental health symptoms to their jobs than the general population. Worryingly, more than a quarter (27%) also contemplated taking their own lives because of poor mental health and work stress. Similar findings were seen in an Australian survey, where 39% of emergency responders reported being diagnosed with a mental health condition compared with 20% in the general population (Beyond Blue, 2018). Suicidal thoughts were also twice as common in the emergency responders, and three times as many in this group reported having made specific suicidal plans (Beyond Blue, 2018). It is worth noting as well that both of these surveys took place prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was a highly unusual time and undoubtedly placed an immense amount of additional stress on emergency responders, as well as arguably every individual.
The high-stress nature of the incidents attended by emergency responders is an obvious reason for these stark and sobering contrasts with the general public. However, emergency responders are also reluctant to seek help and support for symptoms related to mental health and wellbeing (Mind, 2019). On p. 286 of the current issue of the Journal of Paramedic Practice, Vincent Romano delves into this phenomenon, exploring the use of Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) peer-led traumatic stress support system within the North West Ambulance Service.
The reluctance among emergency responders to seek help appears to be gradually improving over time, according to a comparison between surveys carried out by Mind in both 2015 and 2019. However, the culture is still overwhelmingly to ‘keep calm and carry on’, and ambulance personnel (as well as police) are still much less willing to seek support from management about a mental health issue than volunteers or search and rescue personnel, for example (Mind, 2019). The culture and expectation of just ‘getting on with it’ remains prevalent and is an unhealthy way, particularly in the long term, to approach trauma exposure. Organisations are becoming better at encouraging staff to debrief and talk openly about mental health, and some even offer training to this effect. However, there is a still a ways to go and a cultural shift towards encouraging and supporting help seeking is a big piece of this puzzle.
How supported do you feel? We would love to hear your experiences. Email the editor at aysha.mendes@markallengroup.com