The Front line…

Job related Trauma.

“Many times trauma in a person decontextualized over time can look like personality. Trauma in a family decontextualized over time can look like family traits, trauma decontextualized in a people over time can look like culture and it takes time to slow it down so you can begin to discern what’s what.”

– Resmaa Menakem

Across Scotland and the UK, thousands of emergency front line workers face the daily challenge of helping people in need during traumatic eventsand this can be very demanding, and stressful to deal with. It is not that long ago since it became apparent how regular exposure to stress and trauma can cause poor mental health and PTSD, however the access to immediate help has not change that much since then.

Recent research points out how increased work pressure such as workload and time for recovery, are the common factors of increased levels of mental health problems within the emergency service personnel. These are the people who work under the tremendous pressure to deliver timely response without having the comfort no of taking enough time to recover between particularly distressing incidents, which can influence their stress levels.

The more we are stressed the less our bodies can cope with it, and at some point it will become too much. For most of us it will come as a surprise, since we think we can cope with everything. However, when the glass is full and there is no more space, even a smallest problem cannot “fit in” and becomes too much for us to bare.

This is when we need to start to empty the glass and we can do it by talking.

In general, it was found that Emergency Service personnel would rather look for support from family and peers over any other available help because, it is more personal; and less likely to impact on their professional life because it could ruin any chance of promotion. However, sometimes we do not want to speak to our close ones as we are embarrassed by our inability to cope. After all coping with stress is the bread and butter of emergency services.

Counselling services are confidential. We are here to listen without prejudice and judgement.