First responders suffer high rate of PTSD: National group

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A national group, trying to fight the stigma of mental illness, claims 13 first responders have recently taken their own lives because of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The Tema Conter Memorial Trust says all the deaths took place within a ten-week period earlier this year.

The most recent case was of one of the Mounties first on the scene of the beheading of an Manitoba man back in 2008.

Psychologist Dr. Joti Samra says despite first responders undergoing extensive training, it can be difficult to be prepared for the issues they deal with.

“There are certainly professions where there is a higher level of exposure to traumatic stressors. There are a number of factors that come into play; factors about the individual: their personality, their history, their own history of traumatic experiences throughout their life. There has kind of been this assumption that if someone is in that profession, it’s what they do, they should be well-equipped. But what we know is that people are human, they’re going to have reactions and we need to give strong support,” she explains.

Samra adds police officers, firefighters and paramedics often have the best intention but can struggle with the side effects of their job.

“The kind of individual who is attracted to these professions wants to do the right thing, they want to help individuals, they often have very strong values about what they do, but then they themselves start to feel like it may be a sign of weakness if they can’t handle what they’re doing. And that is a barrier towards individuals seeking help.”

The RCMP has a Mental Health Strategy in place to educate all employees, at all levels within the force.

“We are also looking to break down the stigma that is attached to it, and to raise the awareness that everyone may one day be directly or indirectly be impacted by it. We need to look after each other as we are all human beings first, before being heroes,” says RCMP Sgt. Greg Cox.