- Identifying Risk
- Workforce
- First Responders and High-Trauma Professionals
WORKFORCE
First Responders and High-Trauma Professionals
Some professions involve inherent, consistent exposure to traumatic events that can cause extreme burnout, vicarious trauma or secondary traumatic stress. High-trauma professionals, like law enforcement officers, child welfare workers and first responders, are vulnerable to negative health outcomes — they’re often too focused on helping others to seek the help they need themselves.
It’s crucial for professionals in these areas to be able to recognize the signs of trauma, in themselves and in their colleagues, as well as finding healthy ways to respond, cope and recover from these stressors.
Vicarious trauma happens when someone is in frequent contact with people experiencing trauma. As these professionals are hearing about trauma from the people they’re helping, they become witnesses to the pain, fear and terror that survivors have endured — ultimately leading to negative changes in their worldview.
Secondary Traumatic Stress is the result of being a witness to a traumatic event or series of them, which can lead to post-traumatic stress-like symptoms.
Compassion fatigue refers to the deep emotional and physical wearing down that takes place when helping professionals are unable to refuel and renew. Ignoring this feeling will eventually lead to burnout.
Burnout happens over time, and is the state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion due to excessive and prolonged stress. Burnout can lead to substance abuse, depression, suicidal ideation and the loss of highly qualified professionals.
Dispatchers are the calm in the chaos — making sure callers are connected with the help they need and managing crises until help arrives. But behind their collected appearance is a real person who has little time to decompress until their next call.
Continual exposure to traumatic situations can lead to compassion fatigue, burnout, cumulative stress and secondary trauma. But there are tools available to help address stigmas, reduce the effects of trauma, and help yourself and your coworkers.