First Responders Face Physical, Mental Health Challenges

Clip: 4/13/2023 | 5m 28sVideo has Closed Captions

As the city mourns fallen firefighters, we talk about mental health challenges.

It's not just physical danger that first responders face. The demands of the job are taking a huge toll on their mental health.

Aired 04/13/2023 | Rating NR

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>>> WE HEARD EARLIER ABOUT FIRE LIEUTENANT WHO DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY.

THIS HAS TAKEN A HUGE TOLL ON THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO FIRST RESPONDERS.

DR. STEINER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

SO THREE IN 10 FIRST RESPONDERS SUFFER FROM SOME SORT OF MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGE.

>> SOME OF THE POPULATION WILL HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.

BUT THERE IS MUCH MORE TRAUMA, WHICH INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY WILL SUFFER.

>> WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS IN PLACE RIGHT NOW ?

FOR INSTANCE, HOW THE CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENT DEALS WITH THE LOSS OF TWO COLLEAGUES.

COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS, EAP?

>> EAP IS AN EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

SOMETIMES FIRST RESPONDERS DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING INTO -- COME BACK.

THERE ARE WORRIES THAT PEOPLE CAN GO TO ANY CLINICIAN THAT THEY WANT TO.

THEY USUALLY FEEL THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO UNDERSTAND.

>> PERHAPS THERE IS SOME SORT OF STIGMA, TO AS TO WHETHER YOU HAVE IT TOGETHER, CORRECT?

>> YOU CAN COMPARE IT TO A BURNING BUILDING OR SEEING DEAD PEOPLE.

IF YOU SEEM TOO EMOTIONAL, THAT CAN SOMETIMES BRING INTO QUESTION YOUR STABILITY.

>> THIS IS YOUR PRACTICE.

YOU GO ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WAS IT LIKE?

>> I THINK WHAT WE REALLY HAVE TO DO IS JUST GET DOWN TO SOME THINGS THAT DO EXPOSE MORE TRAUMA BECAUSE OF THAT.

IT IS POSSIBLE TO DEVELOP DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, PTSD ISSUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WE WANT FIREFIGHTERS OR POLICE OFFICERS TO FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE GOING OUT TO FIND RESOURCES TELL, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY -- THEY SAY SOMETHING LIKE I FEEL LIKE I AM HURTING MYSELF AND I DIDN'T CARE.

THEY ARE WORRIED THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE ADMITTED.

SO IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO REALIZE THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THEY ARE GOING TO HEAR A LOT ABOUT AND NEED TO ADDRESS.

USUALLY FOLKS ARE QUITE RESILIENT AND GOOD AT PROCESSING THOSE THINGS.

THEY ARE NOT DOING THOSE THINGS.

>> SO THEY NEED MORE MENTAL-HEALTH HELP FOR OFFICERS.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT MORE HELP FOR THE DEPARTMENT LOOKS LIKE?

>> I THINK IT IS ABOUT BRINGING BACK THE DAY TO DAY FUNCTIONING AND LITTLE EXERCISES.

IT IS ABOUT PROCESSING THESE TRAUMAS AND HAVING IT BE SOMETHING ESSENTIAL, RATHER THAN HAVING IT TO BE WHERE SEEKING HELP IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE STIGMA.

SO I THINK THE GOAL IS TO BRING WELLNESS AND