Behind the Badge: The Hidden Epidemic Among First Responders — And the Bay Area Therapist Fighting It. Part 2: On the Front Lines of Trauma — The Impact of PTSD
- Janelle Brady, MS, LMFT
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 49 minutes ago
“I’m fine.” Two words that hide a world of pain for many first responders.
Police officers, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and dispatchers witness traumatic events as part of their job — often daily. But trauma isn’t just a one-time explosion. Trauma is a slow burn. And for many first responders, that slow burn turns into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or other lasting mental health challenges.
Let’s talk openly and honestly about:
What trauma looks like
The ways PTSD can develop
Why understanding this is essential — not just for responders, but also for the people who support them.
Part 2: On the Front Lines of Trauma — The Impact of PTSD
A Voice from the Field
“I thought PTSD only happened to soldiers. But after my tenth overdose call in a month — and one where we couldn’t save a kid — I couldn’t sleep, I was angry all the time, and I didn’t recognize myself. Getting help saved my career and my marriage.”— Anonymous EMT, 14 years of service
Trauma Is Part of the Job — But It Doesn’t Have to Be the End of the Story
First responders regularly encounter:
Death, violence, and severe injuries
Domestic abuse and child endangerment
Catastrophic accidents and mass casualty events
High-stakes calls where lives hang in the balance
These aren’t “just another shift” moments. They’re traumatic — and the human brain is wired to respond to trauma with a fight, flight, or freeze reaction. When that exposure becomes chronic and unresolved, PTSD can take root.
What Is PTSD (and What It Isn’t)?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a natural response to unnatural stress.
Common PTSD symptoms in first responders:
Flashbacks or intrusive thoughts about a call
Hypervigilance — always on edge, waiting for the next threat
Emotional numbness or withdrawal from family and friends
Nightmares and sleep disruptions
Anger, irritability, or outbursts
Avoidance of anything that reminds them of the trauma
It’s important to know that PTSD can show up weeks, months, or even years after the traumatic exposure. And it’s not always dramatic — sometimes it’s quiet, hidden behind a “business-as-usual” façade.
Trauma Can Be Cumulative
It’s not always one big, catastrophic event that causes PTSD.
In fact, for many first responders, it’s the cumulative effect of repeated exposure to difficult scenes that chips away at their mental well-being. This is called Complex PTSD or chronic trauma exposure, and it often goes unnoticed because there’s no obvious “breaking point.”
If every shift carries a little more weight, eventually, it will reach a breaking point.
Breaking the Cycle: What Can Be Done?
The good news? PTSD is treatable, and healing is possible.
Here’s what can help:
Peer support programs: Talking to others who’ve understand what you have experienced makes a difference.
Trauma-informed therapy: Specialized counselors understand first responder culture and clinical techniques to heal trauma.
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD): With appropriately trained clinicians, these sessions can reduce long-term impact.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): A proven method for processing traumatic memories.
Daily mental hygiene practices: Journaling, breathing exercises, physical activity, and downtime are imperative in such professional fields.
Most importantly: there is no shame in needing help. In fact, it’s one of the bravest things a first responder can do.
Call to Action:
Have you or someone on your team experienced trauma symptoms? Talk about it. Ask questions. Check in — even if you think they’re “doing fine.” PTSD doesn’t wear a uniform, but it walks the halls of every department.
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A free consultation with a Therapist in Pleasant Hill / Walnut Creek, CA.
Are you looking for a compassionate and effective therapist in the Pleasant Hill / Walnut Creek, CA area to overcome depression? I’m not the therapist that will ask you how you feel every day. Instead, we work together as a team to make concrete improvements in reducing your symptoms and enjoying life again.
As an experienced practitioner with 15 years of experience and a background in Applied Behavior Analysis, I often implement data tracking, ensuring clinical progression & increasing your awareness in your growth. I specialize in providing supportive therapy with a touch of humor. I am a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, trained in EMDR, & evidenced based techniques including CBT & DBT to help facilitate your treatment goals with a solution focused approach.
Specialties include depression, anxiety, autism, trauma, ABA, and IEP consultations.
Like what we talked about today? Check out related articles:
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STATISTICS:
FROM 2017 – 2021:
511 OFFICERS WERE KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY
756 OFFICERS DIED BY SUICIDE
From 2017 to 2021, the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) program reported 511 officers were killed in the line of duty (270 feloniously and 241 accidentally).
During the same 5-year span, First H.E.L.P. — a nonprofit that started collecting law enforcement suicide data in 2016 — reported 756 officer suicides.
That number is nearly three times higher than that of feloniously killed officers.
This data suggests that officers are more likely to kill themselves than to be killed in the line of duty. Suicide in the law enforcement community has become an epidemic, and these brave men and women need help.
As a result, in May 2020, Congress passed the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection (LESDC) Act to generate an understanding of suicide in law enforcement and help prevent future deaths.
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STUDIES SHOW:
30% of First Responders Develop Behavioral Health Conditions
Approximately 30% of first responders develop behavioral health conditions, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), compared to 20% in the general population.
This disparity underscores the heightened mental health risks associated with emergency response professions.
In 2020, 116 police officers died by suicide while 113 died in the line of duty (Stanton, 2022).
In 2021, that number rose to 150 officers dying by suicide (Leone, 2022).
Law enforcement officers have a 54% increase in suicide risk when compared to the civilian population (McAward, 2022).
Suicide rates among EMTs and firefighters are significantly higher than average.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers, including EMTs and firefighters, experience significantly higher proportionate mortality ratios for suicide than the general population.
For instance, EMS providers have been shown to have suicide rates ranging from 17.2 to 30.5 per 100,000, compared to the general population's rate of 13.0 per 100,000. Prevalence of Suicide Risk Factors among Emergency Medical Services Providers in Utah
Additionally, a study found that firefighters and EMTs had significantly higher proportionate mortality ratios for suicide compared to the general U.S. working population.
Police officers are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.
For example, in 2017, 140 police officers died by suicide, while 129 died in the line of duty.
This trend continued in subsequent years, highlighting the persistent mental health challenges within the profession.
Furthermore, police officers have a 54% increased risk of suicide compared to the civilian population. Boston University
These numbers are staggering — but they only scratch the surface. Many cases go unreported because of the deep stigma within the profession.
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RESOURCES:
Mental Disorders and Mental Health Promotion In Police Officers - PMC
5 Reasons the Mental Health Of Police Officers Needs To Be A Priority | Walden University
LAW ENFORCEMENT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS ACT (LEMHWA) PROGRAM | COPS OFFICE
New NAMI Cope Mental Health Program To Support California Police Officers - NAMI California
Prevalence Of Mental Illness and Mental Health Care Use Among Police Officers - PMC
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