Stephanie Cress Psychotherapy

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Description

Emergency Responder work is stressful, unpredictable, and requires that the First Responder cope with multiple factors - the situation itself, the public, victims’ families, the media, and how critical incidents affect co-workers. Throughout all of this, the Responder is expected to perform his or her duty in a professional manner, in spite of the ever-present threat of psychological and physical injury. Critical incidents, work stress, cumulative stress, and Emergency Responder Exhaustion Syndrome (ERES) are common occurrences in police work, fire fighting, trauma and emergency medicine, and paramedic and emergency dispatch work. Risk factors for developing a more enduring a traumatic stress reaction include a tendency to isolate from supports, having no one to talk with about what is stressful, a sense that nothing is interesting or fun any more, and focusing all areas of one’s life, personal and professional, on the workplace. Critical incidents and chronic stress can influence not only the First Responder, but also families, spouses, life partners and children, as the effects of chronic stress and traumatic stress often affect the Responder’s ability to effectively cope with daily life and work. Typical events that may cause stress include: Stress Responses that Emergency Responders typically experience are: A Brief Stress Reaction: Symptoms during and following a critical incident are common and normal. It is not unusual that stress symptoms are experienced immediately following a critical incident. Feelings of panic, freezing, disorientation, and agitation normally occur for most First Responders during and soon after a critical incident. Acute Stress: Acute Stress is a more prolonged and intense stress reaction following a critical incident. Symptoms may include nightmares, difficulty concentrating, irritability, emotional mood swings, shock, somatic or physical symptoms, difficulty concentrating, feeling detached or not like oneself, difficulty sleeping, and use of alcohol or other substances to decrease the discomfort of the symptoms. These symptoms may last for up to a month after a major incident. Chronic Stress: is a state of ongoing physical arousal. The human body experiences so many stressors that the body rarely has a chance to relax. Cumulative Stress: Cumulative Stress is a result of multiple stressful events that happen over time and can be a combination of major and micro traumas. Common signs of cumulative Police stress and other Emergency Responder stress include emotional detachment, cynicism, suspiciousness, alcohol and substance abuse, as well as the Responder’s social isolation from family, friends, and co-workers. Emergency Responder Exhaustion Syndrome (ERES): ERES occurs when a First Responder reaches significant levels of exhaustion and depletion. This can occur within months or years. The Emergency Responder Exhaustion Syndrome is often the result of cumulative stress experienced by First Responders. The key signs of ERES are depression, isolation, physical and emotional exhaustion, and can include alcohol and substance use in an attempt to cope.

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