Answering Every Call - Including Our Own
Why First Responders Must Prioritize Mental Health This Month
May is National “Mental Health Awareness” month.
In the demanding world of first response—whether it’s police, fire, EMS, or dispatch—mental health often takes a back seat until a crisis emerges. We’re trained to be physically fit, to handle emergencies, and to put others first. But just as we maintain our bodies, we must also care for our minds—proactively, not just when things fall apart.
A Personal Story: The Lingering Impact of Untreated Trauma
This lesson hits close to home for me. Our son was adopted out of foster care a few years ago. Now 16, he struggles emotionally and psychologically with difficulties he faced earlier in life—challenges for which he never received the treatment he needed. My father, too, struggled his whole life with mental health challenges related to his time in the war. Their struggles remind me that trauma doesn’t just disappear with time. It lingers, shaping how we see ourselves and the world. Many of us, whether in public safety or not, are in the same boat—carrying burdens from the past that we haven’t fully addressed.
The Science: Mind and Body, Inseparable
Recent research from the University of Toronto and Kyushu University has shown that exercise can actually help the brain heal from trauma. The study found that physical activity helped mice let go of painful memories by changing the way their brains processed those memories. Assistant Professor Risako Fujikawa emphasized that exercise had the most significant impact on reducing symptoms of PTSD and drug dependence—a finding also supported by clinical studies in humans.
The most important takeaway for first responders is this: regular exercise doesn’t just keep you physically fit—it can also help your mind recover from the stress and trauma that come with the job. This supports what many mental health professionals already recommend: staying active is a powerful tool for building resilience and protecting your mental health.
The interplay between mind and body is undeniable, especially in high-stress professions like first response. Our thoughts and mental health directly affect our physical well-being. Stress and burnout don’t just make us feel bad—they contribute to heart attacks, a leading cause of death among first responders, and push many to the brink of leaving the job.
A Call to Action: Proactive Mental Health for All
This month, let’s break the silence. Let’s treat mental health with the same urgency and care as physical health. Here’s how we can start:
Check in with yourself and your team. Don’t wait for a crisis—make mental health check-ins a regular part of your routine.
Engage in peer support programs. In surveys, more than 90% of people who received peer support reported finding it helpful.
Practice mindfulness and exercise. Both are research-proven tools to build resilience and manage stress.
Share your story. You never know who might need to hear that they’re not alone.
Mental health challenges are real, and they’re common. Whether you’re a police officer, firefighter, EMT, dispatcher, or anyone carrying invisible scars, know that help is out there—and that healing is possible.
This “Mental Health Awareness” month, let’s answer the call for ourselves and each other.