Oct 2, 2024 Houston FD cadets receive mental health training
A group of Houston Fire Department cadets recently took part in a class to help them understand how to monitor and take care of their mental health while on the job.
Around a fifth of firefighters and paramedics across the country meet the criteria for post-traumatic stress, according to a study by the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, compared to a 6% risk in the general public.
A recent story from Houston Public Media detailed Houston’s mental health training seminar for firefighters. Below is an excerpt from the Houston Public Media story.
“Mental health is physical health,” said Angelina Hudson, CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Health’s Houston chapter.
Although firefighters and other first responders are at more of a risk for mental health disorders, Hudson said they are less likely to reach out for help when they need it.
“There’s this idea that if that, ‘if I’m dealing with stress or depression or anxiety and it’s too much for me, then guess what? I’m not going to get that next promotion,’” she said. “‘They’re going to think I’m too frail. They’re going to think that I don’t have what it takes to do this job.’”
And unaddressed mental health problems can further exacerbate a person’s distress, Hudson explained.
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A national study by Florida State University found that half of a group of more than 1,000 firefighters had suicidal thoughts at one point in their career, and about 16% reported one or more suicide attempts.
The Houston Fire Department has around 3,500 firefighters, and Leah Belsches is one of two psychologists for all of them. She said around 300 to 400 of them seek out counseling every year.
Belsches said depression and anxiety are among the top reasons firefighters reach out to her.
To read the full story from Houston Public Media, click here.
