When you wear the badge, it can become all-encompassing. The stress and experiences we face at work, in many cases, come home with us at the end of the shift. How we process our experiences can be hard for many people in the public to fully grasp.
Last week several first responders from our area had the honor of listening to motivational speaker Travis Howze. Travis – a former Marine, police officer, and firefighter – spoke of the trauma he experienced growing up as a child to working as a soldier and first responder. What I loved most about Travis was how he was very matter of fact and direct about his stories. He did not hold back or sugarcoat his feelings. He was able to use humor and make light of the traits we have adopted as first responders. As a result of the high-stress nature of being a first responder, many of us approach humor in a different way, often using it as a coping mecha nism. Being a first responder is a noble profes sion, but it does take a toll on us, whether we admit it or not. Travis shared how he battled depression and anxiety, and even contemplated suicide. He spoke of how our trauma and our lack of dealing with it can cause secondary trauma to those we care about most. We see traumatic events on a consistent basis, and failing to address it properly and within a reasonable amount of time can cause one to be angry or depressed, and even take it out on the ones who love us, our family.
The purpose of bringing Travis in was to bring more awareness to the traumatic stress we deal with. Listening to how he deals with his experiences and learning about what worked for him is a great encouragement for many of us to look in the mirror and seek help if needed. Many of us have trained to respond to people suffering from mental health crises, but this training with Travis was an opportunity for us to truly focus on our own mental health issues. This additional training not only allows us to be better officers, but also better partners, parents, and loved ones to those closest to us.
