Firefighters, Cops, Medics

[mmgarrett]

Hi Doctor and people on the forum, I am a Fire Captain and I have been recently diagnosed with GAD. I started experiencing symptoms about 6-8 months ago. I have been working in the fire service since I was 18, and nothing from the job ever got to me. Recently, while talking to a co-worker, I found out he was diagnosed with a mild case of GAD and he also said he knew of one other firefighter on our department that had it as well.
My question: Is this more common in the emergency services field than I think. Certainly no one ever talks about it. In your practice, have you heard of this before? Are there any others on this forum that work as emergency responders?
Any Feedback would be great.
MMG

[YankeeBeckham]

Hi MMG,
Its probably more prevalent than you think for the reason you stated, no one ever talks about it. I think a lot of it is the machismo culture surrounding those jobs that makes it difficult for people to admit they have a problem or they're afraid that their work "getting to them" is a sign of weakness or that they can't do the job. But its a perfectly normal response when you're around trauma and tragedy all day to have anxiety and similar problems, and its not at all a sign of a personal shortcoming. If anything, realizing you feel this way will make it easier for you get help and to react healthfully to your feelings. Since you're discovering that many of your colleagues are dealing with the same thing, it may be helpful to speak to them about your feelings. Many agencies provide counseling services for this type of thing, so it may be a good idea to look into what's available. Good luck with this and let us know how things are going.

[Purple98Lady]

I agree with YankeeBeckham.

I think it really helps if you ask yourself too what exactly makes you feel this anxiety, what situation, or just worrying about what will be next etc. If its a certain situation in your job, fear of performance/skills etc., you can get help for this. No one is perfect man/ woman, is a good place to start. The plain stress of being in these jobs is sometimes enough to make you reevaluate your career depending on your age etc. I used to be in Respiratory Therapy in my younger days and I didn't have the good sense to fear anything. Anything I wasn't comfortable with or hadn't had much experience with I went looking for. Anything I feared it seemed it would find me and I had to face it head on wether I wanted to or not. As far as the worry of what was to come I had to realize I had no control over that, but only to be prepared as much as I possibly could be.
Talking with others sharing feelings and treatments can be a big help. There are many blogs and self help groups who share their experiences dealing with GAD, also psychotherapy and behavioral therapy is available. Good luck and do let us know how things go for you.
Here is a link also:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/anxiety.cfm#anx7

Purple98Lady :)