Discussing a topic like this requires us to challenge a few myths. Firstly, while first responders do heroic work, they are not superheroes. They’re not immune to the stress of such work. Also, not all first responders are male. Females on the front lines may be the minority, but that only serves to emphasize the need to support them and their mental well-being. Whatever gender they are, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a genuine concern. We may only think of the people they save as ending up with PTSD, but what about the toll women endure when witnessing emergencies and crises every single day?

Is PTSD Common For First Responders?

Considering that 80 percent of cops, firefighters, and other emergency personnel experience traumatic events at work, it’s not surprising that their rate of mental health issues (33%) is much higher than it is for the general population (20%). Then, you have all the first responders who do not report or talk about their struggles. How does this differ from men and women?

Some Differences Between Male and Female First Responders

Rescue workers already avoid the “stigma” of looking “weak,” but can you imagine how much more this manifests for women? In a male-dominated field, they can feel the need to go above and beyond to prove they belong. Such gender bias adds to the challenges of the job and frequently reduces the likelihood that such a woman will ask for help. 

Meanwhile, women — from all walks of life — are diagnosed with PTSD at a rate more than double that of men. Within the first responder community, since men dramatically outnumber women, mental health resources are more commonly geared toward males. 

To recap:

• First responders, in general, resist showing what is perceived as “weakness.”
• Female first responders often believe they have more to “prove.”
• Women are more likely not to be taken seriously
• PTSD is more common in females
• When the rare first responder asks for support, the resources are skewed toward helping men

Bubbling under the surface of these counterproductive trends, female first responders are too often left to fend for themselves. 

Signs That a Female First Responder May Have PTSD

Men and women will share many of the most common PTSD symptoms, but some are more prevalent among females, e.g.:

• A feeling of numbness
• Difficult feeling emotions
• Being easily startled
• Avoidance
• Anxiety
• Depression

More specific to female first responders, red flags include: 

• Hiding grief, fear, sadness, and pain
• Self-medicating and substance abuse
• Feeling as if all your hard work and efforts are useless
• Focusing on those who didn’t survive the disasters you witnessed
• Dissociation
• Blocking out traumatic events
• Self-isolation 
• Talking about self-harm, death, or suicide

In other words, female first responders may not talk about their feelings, but their emotions will show in other ways.

How to Support Female First Responders

First, it’s obvious the workplace must change. Management and employees must collectively choose to shatter the stigmas and myths by normalizing conversations about mental health. On top of that, specific measures are needed to address the needs of women and to protect them from gender-based problems. Other general ideas:

• Encourage first responders to take days off and use their vacation time
• Provide services like yoga and mindfulness training
• Ensure privacy for anyone who seeks help

Running parallel to all the above is self-help. Emergency workers rush into scenes that others run from. Offering help is the norm. Asking for help should also be second nature. 

Accordingly, reach out to a therapist who is trained in working with first responders. Our therapist Jen Guy is such a therapist! She’s super passionate about working with this population as the mom of a first responder as well. You can easily schedule with us here or by reaching out using our contact form. We’ve got you!