01/11/2025
I've been at the hospital all day with a search and rescue (SAR) buddy who fell off the wagon hard in response to a hard holiday season....and 20+ years of horrific memories associated with SAR incidents. I'm drained but in a good way. We had some good, deep conversations about self-worth, making mistakes, and not knowing how/where to ask for help because we've always been the helpers.
I'm just posting here before I crash to remind everyone, first responder or not: slowing down, feeling out addiction triggers without caving, and valuing our own experience ( = not sacrificing ourselves because our safety f***ing matters too) are TRAINABLE SKILLS.
Most therapists either really don't get the nature of our work or have no clue themselves. One of the reasons we feel hopeless and stop asking for help is because all the usual answers ("go to therapy! just meditate!🫶✌️") won't work for us over-preparing, high-performance types.
There's a way out of that hole. I made it out, mostly, after figuring out how/why the mental health system doesn't work for us. Yes, su***de is always an option, but I promise there are other options that you just don't know about yet. Come out to a run club and we can chat about it. I am fed up with hearing about first-responder su***des because *we deserve better*.
Your safety is important and your experience matters.
