Protecting and Serving the Mental Health of First Responders: PTSD

According to the National Council on Mental Wellbeing, 70% of adults in the U.S. have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their lives. I’d offer that since COVID, that is likely 100% of us. I mean, “surviving a natural disaster” is a criterion for trauma, and certainly a global pandemic fits the bill. Of those 70-100% of the population, about 6% of those individuals will develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The Institutes of Health reports that 80% of first responders experience traumatic events on the job. I’m not sure how that number isn’t 100% given the nature of the job, but I’ll go with the research for now. Furthermore, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that roughly 1 in 3 first responders develop PTSD.