Alcohol Abuse on First Responders and How it's Grown

PHOENIX - Oct. 25, 2018 - PRLog -- Ten California firefighters were brought back to work this month after being fired for alcohol abuse while on the job.

Two police officers died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds in New York City in January.

A Dallas firefighter committed suicide over a year ago following a disciplinary hearing for an alcohol abuse incident.

Police officers, firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) workers deal with the pressures of their careers on a daily basis and it often leads to alcohol abuse and behavioral health issues.

EMS Workers

Drug and alcohol abuse and behavioral health issues are growing among EMS first responders.

A key divide in this topic is the stigma that is associated with behavioral health issues. In 2016, the National Survey on EMS Mental Health Services was given to 2,220 EMS workers. The survey, sponsored by the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS), revealed that 52 percent of EMS workers felt okay with talking about mental health issues.

Firefighters

An analysis of firefighters substance abuse and behavioral health problems, published by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), showed that they experience stigma and an inability to pay for substance abuse and behavioral health treatment services. That, coupled with the exposure to long work hours and the unorganized sleep schedule can hinder a firefighter's psyche.

Police Officers

Police officers have also experienced difficulties with substance abuse and behavioral health issues related to their jobs.

Michael Resultay, a policeman for the Phoenix Police Department, detailed the consequences of drug and alcohol abuse in law enforcement.

"A former sergeant with the [California Highway Patrol] had an alcoholism addiction that eventually lead to his death," said Resultay. "With him, it was the pressure from his job which led not only to a marital breakdown but separation from his teenage children."

https://www.drugaddictionnow.com/2018/10/25/the-effects-a...