We must continue to remove stigma of PTSD

The recent suicide of an Indian River County Fire Rescue battalion chief saddened me deeply, both as a mental health practitioner and as a man. While I didn't know him, my heart goes out to his family, friends and co-workers.

There is no doubt in my mind this man was a hero. David Dangerfield likely saved many lives and, as a first responder, was exposed to horrors and trauma that most of us could never imagine. He was there for his community in moments when they desperately needed help.

But, was his community there for him?

We've come a long way in the fight to remove the stigma associated with seeking mental health treatment, but I can't help but reflect about the dangerous expectations we still have of men, and specifically of first responders and those serving in the military. Often, we associate the bravery of these men with stoicism. We send a message, inadvertently, that reaching out for help might tarnish that bravery. We do not give our heroes the space to be vulnerable, and to properly process the trauma they are exposed to. Sadly, men are paying for these expectations with their lives.

White males ages 45-55 have the highest risk of suicide of any demographic. In my opinion, this is because men often define themselves by their work, and this is an age where men start to question whether they have achieved what they set out to achieve in their careers. For first responders and the military, there are additional challenges that increase this risk. When military personnel return from active duty, they are transitioning from a high-adrenaline lifestyle, where they are putting their lives on the line, to a very different and often mundane day-to-day reality. This can be a very tough adjustment. For men, their identity is intertwined with their career, and when they lose that identity, they can easily lose hope and interest in life. First responders also experience this because so many retire young because of the high stress and demands of their jobs. Without that identity, they can feel useless.

When you add post-traumatic stress disorder to the mix, you can understand why the risk of suicide among these heroes increases. Many experience flashbacks of the lives they could not save, through no fault of their own. The effects of PTSD are not limited only to the sufferer. PTSD affects the individual's ability to have successful relationships and, therefore, their wives and children suffer as well. I see this often in the families we treat at Tykes & Teens.

It will take a cultural shift to change this, and that shift can begin with a simple conversation. When men begin to talk about their own feelings and experiences with PTSD, depression or other mental health challenges, it creates an invisible safety net for other men to talk about it and to know they are not alone. Women are generally better at this than men, but it is time for men to step up because we are losing our brothers, our co-workers and our sons to an often preventable epidemic.

The hero who lost his battle to PTSD in our community last week left a message behind. On a social media post, Dangerfield asked us to recognize that PTSD for firefighters is real and to get our loved ones help. The best way we can honor his life is to listen to that message and take his request to heart.

Jeffrey Shearer is executive director of Palm City-based Tykes & Teens.

Guest columnist

Jeffrey Shearer