Stress in Family Members and Loved Ones of First Responders - Essay Example

 Title: Stress in Family Members and Loved Ones of First Responders Abstract: The following discussion provides an overview of the issues relating to stress in families of first responders; as well as proscriptions for change that can seek to promote healthier home life and reduced levels of stress for all individuals involved. By indicating coping mechanisms and engaging in an understanding of whether or not they are effective and should be promoted to a larger audience, the discussion will seek to provide an actionable level of research into what strategies and approaches are the most effective. Key words: first responder stress, family stress, coping mechanisms, counseling, stress reduction, stress education. Whereas a great deal of emphasis has been placed upon the way in which first responders can deal with the stress and danger associated with their every day job and its requirements, relatively little scholarship has been put forward with respect to the way in which the families of first responders must also seek to address and ameliorated levels of stress that they are placed under as a result of the dangers associated with their loved one;s line of work. As a function of this lack of research, the following brief analysis will detail some of the strategies and approaches that have been proven to be useful with regard to seeking to promote a stress free life and further level of emotional health within the lives of families of first responders. Interestingly, one of the first ways that certain scholars and analysts promote that stress can be ameliorated within the family of the first responder with the process of expectation and acculturation. For instance, psychologists and counselors promote the understanding that families of first responders must have a different set of expectations regarding the way in which each and every day might unfold. For instance, an individual that works and a particular line of employment that is not overly dangerous and does not involve risking one’s life on a daily basis or otherwise placing one’s body in the line of harm would be correct to assume that each and every day will similar, if not identically, to the one that preceded it. However, for families of first responders, a frame of expectation and understanding is necessary so that stress and worry will not come to define their lives. Studies indicated that those individuals that experience the greatest levels of emotional harm if she stress of having a low working with first responders is almost always attributed to the pervasive fear and worry that something may go wrong (MacFarlane et al., 2009). With a partial expectation that danger is a component of each and every day’s activities, it is at least partially possible for the overall level of stress and worry to be ameliorated significantly. However, of all of the approaches that exist with respect to reducing stress within and without first responders, the most effective by far is psychological counseling and treatment. Studies indicate that those family members that experienced high levels of worry and stress concerning loved ones that work within first response type jobs invariably are able to deal with these pressures to a much more effective level as compared to those that do not undergo any form. The unfortunate fact of the matter has to do with the realization that these counseling services are almost invariably not within the financial reach of most individuals that face stress, worry, and concern at the fate of their loved ones within first response type jobs (Duarte et al., 2006). For instance, an individual that is working within first response may very well be able to leverage counseling as a function of their employment contract and/or insurance program. However, the overall expense of a loved one that faces stress, worry, and concern as a function of these spheres is oftentimes beyond their financial reach. Another valid concern for first responders has to do with how successful they can be leaving the hardships and difficulties of their workday when interacting with their families. Story after story abounds in academic research concerning how first responders bring home stress, worry, and regret of their daily activities and these negatively impact upon the quality of their family life. As such, ongoing training, counseling, and regular engagement at the workplace with respect to these difficulties and means ameliorate these should be a primal focus of a well balanced organization (Farchi et al., 2014). Nonetheless, first responders face a difficult and challenging situation; one in which the requirements of the job they performed oftentimes are difficult to be at the worksite once their working day is complete. Within such a manner, it is absolutely essential that entities, organizations, and workforces provide relevant training and assistance to the individuals as a means of safeguarding them from projecting their regret, stress, and frustration on their families. Whereas it might not seem as if this is a relevant concern of the employer, it is in fact an extraordinarily complex issue that can impact upon the quality work for, mental health of the first responder, and whether or not they have a solid support system that hole that is willing and able to continue to provide the necessary psychological backup that they require on a day-to-day basis. A recent study by Haugen et al. (2012) indicated the fact that first responders which have experienced difficult time coping with the difficulties they face on a daily basis are invariably more likely to project these difficulties onto their families; both in the form of violent outbursts, emotionally abusive behavior, and maximizing stress for all members and family. However, those that have been counseled regarding these dangers and regularly undergo screening with respect to ameliorating these are inherently less likely to project them onto their loved ones. From the information that has thus far been presented, it is clear and apparent that families of individuals that are involved within the first responder community a September challenges. However, these challenges are not insurmountable as certain prescriptive changes can greatly assist individuals and reducing the overall level of stress that is space within the family and thereby decrease the level of hardship that might otherwise be realized. However, a noted aside that must be analyzed has to do with the fact that the stress which is represented within family members of first responders is ultimately not only contingent upon the job that their loved one is performing; it is also contingent upon the overall level of resources and support that the individual organizations or departments that are responsible for employing the first responder are able to provide as a means of ameliorating the stress within the family. Study after study indicates the fact that those entities that place a high premium upon reducing stress and encouraging a healthy family development within first responder communities are invariably those that experienced stress and issues pertaining to worry to the lowest levels. Whereas it is impossible to decrease these entirely, this level of understanding must be utilized as a means of informing other departments and organizations that do not place a high premium upon advice and counseling families this practice may be changed the overall benefit of all individuals involved can be maximized. References Farchi, M., Cohen, A., & Mosek, A. (2014). Developing Specific Self-Efficacy and Resilience amongst family members of first responders. Journal Of Teaching In Social Work, 34(2), 129-146. doi:10.1080/08841233.2014.894602 Haugen, P. T., Evces, M., & Weiss, D. S. (2012). Treating stress disorder in first responders: A systematic review.Clinical Psychology Review, 32(5), 370-380. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2012.04.001 Duarte, C. S., Hoven, C. W., Ping, W., Fan, B., Cotel, S., Mandell, D. J., & ... Markenson, D. (2006). Stress in family members with first responders in their families.  Journal Of Traumatic Stress, 19(2), 301-306. doi:10.1002/jts.20120 McFarlane, A. C., Williamson, P., & Barton, C. A. (2009). The impact of traumatic stressors in civilian occupational settings. Journal Of Public Health Policy, 30(3), 311-327. doi:10.1057/jphp.2009.21 Read More