Too many men and women in the First Responders community choose suicide to end the difficulties in their lives. Too many men and women who are First Responders believe that this is the only option to manage the pain that they feel inside. Why?

Many men and women who are First Responders have been taking care of others – putting others first – for as long as they can remember. They have learned that their “place” in the world is to provide care and ease the pain of others. It is rewarding in itself and it has become a way of life. 

However, when First Responders begin to feel their own pain, they deny that they need help. They don’t want to talk, as it may “burden” someone else. They don’t believe that they need or can need that support, because they don’t want to cause another person any pain. 

However, pain doesn’t diminish over time. It doesn’t change until you change it. Pain will “build up” inside. Pain can cause you to not understand why you feel and respond and think the way that you do (that doesn’t seem “normal”). 

That’s when people begin to feel hopeless and powerless. When things are happening inside your head and heart and you don’t understand, that’s when you feel or believe that you are “crazy”.  When others don’t understand you, when they blame or judge you, that’s when the pain becomes overwhelming and seemingly too much to handle. 

That’s when you need to reach out the most. 

I promise you, someone, somewhere has a very similar story and has been able to figure out how to work through the pain. It’s like when you are stuck in a fire, and someone else reaches out a hand, wouldn’t you take it so that they can then save you?

just make the call. YOU are worth it.