If your body armor took multiple hits, you’d replace it immediately. You wouldn’t go back into the fight with compromised protection, because you know the risk. One more round could be the one that gets through.
Now think about your psychological armor.
This is the mental and emotional gear we put on every day to face death, violence, suicides, rapes, child abuse, CPR on infants, assaults, and all the trauma that comes with the job. First responders, veterans, healthcare workers, we all wear this armor.
But unlike physical gear, we don’t replace or repair our psychological armor. We carry the weight of what we’ve seen and experienced every single day, without checking it, decompressing, seeking help, or even talking about it.
Eventually, something breaks through.
And when it does, it’s not just one traumatic event we’re dealing with, it’s all of them, crashing down at once.
Mental health must be seen as vital gear. Decompression, peer support, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), therapy, these aren’t signs of weakness. They’re armor maintenance.
Take care of the mind like you take care of the body. Because when that armor fails, it could cost more than just your peace, it could cost your life.
#MentalHealthMatters#FirstResponders#Veterans#TraumaInformed
#Leadership#PublicSafety#InvisibleWounds#Resilience#PeerSupport
By: Zachary Saenz