Emergency: first responder suicide crisis

EVERY day they rush to save others, but nobody comes to save them as they battle the mental trauma that comes with their jobs as police officers, paramedics, and firefighters.

- TRACY-LYNN RUITERS ANITA NKONKI and WENDY JASSON DA COSTA

Every week, a South African police officer dies by suicide, and almost no one is talking about it. Experts warn that the mental health crisis among first responders has reached breaking point.

A recent survey showed 47.3% were depressed, 37.8% had generalised anxiety disorder, and 48.5% PTSD.

"This is a national emergency hidden in plain sight," said Dr Alicia Porter, board member of the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP).

She said workers on the frontline of responding to crime, domestic violence, large-scale road accidents, medical emergencies and natural disasters are disproportionately susceptible to burnout, depression and suicide.

"The problem is that they may have preexisting mental health conditions, but the nature of the work is very unique because their very work environment is actually exposing them to repeated trauma. It's also putting them in extremely stressful and high-risk situations."

"Suicide is a serious risk. So, in my mind, it's exactly the same as uncontrolled diabetes or uncontrolled hypertension. We talk about those things, but when it comes to mental health, there's just this silence and this expectation that there should be this superhero resurgence among our first responders, but they're human," said Porter.