Medically, stress refers to a mental or physical strain that triggers a physiological response. Stress can be caused by any emotional, physical, social, economic, or other factor.

 

The short-term symptoms of stress are often not only manageable but can even be viewed as beneficial—especially in the kind of high-stakes situations firefighters confront on a routine basis.

 

But there can be a substantial cost over time when stress does not have a healthy outlet. 

Learn more about the short- and long-term impact of stress on the body below.

 

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When a person encounters a stressful situation, there are immediate physiological changes in the body, such as:

• heightened breathing and heart rate;

• constricted blood vessels;

• stimulated adrenal glands; and

• increased production of sugar, red blood cells, and white blood cells in the body.

 

These changes are associated with a general increase energy, focus, and alertness to the senses, putting the body in a state of readiness for decisive action in potentially dangerous circumstances. But even in the short term stress can be accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, including:

• headaches,

• muscle tension,

• stomach upset, and so on.

 

LONG TERM

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When stress persists over time, the negative effects become more apparent, and can include a wide variety of symptoms, such as:

• irritability,

• difficulty concentrating,

• headaches,

• memory loss,

• unhealthy weight changes,

• loss of bone mass,

• and a weakened immune system.

• Chronic stress is associated with an increased risk for a variety of health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and arteriosclerosis.

 

OPERATING AT ANOTHER LEVEL 

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In a way, stress is a kind of unifying emotion, familiar to all human beings. Whether rooted in

work pressures;finances;difficulties in personal relationships;or anxieties about larger social, political, or environmental issues; we all experience stress.But first responders often have a unique relationship with stress.

As a firefighter operating at this level, you need to appreciate this relationship with your stress in order to keep yourself healthy.

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NOT EASY TO RECOGNIZE 

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Firefighters and other first responders exist in a state of hyper-vigilance that exceeds the level of stress that most people would experience as healthy. When you're operating at this level, it's not a sign of weakness when you need to manage your stress from time to time. You’re operating at this high level for such an extended amount of time, so it becomes your norm and you adapt.  It’s not easy to recognize when you or even one of your coworkers might be in trouble.

 

Firefighters live with their cups more than half full on a regular basis, which leaves a smaller margin of error before your cup overflows.  The reality is that your higher tolerance for stress and dysfunction means that you might not even register your biggest stressors as out of the ordinary until they have developed into a crisis.”

 

WHAT’S NORMAL? 

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Kevin M. Gilmartin has written about the state of hyper-vigilance experienced by law enforcement officers and other first responders.

Visualize the different state of mind experienced by first responders in comparison with other people.

 

CIVILIANS

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Most people experience a range of risk in their day-to-day lives

in which they can approach the world as a safe and stable place.

In the normal ups and downs of life they might occasionally encounter a real or potential danger that puts them in a hyper-vigilant state,

but for the most part they aren’t on constant alert for sights, sounds, and other sensory information that might indicate a threat.

 

FIRST RESPONDERS

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Unlike most people, firefighters and other first responders routinely encounter potentially dangerous situations.

During a shift, it is not unusual for firefighters to operate in a hyper-vigilant state, physiologically ready for any situations they might face.

 

This isn’t always an unpleasant state to be in, and is often described in terms of excitement or feeling more alive.

But the counterbalancing emotional downswing when off shift can leave them in a tired, detached, and apathetic state of mind.