# Mental Health, feeling down?..



## nightside (Jan 7, 2013)

Hey everyone, great stuff here on the forums.

I've been in Fire and EMS for 8 years now, since i was a cadet for my local fire dept. I now work night side on a rig doing mostly ift in a large city with the occasional private caller or backup rescue. I absolutely love being in EMS, I wouldn't trade it for anything except winning the lottery and would then still pick up a shift here and there. I truly love to help people and never got into the business for the money, we all know there's not enough in it anyway... Just began paramedic class with a great school in hopes of moving out of the ift business and into a rescue job.

Here's the issue... For as much as love my career path i have lately been feeling down and don't know why. My regular partner can be difficult at times (most of the time) but I have always been able to put personal differences aside and do my job well. Just recently feeling a bit down and "searching for a purpose" feeling. A little anxiety about the rest of my life and career path. Will i be able to make it the rest of my life doing what i am doing? Does any of what we do really matter or just to me? Not sleeping well, or oversleeping; running behind schedule;  aches. Keeping calls in my head for days about whether i did all i could or did i miss anything?

Anybody here ever have these issues and what helped you with them? Really don't like feeling this way, just not my normal self lately... and sorry its so long, sort of a ramble.


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## ITBITB13 (Jan 7, 2013)

I don't have your experience, but I've definitely felt how you feel. You need to talk to someone. People look down on it, but I've seen a therapist. It really helps. Working out, is also a great relief. It works for me, and a lot of my coworkers as well. As far as keeping calls in your head, just remember that you can't go back and change anything, so there's no point in dwelling on it. Just learn from it, and move on..


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## mycrofft (Jan 7, 2013)

The people who look down on getting help are the ones who won't matter, in the end. If they do, they will come to understand. And besides, it isn't their business unless you want to share.

No, it isn't enough for the rest of your life. People don't sit still or they stagnate. You will encounter change whether you want it or not, why not make some of it at your direction?

IFT at night would get me very down. Find what you want and draw a path towards it.


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## mct601 (Jan 27, 2013)

First, talk to someone. Doesn't have to be a professional in mental health, but find someone your trust or respect that could relate. 8 years in EMS, I'd imagine you have made some close friends. I have, and I'm only going into year three. 

Secondly, exercise. Seriously. Walk, run, lift, do whatever you want to do. Its therapeutic. And I'm not talking about walking on a treadmill for 10 minutes. I do it myself and it helps. There's some evidence to support what I'm saying.

Third, change things up. At my previous job when I started paramedic school, I was already getting burnt out. I hated EMS. I had 24 hour shifts where we didn't sleep, class twice a week (in a school that was, in my opinion, uptight and hard on the student), and clinicals. I didn't have much time to enjoy what I was doing or where I was going. I debated dropping out of class. I eventually decided to do a clinical shift with a different ambulance agency than what I had been using, and I enjoyed it. I applied there, and two weeks later got the job. Since then my attitude has been completely different. The change of atmosphere and environment did me a lot of good. I like what I do again.


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## emschick1985 (Dec 20, 2014)

nightside said:


> Hey everyone, great stuff here on the forums.
> 
> I've been in Fire and EMS for 8 years now, since i was a cadet for my local fire dept. I now work night side on a rig doing mostly ift in a large city with the occasional private caller or backup rescue. I absolutely love being in EMS, I wouldn't trade it for anything except winning the lottery and would then still pick up a shift here and there. I truly love to help people and never got into the business for the money, we all know there's not enough in it anyway... Just began paramedic class with a great school in hopes of moving out of the ift business and into a rescue job.
> 
> ...


Yes these exact things have begun to take a toll on me and started 3 years into my career, I think a lot of us struggle with those same topics and questions


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