New hire feeling depression

[540firefighteremt]

Hi I recently took a job a career firefighter emt
A little background I volunteered before this for a little over seven years about three years ago I had to make a decision to give up volunteering to go and make some money with a construction company and didn't have time to volunteer anymore well recently I got an offer to become a career firefighter I took and left my job as a construction worker that paid well anyway the first day we had some pretty bad calls and since then I feel incompetent depressed and even anxious to go into work I never felt like this before and I'm having doubts on if I can even do this job that I wanted anymore the sadness everyday I don't know if it's worth the feeling I have any help would be great thank you

 

[joshrunkle35]

Everyone has bad days. Some people have bad weeks. On top of that, usually everyone has some sort of issues when they initially start the job, whether it is feeling incompetent, having a power trip, feeling bored, whatever.

The key here is to try to find out what is specifically going on with you. This might be a temporary thing that you can work through or talk through with a friend or coworker.

It's possible that it is unrelated to the job. Depression and anxiety are very common, especially in this field, and your doctor might recommend going on an SSRI or similar. (Who can say, without knowing your symptoms and circumstances?)

Or, there's the possibility that this isn't the job for you.

I would recommend seeing if you have a way to work out while you are at work. Try to develop some positive habits that build endorphins and make you feel better about your work and personal life, make you happier and relieve stress.

 

[mgr22]

I wonder if what you're feeling has something to do with your switch from volunteer to paid. Like you, I began as a volunteer, then went paid. There was a big difference -- not so much in the calls I had, but in the expectations of people around me. For example, I suddenly had bosses who could fire me, and I had much less flexibility about choosing when I was going to work. There's nothing wrong with any of that -- it's all part of working for a living -- but it might involve losing some of the idealized notions you had about emergency services.

I didn't see you mention anything bad about the construction job you had. Maybe that's what works best for you. If there's not enough time to volunteer, so be it; you did more than your share. Let your priorities change as you grow. You might find new challenges that are just as fulfilling as FF or EMS.

 

[Andrew Nelson]

career guys are like a membership only club. give it some time!

 

[res1551cue]

Hi I recently took a job a career firefighter emt
A little background I volunteered before this for a little over seven years about three years ago I had to make a decision to give up volunteering to go and make some money with a construction company and didn't have time to volunteer anymore well recently I got an offer to become a career firefighter I took and left my job as a construction worker that paid well anyway the first day we had some pretty bad calls and since then I feel incompetent depressed and even anxious to go into work I never felt like this before and I'm having doubts on if I can even do this job that I wanted anymore the sadness everyday I don't know if it's worth the feeling I have any help would be great thank you

Unlike what you see in military commercials it sounds like you are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. It is not only for military people. Sometimes there are things that can trigger it and like you mentioned you served on some pretty bad calls. I have PTSD which has nothing to do with my military work but one bad call keeps me up at night. I recommend talking to a good friend or even seeing a doctor about it. If you let it continue to eat you up it will only get worse. Like some others have said, find some things that help relieve the stress of work, whether it is working out, going to the gun range, playing sports, or video games but most of all find someone you can confide in. For me it was all of these things. I go to the gym with my best friend who is also an EMT-P and firefighter and we talk about our issues while working out or while we are at the range and it is a big help. Especially if the person you can confide in understands what you are going through whereas someone who has no idea will probably not understand.

I hope this helps and I hope you find some solution to the problem.

 

[Mike Hammer]

Just wanted to say I'm sorry to hear it. I have had the experience of going to work depressed/dreading going to work. It can be a tough thing. Give it a solid try and see how you are further down the road. I just noticed this is a pretty old post (sorry...new hear). Have you kept at it or decided to make a change?

 

[Emily Starton]

Hello there! How are you doing? I hope you are doing better. Depression is usually common in EMT career after being exposed to all sorts of emergencies daily. In fact, there are different types of depression that would make a huge difference in therapy if you know which type you have. Have you tried counseling before? At least online therapy like BetterHelp or 7 cups? That might be more accessible for you. Hope you can give us an update. Sending warm hugs!

 

[Stephanie Harmon]

Online chat for depression is also trending and they say that it is also helpful. So in case you don't want to reveal your real identity, you can opt for that one.