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10 Reminders During Tough Times
Firefighters face unique stressors that require proactive mental health strategies. Here are ten actionable steps you can take to support your peers and prevent suicide in the fire service.
- Reach out to one person — call, text, or message someone, even just to say "I'm struggling."
- Delay the decision — tell yourself "not right now," even if just for the next hour.
- Remove immediate means — put distance between yourself and anything you could use to harm yourself.
- Go somewhere with people — a public place, even if you don't talk to anyone.
- Name what you're feeling out loud — "This is pain, not truth about my future."
- Focus on the next 5 minutes — not the next year, not even the next hour.
- Move your body — a short walk, stretch, or change of room can interrupt a spiral.
- Write it down instead of acting on it — get the thoughts out of your head and onto paper.
- Remember: feelings that seem permanent often aren't — crises pass, even when it doesn't feel that way
- Call or text a crisis line — you don't have to be "sure" you need it to reach out.
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