Reframing Addiction in First Responder Communities

By Suzz Sandalwood | Confronting the prevailing ideology around addiction and shifting from moral failing to compassionate understanding.

Written by Suzz Sandalwood | Seeking Veritas Columnist | Sankarsingh-Gonsalves Productions

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Addiction is a symptom of a much greater problem.

In my last article, From Trauma to Addiction: The Hidden Struggle of First Responders, I discussed the effects trauma can have on first responders and how those who witness unimaginable events can turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms. Sharing my own journey through post-trauma addiction and recovery, I also opened up about the challenges of being in a previous relationship with someone with addiction struggles of their own. I highlighted the importance of shifting our mindset from asking what is wrong with you to asking, what happened to you because we know that addiction can be a translation of pain that is too overwhelming to express otherwise. This perspective allows us to move away from viewing addiction solely as a moral failing and towards understanding it as a response to something much deeper and more complex.

“For 15 years I adopted the story that my husband was just a real-life superhero. I boasted about his accomplishments… I didn’t talk much about the other stories… He didn’t talk much about those stories but he didn’t forget them. He tried to drown them out…”

Continuing with the theme of addiction in first responder communities in this article, it is important to remember that it is not just a first responder who is impacted by addiction, but loved ones as well. For 15 years I adopted the story that my husband was just a real-life superhero. I boasted about his accomplishments that were many, the international child pornography ring he dismantled, the murderer he caught and tackled in a bar with his bare hands, the person he saved from a burning car, the countless times he administered CPR to a person that was VSA- vital signed absent. I was the stereotypical first responder wife whose husband had a real job, a job that mattered and made a difference. I didn’t talk much about the other stories. Stories like the death notices he had to give to families and the deceased teen he pulled from the lake while the family watched. Stories of accidents where it was too late and no amount of CPR or life saving measures could bring someone back. He didn’t talk much about those stories but he didn’t forget them. He tried to drown them out with copious amounts of vodka and he tried to distract the haunting memories with many other forms of unhealthy coping mechanisms that manifested into other struggles. By the time he reached 18 years on the job, he became a shell of the person he once was.

What I knew then and still believe now is that addiction is never a failing of sorts. I saw that it was a way of trying to keep going and survive in the absence of other healthy outlets and resources. His addiction wasn’t about me or a lack of strength, nor was it about a lack of character. Rather than looking at addiction as a moral flaw, it is important that we view those who are struggling with compassion, particularly in communities where vulnerability is often seen as a weakness.

The role of ego depletion

When we look at addiction through the lens of moral failing, it paints a picture of weakness, shame, and guilt. It tells the story that the person struggling with addiction has made a bad choice, is weak-willed, or just isn’t trying hard enough. This perspective is not only damaging for the person who is suffering but also for their loved ones, who often feel guilty for not being able to fix the problem. Reframing addiction as a desperate attempt to cope with something far deeper allows us to see the whole person who is vulnerable and human, it can help us shift the conversation from blame to understanding.

When someone begins to turn to alcohol, drugs, or other destructive behaviours, it can sometimes be a signal that they have reached their window of tolerance. In my therapy world we call this ego depletion. Ego depletion, a theory introduced by Roy Baumeister tells us that every time we exert self-control, whether resisting temptation, managing emotions, or making difficult decisions, we deplete a limited resource. In high-stress, high-demand professions like that of a first responder, this depletion happens at an accelerated pace. The job requires constant self-regulation of keeping emotions in check, staying calm under pressure, and pushing through moments of fear, grief, or exhaustion. However, over time, this repeated exertion of self-control can lead to ego depletion.

When a first responder's mental and emotional resources run low, the ability to maintain control and resist temptation is harder. This leaves them vulnerable to unhealthy coping mechanisms, and in many cases, addiction. This is why I encourage first responders new on the job to develop a routine of non-negotiable self care so that as time goes on and they experience the inevitable exposure to trauma, impact of shift work, and cultural dynamics that are woven into their every day life, they have a soft place to land. A cycle of ego depletion and addiction can be especially insidious in first responders, who are often expected to be invincible.

But do some first responders have a predisposition to addiction?

Beyond the job: first responders are human

Addiction in first responder communities isn’t always just a result of the job’s demands solely. It can be a complex interplay of biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors. For some individuals in general, there’s a predisposition that can make them more susceptible to addiction. Much like in my own story, some first responders by human default have a history of trauma in their life. A first responder may have grown up in a household where addiction or emotional neglect was prevalent.

When an individual who has experienced past trauma enters this high-stress profession, it is possible they can bring with them the residual psychological imprinting of their upbringing. This concept is further explored in the book The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, which explains how trauma is stored in the body and how it can manifest in various ways, including addiction. For first responders, a combination of constant exposure to traumatic events, coupled with genetic factors, personal life experiences and the tendency to suppress pain for the sake of duty, can create a perfect storm for addiction to take root.

The human response in both active addiction and recovery

The path to recovery, especially for first responders and their families, is never a linear one. It is not always about simply getting clean or sober but about navigating the complexities of emotional healing. It is about finding new ways to cope with stress, breaking through the isolation that often accompanies both addiction and the nature of first responder work. This journey can be made more bearable when we understand addiction for what it truly is; a human response to an overwhelming reality. Within the first responder community, a growing movement toward peer support is helping to make this shift possible. Initiatives like a newly established 12-step meeting in my area for first responders was recently created by a friend of mine, a retired fire chief with multiple years of sobriety. These peer-led support systems create a space where individuals can provide connection without judgment, where they can speak the truth of their experiences and begin to heal not just alone, but with others who truly understand. The impact of these spaces is being seen and offer a lifeline to those who may have believed they were beyond help. The reality however is that sometimes those struggling with addiction and mental health issues stemming from a response to trauma exposure, do not find their way.

When healing is out of reach

We cannot ignore the fact that some individuals will continue to struggle and some can die by way of addiction related to substance overuse or suicide. Again, both need to be viewed through the lens of compassionate understanding instead of moral failing. Death from addiction or suicide in first responder communities is a heart-wrenching, irreversible tragedy and the truth is we are seeing an increase in deaths by suicide not just while on the job but into the retirement phase.

Suicide loss is a disenfranchised grief, one that society does not always easily recognize or support which can add to the challenge of moving through these losses in first responder communities. The loss of a first responder can leave those left behind with confusion and wrestling thoughts of trying to make sense of it all. What happens to first responders when the unspoken pressure to stay strong becomes the very thing that threatens to break them? If one of their own doesn’t make it, what does that mean for the rest of them? These are questions that need to be considered if we truly want to create meaningful change within this profession.

Next Week on 911 COMMUNITY

Next week, I will explore the devastating impact of suicide within first responder communities, how the loss of a one of their own can leave so much uncertainty, spark a deep fear among the rest, and leave their colleagues wondering could I be next?

About the Author: Suzz Sandalwood is an RSW/MSW Therapist, Advanced Certified Clinical Trauma and Addiction Specialist and a Certified Grief Counsellor. She has extensive professional and lived experience in first responder, addiction, and grief communities. | Connect with the author: https://suzzsandalwood.com/

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