INTERNAL SIZE-UP FOR MENTAL HEALTH

INTERNAL SIZE-UP

Performing a size-up is a crucial part of any emergency response and something firefighters continually do as a situation changes to enable them to adjust and respond accordingly. If you don’t make adjustments, you can’t make progress or reach a solution. You remain stagnant, the situation eventually worsens, and more is put at risk. The same thing happens to us as individuals when we don’t manage our moods and emotions and that lack of management can lead to dangerous consequences. Given the high-stress, often traumatic situations in which first responders find themselves, it’s vital to monitor your emotional state on a FOR MENTAL HEALTH By Tori Mikulan THE SIZE-UP TOOLKIT consistent basis and then respond and adjust accordingly – just as you would do in an emergency situation.

What makes an internal size-up challenging is the difficulty involved in accurately tuning in to your emotions; however, there are tools and skills to help you decipher your feelings.

A 2017 REPORT FROM THE IAFF RECOVERY CENTER STATES THAT, AT SOME POINT IN THEIR CAREERS, ONE IN FIVE FIREFIGHTERS WILL STRUGGLE WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND THAT FIREFIGHTERS ARE THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE BY SUICIDE THAN IN THE LINE OF DUTY.

Despite this, a stigma remains that suggests seeking treatment for mental health concerns is a sign of weakness. This can prevent those who need it from getting help. It can drive them to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as substance abuse, which then can lead to further deterioration of their mental health and can lead to physical ailments as well. All of this can contribute to both personal and professional relationship struggles that continue the cycle. All of this makes the internal size-up imperative for firefighters to enable them to develop habits and self-care mechanisms that will improve their mental health.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

According to the magazine "Psychology Today", the theory of emotional intelligence was introduced in the 1990s by Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer, and then further developed in Dr. Daniel Goleman’s 1995 book, “Emotional Intelligence and Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships,” which brought it into the public arena. Emotional intelligence is about emotional awareness, specifically, recognizing and managing your own emotions along with the emotions of others. This ability comprises several skills including self-emotional awareness, controlling and applying emotions to specific tasks, managing your emotions, and helping others manage theirs. The University of New Hampshire’s Psychological and Counseling Services provide guidance on recognizing your emotions. One point made is that we can often confuse strong emotions with anger, simply because of their intensity. But incorrectly identifying your emotions makes it even harder to resolve them. Plus, it is possible to feel multiple strong emotions which may overlap, making it even more critical to separate and identify your feelings.

EMOTIONAL TEMPERATURE

In 2018, Dr. Joan Cusack Handler explained that we may work against ourselves when we’re trying to deal with our emotions, noting that defense mechanisms can effectively hide emotions from our consciousness. She points out that often we fail to deal with our emotions and accept them as “something we just have to live with.” This might sound very familiar to first responders. A common mental health misconception that contributes to the stigma we face is that as firefighters, we “knew what we were getting into.” We knew it would be a high stress job and that we would be exposed to trauma on a regular basis. It’s just part of the job, right? If you can’t handle the heat, get out of the kitchen! Absolutely not. You wouldn’t let a broken bone go untreated, would you? And we exercise to prevent injury. Mental health needs to be approached the same way. Despite what we may think, we’re still humans, and despite the pressure we put on ourselves, we’re not superheroes. Allowing yourself to feel is vital to understanding your emotions, but that’s not the only barrier you may need to break down. As Dr. Handler says, “The cornerstone of psychological health is communication.” You need to be ready, therefore, to have a conversation with yourself. She also suggests taking your “emotional temperature” in order to take a deeper look within and examine how you’re really feeling. Dr. Handler warns us to be aware of judging our emotions and thinking we have “no reason” to be depressed. Not only is this detrimental, but it is also incorrect. Part of learning to manage your emotions is understanding that they are unavoidable, and the way we deal with them is what makes the difference. Ignoring or judging your feelings will only make things harder later.

WHEEL OF EMOTIONS

One powerful tool to help with identifying your emotions is psychologist Robert Plutchik’s “wheel of emotions,” a three dimensional model that helps expand your emotional vocabulary and describes how emotions interact with one another. Other interpretations exist, such as the Geneva Wheel or Junto Wheel; but the premise of exploring your emotions in greater depth remains the same. Using a visual model can help identify emotions, interpret emotional differences and overlap, and define intensity. It provides you with a range of options to describe your feelings, which can be valuable when you are trying to complete an internal size-up. We’ve all experienced the feeling of being unable to explain how we feel. And when you’re not honest with yourself, you’re in trouble. Start from the beginning and ask: “How am I feeling right now?” There are a wide range of questions to help with the process, such as identifying when you started noticing specific feelings and the environment in which they were created. Other question examples include: • What is happening or not happening that may be contributing to these emotions? • What can I do now to help myself? • What might be triggering these feelings? • What can I control about this trigger? • Is this a new feeling or have I noticed it previously? • Have my sleep patterns changed? • Am I isolating myself? This is by no means an exhaustive list: questions will vary depending on how you are feeling and on your situation.

WRITE IT DOWN

Understandably, these processes can result in more emotions and can lead you to feel overwhelmed. Writing down and keeping track of your emotional temperature and internal size-up conclusions can help manage this and point to possible patterns. Journaling can also help you process those emotions, and the act of physically writing them down can act as a release. Release is an important concept to keep in mind. Emotions are temporary and we can release them. There is no right or wrong way to write, but guided journals and other resources are available to help you find what works for you. Regularly journaling about your emotions can help with acknowledgement and acceptance and can slow or eliminate the emotional struggle cycle. Managing your emotions isn’t easy, and the experiences of a first responder can result in intense feelings. But performing an internal size-up and using tools like the emotional wheel or emotional intelligence can help you become more in-tune with your emotions and improve the skills you need to manage them. It is an on-going process, but an important one with your internal size-up serving as the warm-up to your mental workout.