What it can feel like
Feeling nothing after a bad call, going flat at home, not being able to enjoy things you used to, or watching your own life from a distance. The switch that lets you function on scene gets stuck off.
Why it happens
Compartmentalizing is a survival skill on this job — you have to keep moving. But when the feelings never get processed, numbness sets in and can signal cumulative stress, PTSD, or depression.
What can help
Processing calls with peer support or a first-responder-informed clinician lets feeling return safely. Small reconnection — with your body, your crew, your family — helps. Numbness is a reason to reach out, not to push harder.