Though the above careers can induce great reward, they also can promote higher than normal rates of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and more. These high pace jobs are vulnerable to risk of traumatic experiences, resulting in an increased level of stress and burn out compared to the general population.

 

Since the onset of my career, I have traveled extensively throughout the world. However, it’s my work in war-stricken countries that has emphasized how important mental health services are for individuals working in these unpredictable and high-risk environments. While interning with a journalist in Nepal, I endured the uncertainties of an attempted coup by the Maoist Party. Also, while providing mental health services to Syrian refugees at the Lebanese-Syrian border, I witnessed the United Stated conduct airstrikes towards various chemical weapon facilities in Syria. I also spent years as a crisis worker assisting sexual assault survivors and providing services in communities effecting by high violence in Chicago. These moments present challenges that only others with direct experiential knowledge can understand. This first-hand experience has solidified my commitment to providing personalized global mental health services to others working in this unique field. 

 

Though a robust support system is important to maintaining longevity on this path, it is common that our loved ones simply cannot understand the complexities that come with chronic exposure to these high adrenaline, emotionally taxing, and potentially life-threatening experiences.