Paramedic Mental Health Crisis: 9 Suicides in 7 Months

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Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma

Matthew Heneghan

349 episodes

5 days ago

Unwritten Chapters is a raw, solo podcast about living through trauma, recovery, and reinvention. Hosted by Matthew Heneghan — Canadian author, veteran, and former paramedic — this show blends lived experience with creative storytelling. Each episode is another chapter in an unfinished story: PTSD recovery, sobriety, grief, resilience, and the everyday lessons of rebuilding a life. Sometimes it’s heavy, sometimes it’s hopeful, but it’s always honest. If you’re a veteran, first responder, addict in recovery, or anyone navigating the mess of being human — you’ll find yourself here.

Mental Health

Health & Fitness

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All content for Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma is the property of Matthew Heneghan and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Mental Health

Health & Fitness

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Paramedic Mental Health Crisis: 9 Suicides in 7 Months | PTSD, Trauma & System Failure

Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma

13 minutes 44 seconds

3 months ago

Paramedic Mental Health Crisis: 9 Suicides in 7 Months | PTSD, Trauma & System Failure

Nine paramedics lost to suicide in British Columbia in just seven months.
This is not just a mental health crisis — this is a system failure.

In this raw and unfiltered episode of Unwritten Chapters, former Canadian Armed Forces medic and civilian paramedic Matthew Heneghan pulls back the curtain on the hidden mental health emergency affecting first responders. With over 17 years of service, Matthew has seen — and lived — the toll this job takes: the PTSD, burnout, addiction, and silent suffering behind the sirens.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

The reality of paramedic suicides and why the numbers are climbing
First-hand stories from over a decade in emergency services
How PTSD and addiction develop in first responders
Why political platitudes and policy memos don’t save lives
A call to truly listen to — and act for — the people behind the uniform

Keywords: Paramedic mental health, paramedic suicide rates, PTSD in first responders, first responder burnout, Canadian paramedic crisis, mental health in emergency services, trauma and addiction recovery, suicide prevention for first responders, Unwritten Chapters Podcast, Matthew Heneghan

🚨 If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available:

Canada: Talk Suicide Canada — 1-833-456-4566
U.S.: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or Text 988

🟢 Subscribe to Unwritten Chapters for real stories and uncomfortable truths about trauma, healing, and the human cost of service.
📤 Share this episode to help break the silence around first responder mental health.

#ParamedicMentalHealth #FirstResponderSuicide #PTSD #TraumaRecovery #UnwrittenChapters #MatthewHeneghan #SuicidePrevention #CanadianParamedics #FirstResponderLife #MentalHealthMatters