By Patrick Sandone
Our first responders and frontline workers are in crisis. These brave people not only face the expectations of their roles, but also the stigma that surrounds their need for mental health resources. These people fight bravely and tirelessly to serve others, strong in all ways. They are expected to be pillars of safety and stability, an uncracking foundation in our society. But, these expectations alongside the stresses of the job and everyday life can build an unbearable tension.
In 2020 alone we saw 6,146 veteran suicides and 406 in active duty military. Our first responders, including our police officers and firefighters, are more likely to die of suicide than in the line of duty.
And I’m not unfamiliar with their struggle; I have experienced depression, burnout and a loss of purpose. It took me years to find myself again through a journey of self-discovery. As I looked around, I saw countless people experiencing the same things I had, in all sorts of jobs and in all walks of life. I saw the disconnect between the roles and identities that we pile onto ourselves, building them in as human software programs that are incompatible and inauthentic to who we truly are.
As I healed, I felt called to give others an opportunity to experience the same journey I had, without the barriers of accessibility that prevent the majority of people from taking time for themselves. So, I created an app to help lead people on this path of self-discovery and fulfillment and I wanted to focus on the folks who need and deserve it the most: our soldiers, veterans and first responders. They needed a reliable, accessible resource to break down this stigma and expectations.
And I am beyond proud to announce that we are now partnering with the Philadelphia Police and Deputy Sheriff’s office to provide the service, free of charge, to field and civilian officers. The service will offer microlearning videos, interactive question and answering, moderated peer groups, meditation practices and journaling prompts. Built through a collaborative effort with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, it offers a unique accessibility, particularly for those who don’t work regular hours. It also eliminates the hefty costs that can often serve as barriers to seeking mental health treatment. Practices offered by GUIDE, our program, can be completed anywhere, at any time, allowing us to balance the many different roles we take on while still finding time for ourselves.
We have such high hopes for this partnership and our early testing has given us every reason to believe it will be a success. In a pilot study, we found that it was able to reduce anxiety by 29% and significantly increase motivation and overall wellness with just minutes of usage in just four weeks. These statistics are expected to only improve with the growth of the app, reaching more brave individuals who fight tirelessly for us every day to be able to fight for themselves as well. Even as we see positive results in the field, we are continuing to study the app so that we can make improvements and we’re currently engaged in a study with the University of Pennsylvania.
We cannot just offer mental health resources for the first responders in order to allow them to continue to protect us, but also to enrich their lives as their own people. While they are soldiers, veterans, police officers and firefighters, they are also partners, parents, siblings and more. The mental health risks that come with the job don’t end when they clock out.
My goal in making GUIDE was to offer others the opportunity to experience the journey to self-discovery that made me who I am today. I saw this void in the lives of our veterans, soldiers and first responders. Seeing the way GUIDE has been able to fill that and enrich the lives of others and encourage them to be their authentic selves gives me hope that we can continue to give back and better the lives for those who do so much for us. ••
Patrick Sandone is founder and CEO of GUIDE App.
