Barriers and Facilitators to Seeking Mental Health Care Among First Responders: "Removing the Darkness".

First responders (FRs) are at significant risk for developing mental health (MH) problems due to the nature, frequency, and intensity of duty-related traumatic exposure. However, their culture strongly esteems strength and self-reliance, which often inhibits them from seeking MH care. This study explored factors that influenced FRs' perceptions of MH problems and engagement in MH services.