The study of narrative sociology can be used to understand how rural first responders magnify aspects of their collective stories about the opioid crisis to deflect emotional frustrations they experience. Based on 31 interviews with frontline responders in four rural counties in Appalachia, we find that responders portray themselves as capable protagonists up against hamstringing policies, opioid using clients as “their worst,” and their management of crises as a Sisyphean task. In constructing stories in this way, rural frontline responders temper frustration, and consequently sympathy, that contributes to a unique logic of care and control. This storytelling protects responders against traumas from their efforts, yet likely impedes trusting relationships with clients. A video abstract is available at https://youtu.be/lh8OkGSEsUo.

中文翻译：

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“只会变得更糟”：阿片类药物流行中农村前线响应者的叙事放大和情感工作

叙事社会学的研究可用于了解农村急救人员如何放大他们关于阿片类药物危机的集体故事的各个方面，以转移他们所经历的情绪挫折。基于对阿巴拉契亚四个农村县的前线响应者的 31 次采访，我们发现响应者将自己描绘成有能力的主角，以对抗束缚政策、使用阿片类药物将客户视为“他们最糟糕的情况”，并将他们的危机管理视为一项艰巨的任务。通过以这种方式构建故事，农村一线响应者缓和了挫败感，从而产生了同情，这有助于形成独特的关怀和控制逻辑。这种讲故事可以保护响应者免受他们的努力造成的创伤，但可能会阻碍与客户的信任关系。https://youtu.be/lh8OkGSEsUo 提供视频摘要。