Concerning CISD

[Michael]

[web:37c74fbeac]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/2061339/Stiff-upper-lip-best-way-to-deal-with-shock.html[/web:37c74fbeac]

[AZCEP]

Paging Dr. Bledsoe

[itku2er]

That is interesting I dont fully agree with it but I find it interesting. Are they going to follow up with the people that "kept it bottled up" to see how many years it takes them to just snap and go on a killing spree, or have a complete mental breakdown? Mind you not that it will happen but it could happen, I would be interested in seeing how many of those people in the long term like 20 years from now are doing.

Thanks Michael as always a great post from you.

terr

[AnthonyM83]

Well, if you feel like you're keeping it all bottled up and feel like you're going to explode, then you should definitely talk it out.

The issue is that a lot of people don't feel like it's all bottled up. They're just kind of over it, but if forced to talk it out, they re-hash the anxiety of it and it can lead to PTSD development.

It might be different for EMS workers where we have a series of events over a long period of time. Don't know

[Kaisu]

One of the key factors in the development of PTSD symptoms is an actual or a perceived loss of control and autonomy; in other words, the individual believes that they (or someone close to them) is in imminent danger of death or grievious bodily harm AND they have no control over it. When therapy is attempted, a key factor often overlooked is that the patient HAS to be in charge of the therapy. Well meaning but damaging therapists will "push" a patient to "let it all out". This exacerbates symptoms as the patient is once again not in control of the situation.

When people who have suffered a trauma of any kind CHOOSE to talk about it, it is critical that the listener not try to control the conversation to produce "therapeutic" effects of any kind. Bottom line - individuals are experts on themselves; especially in areas like recovering from trauma.

Stay safe.

[Dustdevil]

That is interesting I dont fully agree with it but I find it interesting. Are they going to follow up with the people that "kept it bottled up" to see how many years it takes them to just snap and go on a killing spree, or have a complete mental breakdown?

That would be wholly irrelevant unless some cause-and-effect relationship can be demonstrated. After all, how do we know if they cracked up because they kept it "bottled up", or if they cracked up because they are simply weak?

Kaisu makes an excellent point here in that, however you handle stress, you should be in control of it. The perception of a loss of control only exacerbates stress. It contributes a sense of helplessness that often progresses into hopelessness. Hopelessness is an 8-ball it is very difficult to work yourself out from behind.

The point being, it is not productive to sit around and wonder how you are "supposed to" deal with stress. How you deal with it is a choice that has to come natural to you. If holding it in is not natural to you, and requires a concerted effort, it's probably not what is right for you. But if talking it out doesn't feel intuitive either, then that too is probably not what is best for you. In the otherwise healthy individual (which is most of us, not the emotionally weak or psychologically defective), your intuition is to be trusted, not the conventional wisdom of the day.

But as always, the theory of CISD for every stressful event is complete horseshit. It is no more valid than would be giving radiation to every person in an attempt to prevent cancer, and just as dangerous.