PTSD Awareness Day: What do you know? What do you do?

[maverick56]

PTSD AWARENESS DAY IS A REMINDER TO LEARN, GET HELP AND HELP OTHERS

Today (June 27) is officially National PTSD Awareness Day. The day was enacted by Congress last year with prodding by the VA and various veterans groups. Although it's roots come from combat veterans, I think it's a good opportunity for everyone to take a look at what it is, how it effects people, and what can be done about it. It's an important topic, particularly for those of us working in public safety, to address and understand. As a combat veteran now working in EMS, I am curious how people in the EMS community, you, approach the topic? What do you know about it? What does your system/company do to address issues? Is there a stigma associated with it?

Coming from a military background, though there is much better information out there now, many service members are still in the dark about signs/symptoms and where to go for help before their first deployment (encountering trauma). I know that even as a medic, I knew very little, other than that there were combat stress counselors available. And there could be a fear of being labeled or thought weak, especially while still in theater. What I'm wondering is, is this an issue where you are? Do you know what to watch for? If you were having trouble after a call/incident, would you seek help? Would you do so through your chain of command?

The other thing I am curious about, more concerning myself I guess, is, if you have dealt with any incident stress or even PTSD, how do you find it affecting your job? Just getting going here as a civilian medic, I haven't seen anything that's even made me flinch yet, but I can't help be a little nervous that someday I will have a call that will trigger a flashback or something. It's hard to explain, I know that I am in just the right job for me, but I can't help but worry that maybe my military experiences could hurt my ability to do that job, that I'll freeze up at the wrong time. Does anyone else ever get that doubt? What do you do about it? I mean, I know what I am capable of. I know the situations in which I was able to maintain and do my job downrange when it matter the most. But... I don't know, maybe it's different now? I thrive under pressure and live for the rush, even danger... but I've also been know to hit the deck and roll under the nearest truck with a sudden crack of good thunder.

So yeah, thoughts, ideas, strategies, jokes? Whatever you've got. I've put a lot of work into the last year to be proactive in helping myself, I'd like to see what people have coming from the civilian side.

Thanks.

[maverick56]

Heroes to Hometowns: When veterans come home

[Eydawn]

There's a reason I just flew to Michigan for a 3 day conference (I hate Michigan!). I'm now certified in Individual and Group CISM, which I did to help out with my Search and Rescue team (now there's two of us, instead of just one, yay!) If used properly, CISM techniques can help individuals identify the need for further counseling... especially when said certified person is helping to evaluate that need.

PTSD happens. I don't think it makes you any more or less of a risk at your job, as each individual is different and handles different psychiatric diagnoses differently. There's great bipolar medics, medics with clinical depression, etc... there's TONS of medics with PTSD who don't even know they have it. Does stress affect how you do your job? Sure. Does it mean you'll freeze up, or that fear of freezing up is weird? Nah. All of us have that unspoken fear that we'll drop the proverbial soap at the worst possible moment. I don't think that's a PTSD thing.

I'm bad about seeking help after calls that mess with me, because my hubby is also on the team and I just go to him with what's bothering me. However, I am good at identifying "bad ju-ju" signs in myself and in others. Between myself and the other gal on the team, we make contact with people after a call we knew was hairy to see how they're doing. If even ONE person asks for it, we will hold a debriefing or defusing, depending on the time table. Or we'll do 1:1 with the person if that's what they're more comfortable with.

Sometimes, people just need the reassurance that they're not nutso for reacting the way they are. Sometimes, they need a little bit more. We have psychologists that we can refer people to if they're really struggling and need someone with the ability to help them work through deeper issues.

We're hoping to establish a CISM response team for our area (closest one is a couple counties away), so we can help out other departments and such. It's a catch-22; if you're too close to what happened, you have your own emotions to deal with... if you're not part of the department/team you're trying to debrief, folks are less likely to open up.

It's a complex issue, that's for sure. Especially so for those who are returning to civilian life from a military deploy. It's not just the stuff you saw while you were out there, it's learning to readjust to a "normal" life again. I think those who are the most honest about where they are struggling do the best, at least from what I've observed with folks I know. Those who try to put on the "tough face" end up suppressing, and suppressing, and suppressing, until they reach a catastrophic point of some sort.

We discussed this in my conference with a police LT, who has had trouble with re-integrating his undercover detectives back into the main part of the force after they come off a lengthy undercover assignment... same kind of deal- you have to switch over your mentality completely from what you were doing to something that is much more mundane, and has its own challenges.

Just my thoughts on the matter... also, disclaimer- I do not think CISM is for everyone, and nobody should EVER be mandated to go to a debriefing. Oh, and someone who's not trained shouldn't run one. And there should be backup with referrals to psychologists as needed. And nobody should be forced to talk during a debriefing if they don't want to.

Thanks for posting this, Maverick!

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[tniuqs]

Just found this thread .. bit tired right now but a good topic to bring up.

cheers

[crotchitymedic1986]

There is no such thing as PTSD, just as there is no such thing as ADD. It is all a figment of the pharmaceutical industrys imagination to sell you drugs.

[ERDoc]

Crotchity, you truly are an asshole. I guess my father-in-law (Navy corpsman stationed in Vietnam with the USMC) was just pretending when he would hide under the covers every 4th of July because the fireworks made the flashbacks uncontrollable. It was even funnier when he couldn't take it any longer and overdosed, leaving behind a wife, 8 year old daughter and 5 year old son. Yup, must have been the pharmaceutical industry's fault, especially since he was on no meds.

So how long until you make this thread about yourself and turn it into a racism thread? You truly are a worthless piece of shit.

[Vorenus]

Crotchity, you truly are an asshole. I guess my father-in-law (Navy corpsman stationed in Vietnam with the USMC) was just pretending when he would hide under the covers every 4th of July because the fireworks made the flashbacks uncontrollable. It was even funnier when he couldn't take it any longer and overdosed, leaving behind a wife, 8 year old daughter and 5 year old son. Yup, must have been the pharmaceutical industry's fault, especially since he was on no meds.

So how long until you make this thread about yourself and turn it into a racism thread? You truly are a worthless piece of shit.

Heard something similar from an EMT riding in Berlin. He told me that at New Year`s Eve, they would get dispatched to psychatric calls quite often. Over the years, they had quite a few elderly patients getting a fit, because all the fireworks draw them back to the bombings they had survived in WWII.

@ crotchity: When you have really nothing to say, but a load of crap to provoke others, wouldn`t it be best to say nothing at all?

[paramedicmike]

This a new low even by your standards, Crotchity. Do you truly and honestly believe the crap that leaves your fingers and posts here?

[crotchitymedic1986]

hmmmm, wonder how all the people in centuries past survived without those drugs.

[ERDoc]

Who said anything about drugs? Say what you want about the pharmaceutic industry, fine and to some degree I agree with you. Don't ever say PTSD is not real. If you did a little research instead of figuring out how to blame the white people for what an asshole you are you might know that it has been around for a long time. The term PTSD is a new term for conditions that have been described for centuries. Ever hear of battle fatigue (WWII), shell shock (WWI) or soldier's heart (US Civil War). Prior to that it was regretfully labeled as cowardice or personal weakness at times. Have you ever read about Hori or the accounts of Herodotus? I'm going to guess not because you are too stupid to research something that you know nothing about. I'm sure you'll have some stupid comeback so let me preemptively say, fuck you.

Edit: Since research is too difficult for your pea-brain, here is a link for your education (and for others who are legitimately interested). http://www.vva.org/archive/TheVeteran/2005_03/feature_HistoryPTSD.htm

Edited August 9, 2011 by ERDoc