Today is PTSD Awareness Day
PTSD – It’s time to stop talking and start learning
You might just save a life and that life might be your own.
Learn a little about PTSD today. Then learn about Trauma
PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. There are currently about 8 million people in the United States with PTSD. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – National Center For PTSD
Who Develops PTSD?
Anyone can develop PTSD at any age. A number of factors can increase the chance that someone will have PTSD, many of which are not under that person’s control. For example, having a very intense or long-lasting traumatic event or getting injured during the event can make… it more likely that a person will develop PTSD. PTSD is also more common after certain types of trauma, like combat and sexual assault.
Personal factors, like previous traumatic exposure, age, and gender, can affect whether or not a person will develop PTSD. What happens after the traumatic event is also important. Stress can make PTSD more likely, while social support can make it less likely.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – National Center For PTSD
PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is an anxiety problem that develops in some people after extremely traumatic events, such as combat, crime, an accident or natural disaster.
People with PTSD may relive the event via intrusive memories, flashbacks and nightmares; avoid anything that reminds them of the trauma; and have anxious feelings they didn’t have before that are so intense their lives are disrupted.
Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology by the American Psychological Association (APA)
Law enforcement officers respond to and witness some of the most tragic events that happen in our communities. On-the-job stress can have a significant impact on their physical and mental well-being, which can accumulate over the course of a career. Many officers struggle with alcohol abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts, posttraumatic stress disorder and other challenges. Compared to the general population, law enforcement report much higher rates of depression, PTSD, burnout, and other anxiety related mental health conditions.
NAMI Law Enforcement Info Page
Learn More Today! Visit These Sites:
National Center For PTSD
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/index.asp
American Psychological Association (APA)
https://www.apa.org/topics/ptsd/
PTSD among Police Officers: Impact on Critical Decision Making by Dr. John Violanti
https://cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/05-2018/PTSD.html
Trauma on the Job: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Law Enforcement Officers – Lexipol
https://www.lexipol.com/resources/blog/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-law-enforcement-officers/
Cops and PTSD
Why you should care, what you can do by Ellen Kirschman, Ph.D. – Psychology Today
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cop-doc/201811/cops-and-ptsd
PREVENTING SUICIDE AMONG LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS: AN ISSUE BRIEF
https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/2020-02/_NOSI_Issue_Brief_FINAL.pdf
First responders struggle with PTSD caused by the emergencies, deaths, tragedies they face every day – The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/first-responders-struggle-with-ptsd-caused-by-the-emergencies-deaths-tragedies-they-face-every-day/2019/10/25/9c4c9a0e-d4b8-11e9-9610-fb56c5522e1c_story.html
NAMI Law Enforcement Info Page
https://www.nami.org/Advocacy/Crisis-Intervention/Law-Enforcement?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpe6R1sKi6gIVRr7ACh1DFg2aEAMYAyAAEgLH5_D_BwE
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Military Veterans: Training Manual for Police Officers
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/care/toolkits/police/docs/Police_Toolkit_Instructors_Manual.pdf
Treating posttraumatic stress disorder in first responders: A systematic review
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nioshtic-2/20041710.html
Conceptualization, Assessment, and Treatment of Traumatic Stress in First Responders: A Review of Critical Issues
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6624844/
Learn, Grow, Stay Safe!
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