HEALTH & WELLNESS
Life after PTSD
Most law enforcement officers are familiar with
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). What we are
realizing now is that PTSD is not limited to those who
have served in battle. Law enforcement officers are
coming to terms with the fact that they are not untouchable or immune.
As a first responder, you train for a variety of scenarios. But an event, or series of events, can trigger
responses that send you into PTSD. It is extremely
MARK
important to recognize the signs and symptoms of
LAMPLUGH
PTSD. Intervention and treatment are key to helping
achieve balance. Some signs and symptoms include:
•
Constant anxious state
• Flashbacks
•
Aversion to situations
•
Physiological response such as increased heart rate
•
Anger management issues
•
Difficulty sleeping
•
Alterations in personality
• Depression
So you have PTSD. You feel your life is completely and unalterably changed. And to a degree, it has changed. One cannot move
through this life and remain untouched.
But being diagnosed with PTSD is not a death sentence. With
help, support, and changes, you can still like, even love, your life.
PTSD can be like a thief. It can rob you of the things you hold
most dear: your family, your career, your confidence and peace of
mind. But don’t give up. Reach out to family, friends, co-workers.
Don’t try to navigate this alone.
Seeking help is the first step. Whether it be through your work,
or through a community program or church, ask for help. It is not
hopeless. After seeking help, it will be important to make sure
changes are in place that will help you be the healthiest you possible.
Setting up positive outlets to release energy, frustrations, and
stress is vital to any officer’s long-term health. If your method of
relaxing includes hitting up the neighborhood bar, or eating at the
all-night buffet, you are setting yourself up for struggles. Drinking
can lead to depression and a host of other issues. Weight gain and
a sedentary lifestyle can lead to depression, heart disease and diabetes.
Dealing with PTSD is going to be one of the hardest battles you
have ever fought. Adding negative coping mechanisms into that
battle will make your struggle even more difficult. Look for positive
ways to deal with the daily stress of your job. Running, working out
regularly with a friend, taking a class in a hobby interest or volunteering in your community are all positive ways to release stress.
Just remember that, most importantly, you are not alone. It may
seem that way, but you have brothers and sisters around you who
understand what you go through. They know what it is like to have
horrible scenes replay in your head. Don’t fight alone; you don’t
have to. d
Mark Lamplugh is a fourth-generation firefighter and an executive director
with Sprout Health Group (www.sprouthealthgroup.com), with treatment
programs in New Jersey, Arizona, Florida, Texas and California. Lamplugh
is nationally recognized in Crisis Stress Intervention through the American
Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, and has helped hundreds of law
enforcement officers, firefighters and EMS personnel find help for addiction,
alcoholism, PTSD and mental health support. He can be reached at MarkL@
sprouthealthgroup.com.