COP UNDER PRESSURE

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PTSD
COP UNDER PRESSURE
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I have been a cop for a number of years and
thought that nothing could get to me, that I was
invincible.
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I started feeling increasingly moody and short
tempered.
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• I have been suffering from panic attacks and
• sometimes feel like I am going to die.

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I have frequent outbursts of anger and no longer
enjoy my quality of life.
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I am often very depressed and suffer high levels
of anxiety.
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I relive the events through recurring nightmares
and intrusive images.
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I constantly avoid reminders of the
events, including places, people, thoughts and
other activities associated with the traumas.
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I am always on guard and hyperaroused, and
feel irritable with sudden anger.
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I have difficulty sleeping and concentrating. I
am overly alert and easily startled.
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I have low self-esteem and feel disconnected
from my life.
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I have stress-related conditions such as chronic
fatigue.
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I suffer from stomach pain and other digestive
problems such as irritable bowel syndrome and
alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation.
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I also suffer from headaches and sleep problems.
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I have lost interest in mostly everything.
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My quality of life has been greatly affected.
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I have been diagnosed with PTSD. Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder.
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I sometimes feel like I am going crazy.
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It is common for people to feel that no matter
what theyve faced or lived with, no matter how
extreme, they should be able to carry on.
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But sometimes people face situations that are so
traumatic that they may become unable to cope
and function in their daily lives.
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Some people become very distressed by memories
of the trauma  -  memories which won't go away.
They try to avoid reminders of what happened to
them.
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A person who feels this way more than a month
after a traumatic experience has passed may be
suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder,
or PTSD, a serious and common health condition.
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For these people, getting beyond the trauma and
overcoming PTSD requires the help of a
professional.
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PTSD may develop following exposure to extreme
trauma.
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Extreme trauma may follow from a terrifying
event or ordeal that a person has experienced,
witnessed or learned about, especially one that
is life-threatening or causes physical harm.
The trauma can be a single event or involve
multiple experiences.
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The experience may cause the person to feel
intense fear, horror and a sense of
helplessness.
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The stress caused by trauma can affect all
aspects of a persons life, including mental,
emotional and physical well-being.
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You are not alone !
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Research suggests that prolonged trauma may
disrupt and alter brain chemistry. For some
people, this may lead to the development of
PTSD.
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At any given time 15 to 32 of all police
officers are found to be dealing with some type
of emotional reaction to a traumatic event, even
though they may not develop PTSD from it the
vast majority get through it without too much
trouble. In the long run, however, between a
tenth and a third of all police officers
develop PTSD, a rate higher than soldiers with
combat experience. Some of this involves having
to deal with multiple traumas over the course of
a 20 to 30 year career.
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People experiencing specific traumas develop
PTSD at the following rates
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HELP IS AVAILABLE The British Columbia
Psychological Association also maintains a web
site at www.psychologists.bc.ca. Click on the
"Referral program." You may also contact
Veterans Affairs Canada or RCMP Health Services
at [phone].
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