PTSD for non-combat vetrens

For a non-combat veteran, working in an environment that is 100% hostile and has seen more violence than I could ever imagine seeing in a lifetime, I would like to approach a mental health professional to seek a way. The nightmares and constant stress keep me just a little on edge. It just seems a little uncomfortable to make a statement to a a stranger, my head seems a little screwed up and I am not sure how to digest the thoughts and dreams/nightmares I have. My job is to attempt to put life back as normal for the people I watch over when violence occurs and help facilitate their rehabilitation from the violent world that they helped create.

I work in a prison. This is just my rambling after a bad day. I don't know the answer, nor do any of us. PTSD is a screwed up........ event. We have no clue how to treat it or understand it. Look at how Viet Nam veterans were treated upon return.

I make this statement just to get it off my chest and feel a little bit relaxed. Oh yeah, I love gambling, it relaxes me.

PTSD comes in a lot of shapes and sizes, and despite the fact that the term is almost always associated with military combat, I’d wager there’s far more people who suffer from it due to other traumatic events.

I became a firefighter/EMT when I was 19, and responded to hundreds of calls over the next few years, many of them car accidents, and a handful of those being very very nasty car accidents.

After a few years, through all the accidents I responded to, I developed severe anxiety when it came to riding in cars. It got to the point where I would not get into a vehicle without being heavily medicated.

That was a couple years ago, and I am much better after taking some time off from responding to emergencies. If this turns out to be a chronic problem, I think you should consider looking into some different career options, or find a more low key role in corrections.

Traumatic event exposure causes imbalances with your serotonin and substance P levels. I'm not a fan of modern psychiatry. They want to zombify you with SSRI's. You obviously need help because you are asking for it.
Everyone is different. You should probably talk with a doctor but don't take everything they say as gospel. You will need to figure out what works for you and what your triggers are. Xanax is a miracle drug for stopping panic attacks.
If you get depressed and suicidal stop everything and get professional help immediately. You need to change your environment.

My buddy served in Vietnam and draws full VA disability.

He's OK physically, but mentally there's ... a problem.

War is hell.

Honor the vets: they gave all so that we can live free.

Quote: mason2386

For a non-combat veteran, working in an environment that is 100% hostile and has seen more violence than I could ever imagine seeing in a lifetime, I would like to approach a mental health professional to seek a way. The nightmares and constant stress keep me just a little on edge. It just seems a little uncomfortable to make a statement to a a stranger, my head seems a little screwed up and I am not sure how to digest the thoughts and dreams/nightmares I have. My job is to attempt to put life back as normal for the people I watch over when violence occurs and help facilitate their rehabilitation from the violent world that they helped create.

I work in a prison. This is just my rambling after a bad day. I don't know the answer, nor do any of us. PTSD is a screwed up........ event. We have no clue how to treat it or understand it. Look at how Viet Nam veterans were treated upon return.

I make this statement just to get it off my chest and feel a little bit relaxed. Oh yeah, I love gambling, it relaxes me.

mason,

PTSD is absolutely not restricted to combat. You have no reason to feel foolish or hesitate to get professional help in diagnosing whether that's what's happened to you.

In ATC, we had several cases of it I saw, both in controllers who had fatal accidents on their watch, and controllers who were simply overwhelmed by the pace, the stress, and the responsibility. Also, my ex, a Vietnam vet, still has it to some degree.

It's not something you can fix by yourself, because you're in your head, and it needs objectivity. Like you said, treatment and cures are umcertain . But people have been cured, and many others have learned to manage it, by knowing their triggers and other techniques (my ex is one of the latter).

There's been a huge amount of work on cures and mitigation the last couple decades due to Iraq/Afghanistan vets coming home.

However, you should keep something in mind. It's possible a formal diagnosis of a recognized mental disorder will disqualify you for your job. You should get help whether it does or not, but I would suggest you find out before you decide on a course of action.

Keep us posted how it's going. You're right, communication is important towards healing.

at first blush this may seem unrelated, but check it out. I think research into the brain will eventually yield help. Treatments that don't actually involve surgery though.

https://sciencealert.com/man-has-life-long-fear-of-spiders-cut-out-of-his-brain

I do not know what state you live in or work for. But, I am sure they have a mental health program for employees.

If not, you can find a Psychologist that is familiar with PTSD. My advice would be to also find a Psychiatrist, because you may need some actual medication as well. Or better yet a PhD Psychologist who is a Nurse Practitioner (IE can prescribe meds if needed).

If you happen to be a Veteran there are even more mental health resources available to you, even if your current condition has nothing to do with your time in the military.

Heck, those quacks are pushing dog tranquilizer now: Ketamine. Maybe it even works.

Stress is stress whether experienced with bullets, shivs, rulers or whatever.

Its a quaqmire of definitions, job loss, life loss, etc. Good luck.

Quote: FleaStiff

Heck, those quacks are pushing dog tranquilizer now: Ketamine. Maybe it even works.

Stress is stress whether experienced with bullets, shivs, rulers or whatever.

Its a quaqmire of definitions, job loss, life loss, etc. Good luck.

There of course are cases where costs of mental health professionals cause people to undergo the mental stress of PTSD on their own because they can't afford the costs to fix themselves, especially when one has to go on disability leave or quit their job because they can't handle the stress.

I would go so far to say that a large reason that large homeless populations exist in US cities is due to unaffordable mental health care and lack of programs, leaving it to jails to house those who are actually in substantial need of mental health but funding for free programs cannot handle the scope of work that has to be done.

Speaking personally, someone close to me in Canada has PTSD. So much so that she hasn't been able to work. The Ontario government has given her a 2 bedroom townhome capped at a rent of $300, income support to the tune of $1,200 a month, and of course, free and substantial health care. This has been going on now for 8 years since her last divorce. At this point, she has a support dog which she can take anywhere with her, into restaurants, airplanes, etc. I saw one of those support dogs on my flight to SMF last week and was surprised that the large hound could just sit, uncaged, on the plane, on the floor in front of her seat.

Its not just 'unafordable' but the various hoops that have to be jumped thru:

One couple with marital difficulties couldn't get counseling, once they separated then they got counseling.

One guy knew he was in trouble, wanted a medical exam and anti-depressants. The local mental health center said to him we only provide counseling: you talk to someone for twelve weeks, then you talk to someone else for twelve weeks. We listen, we don't Rx meds or send you to any place that does. If you speak about meds, we talk to you about your drug problem.

Many sheriffs operate the largest clinic in the county and do it with armed deputies, not social workers. Its situations like that which forced Josephine County in Oregon to make the sheriff's hours 9 to 5 and force judges to stop sending people to jail either pretrial or as punishment. Community placement only.

Quote: mason2386

I work in a prison. This is just my rambling after a bad day. I don't know the answer, nor do any of us. PTSD is a screwed up........ event. We have no clue how to treat it or understand it. Look at how Viet Nam veterans were treated upon return.

Forget a grain, please have the whole shaker on standby for this...

I've only felt PTSD twice, both I "cured" myself with little more than exposure therapy. Doesn't really seem like that's an option for you, so my ignorance forces me to encourage the medical route.

I live in a prison town. The prison pop equals that of our whole village. As such, I'm quite literally surrounded by CO's; we long timers have even begun referring to our street as "Government Row", as all the short timers that are here <20yrs are ALL CO transplants who moved closer to work, including several who I've grown up with. It's a f#$%ed up job. In fact, I can't think of a single one of those lifelong friends who I can even stand to be around. The stress and strife of that line of work has turned every single one of them into a serious drunk at best, and a hateful, spiteful, evil minded human being at worst. I can't figure out how there's not monthly mandatory mental screenings in those places. Anyway...

Reach out. And when you do (because you will, seriously) keep some things in mind. I'd offer firstly to wrap your head around this properly. Don't think a few sessions of talking or a new script is gonna be like a light switch (it might, but that's dangerous think). Instead view it as a project. KNOW that it's gonna go wrong, and it's not gonna work, and it's gonna make things worse, because much like physical rehab, the beginning is mostly a barrage of pain and frustration. To help power through that, have in your head from the start that this is a projected goal you aim to complete. You're gonna want that idea there to help battle back a case of the quits.

Second is just a reaffirmation that this is gonna be frustrating. Prepare to burn through a number of docs and perhaps even a number of meds. Having myself been through a number of head shrinkers spanning reasons from insanity to dependency, you're gonna find docs (people) that you don't mend with, those you kinda get put out by, and those you seriously want to punch dead in their stupid faces. They, whoever you have, is not nearly the only person there for you. No matter who work supplies, whomever whoever swears by, don't worry about that s#$%. Just go, and if the doc is a no talent ass clown, move on to the next. And that goes ditto for the meds, if any. What some people have sworn by has left me on the side of the street puking my guts out. What got someone off the couch damn near put me in the ground. What turns some into a melting zombie puts iron in my back and rocket fuel in my blood. Know this is a project that contains failure, do what needs be done to see that failure is a property of the goal and not the finish line.

Last is just a faith in self. It's scary easy, especially in a place like that, to lose...what am I trying to say?...to lose the proper filter. To lose seeing reality and instead seeing everything through the veil of gaol. To see how other CO's cope, to believe that's how it's done, and to follow suit. Don't let your only outlet, your only confidant, be from the inside. Speak to a cop, a preacher, a teacher, a soldier, a nurse, a child, even. Speak about coping and get ideas from those outside. Inside might be easier to do, but it's also a lot easier to fall into a "blind leading the blind" situation.

You know what needs be done. Your post is a start. Don't let it also be the end.

And good luck! Even us bats#$% crazy folk find our ways. It just takes a try.