PTSD for Medical and First Responders

[A_Tech]

Hi,

Well obviously this my situation.

I was hoping to find others here that might have a similar background to chat with, it can be so hard to talk about this stuff with non-med people (and I mean no disrespect, it's just often graffic or upsetting to others).

Im a 40 year old female that has spent the last 10years in the State Trauma Hospital as an Anaesthetic Technician. My PTSD was brought about after years of exposure to shocking traumas, deaths, and no support from management.

I would love to hear from anyone that has a similar story, or just wants to chat.

Cheers ✌️

[Croix]

Dear TimboE~

You are quite right, talking about it straight away wiht someone who understands makes all the difference an awful lot of times.

This was brought home to me as I had no such facilities (was ages ago) when I listened to a talk by an ambulance fleet chaplain, Garry Raymond, who used to be a D/I negotiator for a state police force.

After every incident he would talk wiht each of his team and allow them to range over whatever they felt like, though with some focus. He felt it did him good too as he was normally the leader on the scene.

I'm not sure this is the whole answer, I suspect such matters are cumulative, but only have a sample of one to go by:)

Croix

[Jane1985]

Thankyou for sharing. I am a teacher with PTSD from work. I have been off work for 6 months now, and I’m gradually trying to get back to work. It’s been a lot harder than I expected. I thought a new work place would solve my anxiety, but I feel so unwell going to work. The doctor told me to give it another 6 months before I’m back to full capacity.

[Croix]

Dear Jane 1985~

Welcome here, I'm glad you have found you are not alone and that others too have to wrestle with the problems of when to return to work.

As I mentioned to Jordan M a year is really not that long a time. PTSD is an injury, a harm to your mental mental welfare and to you capabilities.

In some ways being a teacher is like being an athlete (after the police I taught at uni for a long time) , it was strenuous and demanded great concentration, and is often in difficult circumstances.

If an athlete were injured and had to take a year off you might not find that remarkable -even prudent. Maybe even realise they could try to return too early.

Your symptoms do need time to recover, and I guess one thing that helped me was to recognize that were symptoms, not part of my basic makeup.

I rather think you were sensible to try a new teaching environment, however I also think you are the expert on you, and it is your judgment if this activity is helping or hindering.

Feeling unwell at the prospect of going to work I'm familiar with, it's not good and may indicate something. This happened when I tried teaching for a short while, it was too early. Later I tried again and then kept on going for many years.

I'd healed enough. I'm not saying I was symptom free but had both medical and family support, and experienced the ups and downs one might expect.

May I ask if you have enough personal (as opposed to medical) support and also if you are wondering if you are plunging in too deep too quickly?

What do you think?

Croix

[Bilbo22]

PTSD and AHPRA- Wondering how everyone else is doing post Covid particularly health workers with burnout, moral injury and PTSD? I had worked well with PTSD from a disaster from 20 years ago but after a vexatious complaint during covid AHPRAs response triggered a disabling relapse. I’m a medic- and a recent report showed 17 Drs had ended themselves during AHPRA investigation. I couldn’t understand how a bunch of paper pushers could trigger a worse injury than trying to fix what a tonne of explosives does to a crowd of people. Using the idea of moral injury ( betrayal and injustice of leadership) as an equally potent trigger to trauma as witnessing gruesome scenes has helped a lot. It was terrifying after managing symptoms and relapses for 20 years to be suddenly so overwhelmed. ( the background of bushfires, floods and covid made for a perfect storm) . Something to keep in mind for others living and working with PTSD.