Change Your Life: Turn Post-Traumatic Stress into Post-Traumatic Growth
(Room Lucas Oil Stadium Meeting Room 3-4)
12 Apr 19
10:30 AM
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12:15 PM
Post-traumatic stress (PTS) affects firefighters all over the world. Many times, firefighters do not want to discuss incidents that may have had lasting effects on them, or they do not know where to go for help. Research indicates that this is unhealthy physically and mentally not only for the suffering firefighters but for their family and friends as well. Furthermore, PTS has led to an alarming increase in firefighter suicides. This class is about mitigating this ever-growing problem in the fire service. Students are shown how to turn PTS into post-traumatic growth, defined as a phenomenon in which a person becomes stronger and creates a more meaningful life in the wake of tragedy or trauma. The instructor suffered from PTS after his involvement as the first-due engineer in the fire in Charleston on June 18, 2007 that took the lives of nine firefighters. He relates how he struggled with PTS after the tragedy and ultimately was able to convert it into PTG. He discusses the signs and symptoms of PTS and his personal experience with PTS and the steps necessary for making the transition from PTS to PTG. The take-home message is: “PTS can be managed, and individuals suffering from it can live a mentally healthy and successful life.”