John Rose of Oak Bluffs: How Firefighters Deal with PTSD

According to John Rose of Oak Bluffs, post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD exists. It is a real thing.

People know of the condition and have seen it portrayed so many times in pop culture and media. However, most of the observations come from people who don’t have it. It’s quite different when a person sees or feels PTSD from the eyes and minds of those who have it.

For firefighters with PTSD, there are bad days, and there are better days. The latter, though, is quite rare in full-blown cases once the condition starts to manifest itself. Constant therapy and treatment are needed to help with this.

John Rose from Oak Bluffs shares some signs to look out for to know if a firefighter you know has PTSD.

They experience stress all the time.

People without PTSD typically start their days like an empty glass. This glass fills up with different kinds of stressors during the day. Someone who has PTSD will start a day with feelings of stress.

They often harbor a sense of regret.

People struggling with PTSD are known to often talk about things they used to do or things that they enjoyed but don’t do anymore. To help them, loved ones may try to keep track of how much their firefighter friends talk about these things. If it is quite often, creating situations where they can do these things again may help a lot.

They are heavily affected by memories, which they perceive as happening right in front of them.

People experiencing PTSD relive traumatic events very often, and these memories can get incredibly vivid and manifest as flashbacks or even nightmares.

They avoid anything that reminds them of the traumatic event.

John Rose of Oak Bluffs explains that it’s common for firefighters with PTSD to avoid reminders and feelings that are associated with their trauma. Examples of these could be certain activities, places, or even people. It can disrupt the person’s normal daily routine.

They zone out quite often.

Husbands and wives of firefighters with PTSD mention that they observe their spouses experiencing a stupor when returning home from work. They tune out the rest of the world by becoming engrossed in the TV or any other electronic gadget. If they are unable to come out of this perceived “vortex” to answer questions or even turn their attention to something else, it may be worth looking into.

They have triggers, altered behaviors, and mood swings.

Symptoms of PTSD related to this may include increased anger or aggression, hypervigilance, irritability, insomnia, and hypersensitivity.

It’s common for those with PTSD to undergo an array of other mental health disorders along with their PTSD. According to John Rose of Oak Bluffs, these can include anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. A few symptoms of these may consist of feelings of detachment and guilt, negative mood, distorted beliefs about oneself, others, and the world, and lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities.

John Rose of Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard, excelled as a multi-sport athlete in high school, notably leading the golf team as captain. He now serves as the Chief of the Oak Bluffs Fire Department, with certifications including Fire Prevention Officer and Fire Officer 1. Read similar blogs on this blogsite.