REMSDAU 2019 Trauma, EQ and Peer Support Courageous What - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

REMSDAU 2019 Trauma, EQ and Peer Support

What expectations do you feel as an individual working in EMS?

Courageous Resilient Strong Professional Hero

The Hidden Landscape

Shut down emotions Separate work life/personal life Don’t feel like “I” fit in Feel alone/isolated Deny or minimize impact

What are the personal costs of doing your job?

RESEARCH

 Research on 1st responders is a recent priority so info is limited in amount and quality.

 Studies show high risk for :

 Depression  Anxiety  Addiction  Family dysfunction

 Which lead to increased rates

• f:

 Heart disease  Cancer  Arthritis  Diabetes  Suicide  Shift work leads to sleep deprivation  Repeated exposure to trauma causes same amount of mental harm as direct exposure

Let’s examine breathing

 When you inhale, air is drawn in through your nose, where it is warmed to body temperature, humidified, and partially cleansed. Your diaphragm, a sheet like muscle separating the lungs and the abdomen, facilitate your breathing by contracting and relaxing as you breathe in and out.  Your heart pumps oxygenated blood to all parts

• f your body. An exchange takes place in which

blood cells receive oxygen and release carbon dioxide, A waste product that is carried back to your heart and lungs, and then exhale. This efficient method of transporting and exchanging

• xygen and carbon dioxide is vital to sustain life.

 When you breathe, typically, you use one of two patterns: 1) chest or thoracic breathing, or 2) Abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing.  Chest or thoracic breathing is common in our modern life and is linked with lifestyle, stress, anxiety, or other forms of emotional distress. It is shallow and often irregular and rapid.  Abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing is the natural breeding of newborn babies and sleeping adults. Diaphragmatic breathing is deeper and slower than chest breathing, as well as more with Nick and relaxing. The respiratory system is able to do it’s job of producing energy from oxygen and removing waste products.

The big “Ts” and little “ts” of TRAUMA

How to cope with trauma and build positive mental health in the EMS profession

Big Ts Little ts

 Often an event or series of events  Most people would agree it’s a trauma  Identifiable  Sometimes referred to as what did happened that shouldn’t have  Often referred to as what should have happened, but didn’t  Hard to put a finger on.  Often times dismissed or not recognized as trauma  Consistent small ts can score higher on PTSD scales than one or two big Ts

In my beginning is my end. ~TS Eliot

Trauma Responses: responses are not voluntary. Subconscious

neurobiological level of reading the environment

Trauma Responses

Window of Tolerance

 If nervous system is in a constant state of danger, it’s going to make it difficult to detect safety and live in WOT.  Misread others cues  Neutral>>>>>>>>>>>> aggressive  Fearful >>>>>>>>>>>> angry  One way to regulate is with people in a pro-social positive way.  Social interaction behavior is a neural exercise of using newer mammalian structures to inhibit primitive defense

• systems. (Safe face, safe voice, safe

touch)

EMDR: one of only 3 therapies recommended by

DOD & Veterans Administration for PTSD

Signs of PTSD: Intrusive Memories

 these memories can start from the persons os. Thoughts, or can be triggered by words,

• bjects or situations that are reminders of the

traumatic event. They include:  Recurring, unwanted memories of the event  Reliving the event as if it were happening against  Upsetting dreams  Emotional distress or physical reactions (heart racing, hands sweating)

Avoidance

 May cause a change in routine to avoid reminders of the event as well as negative changes in thinking and mood:  Negative feelings about self/others  Feeling emotionally numb  Inability to feel  Feeling hopeless/helpless  Isolating  Loss of interest

Hyper-arousal

 Irritable  Emotional outbursts  On guard  Easily startled  Trouble concentrating  Difficulty sleeping  Loss of appetite

Peer to Peer Support

 There needs to be a culture change.  Needs to be ongoing. Can’t do it because it’s a bad day/week.  Asking for help, discussing struggles needs to be the new norm.  Create a culture of self-care (sleeping, eating well, hydrating, downtime,music, exercise, prayer/meditation, human contact on a “real” level.  The goal is:  Happier, healthier employees  Higher rentention  Increased safety and well-being  Decrease isolation  Empowering employees  Reduce anxiety, depression PTSD

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the level of our ability to:

 Recognize and understand our emotions and reactions (self- awareness)  Manage, control, and adapt our emotions, mood, reactions, and responses (self-management)  Harness our emotions to motivate

• urselves to take appropriate action,

 commit, follow-through and work toward the achievement of our goals (motivation)  Discern the feelings of others, understand their emotions, and utilize that understanding to relate to others more effectively (empathy)  Build relationships, relate to others in social situations, lead, negotiate conflict and work as part of a team (social skills)

Emotional intelligence is a gateway to a balanced life. It’s essential to basically every aspect

• f life

As a culture, we don’t teach EQ well or practice it.

Don’t wait until you’re broken down to seek

• help. There is no

reason to carry the burden of what you’ve seen and experienced.

The End