Intervention & Accommodation

Military & Paramilitary Personnel

Here are some statistics from the Tema website (see the link to this resource at the bottom of this page):

• It is estimated that 8% of Canadians suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Our research indicates that this number is two to three times higher within the emergency services sectors.
• 16% to 24% of our emergency services personnel suffer with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. We also estimate this number to be low due to the stigma associated with seeking and accepting help!

It's no secret that military and paramilitary personnel may experience higher than average amounts of stress. The following issues may present as significant sources of distress among military and paramilitary personnel that may lead to increased experiences of mental health issues.

Issue: Frequently reliving or re-experiencing the trauma (flashbacks) associated with witnessing or being involved in violent acts.
Proposed Approach: Encourage the individual to try and keep their eyes open and verbally remind themselves of where they are, that they are not in danger and that no-one else around them is in danger. If sitting or lying down, encourage the individual to get up and do an activity that requires them to focus on something else (e.g. get a glass of water, make a phone call).

Issue: Experiencing increased anxiety or arousal-including the feeling of being constantly on guard for danger and startling easily.
Proposed Approach: Encourage the individual to take some deep breaths and focus on the present, on exactly what they are doing. Moreover, if the room you are in is crowded or noisy and this makes the individual feel panicked, remind the individual that they can leave the situation safely. Another option is to ask the individual if they would like you to take them to a quieter space so they can collect their thoughts.

Issue: The effects of fatigue at work.
Proposed Approach: Encourage the individual to get lots of rest including a regular bedtime schedule so their body becomes familiar with the time they wish it to relax. For other strategies on establishing healthy sleeping patterns, suggest the individual see Mental Health Resources > Approaches to Wellness.

Resources

The following are links to resources that may be of interest to you. If you click on a link you may be entering a third party website not maintained or controlled in any way by Great-West Life.