PD200 - Discussion Post #10

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Wilfrid Laurier University *

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Psychology

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Dec 6, 2023

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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be characterized by changes in behaviour, thought processes, emotional regulation, and recurring memories resulting from experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event (American Psychiatric Association, 2020). It is important to note that PTSD presents differently in every person. In the documentary "In Harm's Way," first responders Sgt. Jag Soin, Rob Ichelson, and Jeff Balch showed symptoms commonly associated with PTSD, including irritability, insomnia, flashbacks, frequent nightmares, and suicidal thoughts or attempts. (Crime Beat TV, 2015). Each of the individuals self-medicated through alcohol consumption as a coping mechanism. Aspects of police occupation that may trigger PTSD can be related to Sgt. Jag Soin’s case. For example, he and his partner were responding to a domestic disturbance call, which quickly turned for the worse. Gasoline was thrown at them, and they were engulfed in flames. Sgt. Soin says he remembers thinking he was about to die (Mallen et al., 2015). It is plausible to assume the ‘near-death’ experience is felt by police officers and could produce negative effects each time they respond to a dangerous call; of course, the level of danger varies, but how each person perceives it also varies. Situations with heightened/extreme stress levels increase the likelihood of trauma occurring. Two of the first responders interviewed recall specific senses, for Sgt. Soin it was the sight of the charred suspect appearing like a ‘zombie,’ whereas Rob Ichelson recalls the particular sounds and smell. Exposure to certain sensory inputs could trigger symptoms of PTSD due to the brain's sensitivity to such stimuli (Morey et al., 2015). Police officers diagnosed with PTSD may experience heightened levels of stress and anxiety in familiar environments/situations, as recurring memories of their traumatic experiences often plague them (Maguen et al., 2009). This can have a significant impact on their ability to function optimally. As presented in the interviews, both police and paramedic received no support for their symptoms. The lack of accountability for fellow officers came from the top. The commissioner of the RCMP was found to be mocking individuals with PTSD. Law enforcement officers are held to high standards of toughness and are responsible for numerous professional duties. However, it is important to acknowledge and express appreciation for their efforts while they are still with us rather than solely in the aftermath of their passing, as depicted in the video “when an officer is wounded or killed in the line of duty, the tributes are heartfelt and profound. But if a member has post-traumatic stress disorder, reactions are very different” (Crime Beat TV, 2015). Statistics show that 15% to 18% of police officers experience PTSD and feel unsupported and betrayed by their department (Welsh, 2016). The unfortunate part is that trauma on the brain does not have an immediate cure, especially if police are not even aware of what is going on. Sgt. Soin stated that he did not know what PTSD was (Crime Beat TV, 2015). This aspect failed at the organization's level because it lacked proper training (Welsh, 2016). It does need to be accounted for when Sgt. Soin was in the academy; mental health was not a topic in the way it is nowadays. According to the notes provided in class, one of the diagnostic criteria for PTSD includes “alterations in arousal and reactivity to external events” (Welsh, 2016). This symptom shows significance in policing, where decisions must be made quickly to respond to a threat and ensure the safety of fellow officers or citizens. Research shows that the amygdala plays a crucial role in

fear acquisition, and people with PTSD exhibit increased activity in this area, even in the absence of acute threat (Bremner , 2006). This can affect police officers' ability to differentiate between threats and normal situations. References: American Psychiatric Association. (2020, November). What Is PTSD? Psychiatry.org; American Psychiatric Association. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/ptsd/what-is-ptsd Bremner, J. D. (2006). Traumatic stress: effects on the brain. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience , 8 (4), 445–461. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2006.8.4/jbremner Crime Beat TV. (2015). FULL STORY: In Harm’s way [YouTube Video]. In YouTube . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAwavz-sWh0 Maguen, S., Metzler, T. J., McCaslin, S. E., Inslicht, S. S., Henn-Haase, C., Neylan, T. C., & Marmar, C. R. (2009). Routine Work Environment Stress and PTSD Symptoms in Police

Officers. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease , 197 (10), 754–760. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0b013e3181b975f8 Mallen, S., Leffler, B., & Rowney, M. (2015, January 28). In Harm’s Way: The PTSD crisis among Canada’s first responders . Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/1798015/in- harms-way-the-ptsd-crisis-among-canadas-first-responders/ Morey, R. A., Dunsmoor, J. E., Haswell, C. C., Brown, V. M., Vora, A., Weiner, J., Stjepanovic, D., Wagner, H. R., & LaBar, K. S. (2015). Fear learning circuitry is biased toward generalization of fear associations in posttraumatic stress disorder. Translational Psychiatry , 5 (12), e700–e700. https://doi.org/10.1038/tp.2015.196 Welsh, A. (2016, May). Police Psychology. Lesson Five, Week Nine: Defining Stress: The Police Occupation and Stress [Lecture notes] Retrieved from https://mylearningspace.wlu.ca/d2l/le/content/490358/viewContent/3321228/View Welsh, A. (2016, May). Police Psychology. Lesson Five, Week Ten: The Police Occupation and Stress: Effects of Police Stress [Lecture notes] Retrieved from https://mylearningspace.wlu.ca/d2l/le/content/490358/viewContent/3321233/View

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