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MAY 2020 Edition Fraternal Order of Police Wellness Services MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH www fop net
MAY 2020 Edition 701 Marriott Dr Nashville TN 37214 615 399 0900 or 800 451 2711 Fax 615 399 0400 Sherri Martin Director of Wellness Services SherriRowan hotmail com National Executive Board Patrick Yoes President Joe Gamaldi Vice President Jimmy Holderfield Secretary Tom Penoza Treasurer Les Neri 2nd Vice President Keith Turney Sgt at Arms Rob Pride Chairman of Trustees 701 Marriott Dr Wellness Committee Nashville TN Sherri37214 Martin Chair 615 Darrin 399 0900 or Bourret 800 451 2711 Michael Haley Fax 615 399 0400 Sean Harper Brian Nanavaty Corey Nooner Mike Violette During these past months we have all probably felt a bit more vulnerable than usual in many ways Keep in mind that vulnerability is a part of being human and is not a sign of weakness www fop net
MAY 2020 Edition Converting Tragedy to Triumph The COVID 19 crisis isn t the first challenging time for us and it won t be the last Like many events that have challenged the capacity of first responders before current events have called upon first responders in ways that couldn t have been predicted Unlike hurricanes that can be seen coming days in advance giving us time to prepare other natural disasters like earthquakes and tornadoes leave us little time to get ready for the destruction that may lie ahead Critical incidents in the line of duty are seldom predictable It is this unpredictability in abnormal circumstances that becomes the basis of posttraumatic stress at a level which often leads to disorder However some people who endure trauma or adversity whether it be illness or injury death of a partner or spouse or the occurrence of a natural disaster may actually feel more confident or stronger afterward This is a phenomenon come to be known by psychologists as posttraumatic growth Developed in the 1990 s by psychologists Dr Richard Tedeschi and Dr Lawrence Calhoun the theory of posttraumatic growth explains a kind of transformation after tragedy According to research there are five core outcomes of posttraumatic growth 1 People enjoy enhanced relationships 2 experience a greater appreciation of life 3 they discover increased personal strength 4 they discover new possibilities in life and 5 they experience a spiritual change connecting with something larger than themselves For some people changes may come in all five of these areas for others in just one or two Although resilience has often been confused with posttraumatic growth they are actually different concepts Resilience is a personal attribute that describes the ability to bounce back It is the ability to recover quickly in difficult times Posttraumatic growth on the other hand refers to what can happen when someone who has difficulty bouncing back experiences a traumatic event that challenges their core beliefs endures psychological struggle post traumatic stress disorder for example and then ultimately finds a sense of personal growth Achieving this type of growth takes time but the mere passage of time is not enough www fop net Continued
MAY 2020 Edition Tragedy to Triumph continued So how can we reach posttraumatic growth after a tragedy It requires effort and engagement in thought and behavior to produce meaning from the event Three factors are typically necessary social support friends and family to help you spirituality any sense of something bigger than yourself and adaptive cognitive coping a decision to accept that you can t change the tragedy but won t let it destroy you It s possible that some people are more predisposed to posttraumatic growth and researchers have tied two character traits to the phenomenon extraversion and openness to new experiences This may be because people who are more open are more likely to reconsider their belief systems and extroverts are more likely to be more active in response to trauma and seek out connections with others Extroverts may also be more likely to experience growth because they are more comfortable asking for social support which is a key component of the process Recovery from trauma often entails identifying or rediscovering what is meaningful in one s life It might include a discovery of underlying personal strengths and how they can be used to build something larger than the self The work of posttraumatic growth has the potential to leave survivors of traumatic events with stronger and deeper personal relationships a discovery of purpose in their lives and a deeper appreciation of the things that make life complete and joyful With an open mindset and support positive outcomes after trauma are not only within reach but are achievable References Bernstein E 2017 September 25 After a hurricane new confidence Wall Street Journal https www wsj com articles after a hurricane new confidence 1506350306 Collier L 2016 Growth after trauma Why are some people more resilient than others and can it be taught Monitor on Psychology 47 10 P 48 www fop net
MAY 2020 Edition In partnership with the National Organization for Victim s Assistance NOVA the FOP is proud to offer an upcoming webinar titled COVID 19 s Impact on Grief Loss and Death Notification Stay tuned for dates to be announced soon Dr Tom Coghlan retired NYPD Detective and FOP member will offer virtual support and education to members More details coming soon www fop net
MAY 2020 Edition Gain strategies for coping with life as a law enforcement officer both on and off duty during this stressful time Captain Brian Nanavaty retired from Indianapolis PD and member of the FOP National Officer Wellness Committee is a nationally recognized instructor in the area of Officer Wellness The FOP is proud to bring you this free webinar as part of our ongoing efforts to help our members be well https youtu be Osci2JjvbEQ www fop net
MAY 2020 Edition www fop net
MAY 2020 Edition Steps to Reduce Police Fatigue Given the current circumstances in our profession the workload of officers is not apt to soon decrease However there are things that officers can do Officers can control how they choose to react to stressful incidents acknowledge that fatigue plays a direct role on personal stress levels Officers will react as they have been trained when they are properly rested and alert In addition law enforcement officers can 1 Plan meals and make healthy eating choices and stop eating high calorie fast food 2 Plan vacation and downtime Write it down and stick to it 3 See your doctor regularly for checkups 4 Share the workload and reduce the amount of overtime 5 Live within your means so that moonlighting that second job is not necessary 6 Create a realistic exercise program and form healthy habits 7 Create a Patrol Buddy program and make time to check on each other 8 Keep your civilian friends and get away from the job no shop talk on downtime www fop net
MAY 2020 FOP Electronic Newsletters Click cover to open
MAY 2020 Edition www fop net