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Emerg Services Anyone felt this and if so, how did you deal with it?

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It really is or can be a life sucking career. As much OT as you want, extra duties as you want and the camaraderie is the biggest thing that I miss.

Advice. Things have changed greatly as in more mental health supports. Don't ignore them, take advantage of them. Don't be the tough guy because eventually it will bite back.

Have interests, hobbies, friends, acquaintances away from the job. Its easy to get wrapped up in the cop centred life but when your career comes to and end, so does that life.

It gets pretty lonely.
 
Tell him to learn techniques that will allow him to deal with and hopefully overcome the cumulative stress and traumatic events he will experience. It HAS to be effectively dealt with and not internalized or dealt with in unhealthy ways like abusing alcohol. If it isn't, it will manifest itself in ways that aren't to his favor. Cops are still human and can only take so much.
 
I left dispatch after 20 years because my military ptsd finally caught up with me. I was out for 3 months before I got approved for long term disability - and just like you all --- not one person checked on me, asked how I was doing, etc. My only contact was with HR on how to fill out the paperwork for my LTD. It was .....well lets just say it made me realize I wasn't as valued as I thought I was.

the transition was pretty tough. I spent a lot of time blaming myself for not keeping it together. But. I've been off for 7 months now and looking back? Really glad I bailed. I pretty much just slept and went to therapy for the first 6 months. And while I miss the job I don't miss the toxic environment. A friend who had bailed a couple years ago said it took her a year before she could see how bad it was. And she was right

So now I'm wondering how to re-invent myself. If I'm not a dispatcher what am I?

@LuckiLee -- for your nephew having friends outside public safety is crucial. You need to keep a finger in the "real" world or you end up judging everyone by the ruler we use at work.
 
I can relate to finding yourself again. The old me slowly died a slow death starting the day of my incident. And that person is gone. Now my job is to find the new person who is inside the same body I've had since birth. I view it as a special kind of freedom to learn and explore while reinventing the new me. Rome wasn't built in a day and we realistically can't expect an overnight reinvention. Yes, I miss parts of the job, but as a whole, I'm glad I'm out. Don't force anything in your journey. The Bamboo that bends is stronger than the Oak that resists.
 
He has a wonderful group of friends. And shares alot with my niece and the family. J talks with him quite a bit too. I can already see the change in his eyes though. What worries me too is he has a history of child abuse and neglect so I'm sure alot of his calls remind him of that time. Our family basically raised him since he was 14 and we're a pretty close group. He has a great support network in place. I'm definitely going to keep my eye in him. We don't have to worry about him self medicating as his drug if choice is exercise.

Thanks again. Greatly appreciated.
 
his drug if choice is exercise

Even just after five years on he's already been exposed quite a bit....it doesn't take long for the stuff to pile up although it sounds like he has a good support system. Exercise, that's what I traded my vices in for as well but at times that has crossed over into the realm of extreme which isn't all that healthy either.
 
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