CPTSD CASE STUDY
revisit incidents and assign more positive beliefs. There was also an intensive, specifically designed exercise program. During this time, I continued to see my
PFOA therapist Aaron Davis, who really assisted and supported me during this difficult time.
My weekly sessions enabled me to cope and improve myself and the relationships that had suffered owing to CPTSD. These sessions were intrinsic to my recovery. Within a few weeks of completing the
ITS programme, I felt well enough to return to work with restrictions, after being off for eight months, although I wasn’t able to carry firearms, do night shifts or operational policing. Later in 2022, I was invited to attend a
Kev
inside. I was met by a six-year-old girl in tears. She told me her daddy was in the “Unicorn Bedroom”. With the medic kit on my back, I ran
upstairs. A heavily pregnant woman was hysterical and screaming. Her husband had tried to take his life in the girl’s bedroom. I started doing CPR while trying to get the mother to take the girls downstairs. I managed to get a defibrillator on and an airway in, and 10 minutes later, the critical care team arrived and took over. As I walked out of the home, I was hit by the cold air. I felt overwhelmed by emotion, I felt a lump in my throat and my chest tightened. I was holding back the tears and couldn’t make sense of the situation. I had never reacted like this before. To me, it was a change, and I felt deeply affected by that job. The man who tried to take his life
was admitted to hospital, but his life support was turned off a few days later because he had no brain function. I was nominated for a Royal Humane Society award for my efforts. However, I blamed myself for not doing more and felt I didn’t deserve the recognition. At the beginning of 2022 things got worse and I felt very much alone. The journey to access support services can be time-consuming and bureaucratic, internally and externally. I felt I couldn’t cope with the isolation. It never occurred to me that I would ever need to ask for help. I viewed people with mental health problems as just not being resilient enough. In March 2022, my ex-wife made an emergency appointment with my GP as I was having suicidal thoughts. My GP
was very understanding and supportive, signing me off work and prescribing anti- depressants for my hyper-vigilance. The force psychologist confirmed a diagnosis of CPTSD. CPTSD was explained to me as: “Dealing with numerous traumatic events or incidents over a prolonged period of time”, as well as having problems in emotional regulation, self-image and
“Going out for a meal was a challenge. I was constantly scanning people in the restaurant, looking for threats. I was unable to enjoy the time we spent together”
interpersonal issues. I kept in contact with work and updated them with the steps I was taking to get well. I contacted the Police Firearms Officers Association (PFOA). They were very supportive and offered me a therapist. I also contacted Flint House, the police rehabilitation centre, and they offered me a week on their residential mental health program which I attended last May. In June 2022, I spent four days on the residential Armed Forces Warrior Program, which was arranged and funded by a close friend. Then, in September 2022, I was selected to take part in two- week trial PTSD program called Intensive Trauma Service (ITS), run by Police Care UK in Harrogate.
The program was residential and used
CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy), which enables deconstruction of events, challenging thoughts, beliefs and attitudes. EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing), which uses eye movement therapy, helped me
programme run by Devon and Cornwall police called Surfwell. It’s a one-day peer support program using surf therapy to promote psychological, physical and psychosocial wellbeing. One-to-one coaching gives participants from all aspects of the emergency services space to talk about concerns. The research behind this has been supported by the University of Exeter and the programme has been running for four years using operational officers to support police, fire, ambulance and lifeboat workers with amazing success. I was so inspired by
Surfwell, that I started looking for ideas to implement a similar peer-
driven programme in my force. I aimed to bridge the gap between officers and staff needing help, and identify resources and organisations to provide support and help where needed. In Norfolk and Suffolk police, we
didn’t have anything like this. I felt there was still an outdated attitude of negativity and stigma around mental health within policing. Staff felt that by raising an issue around mental health, it would automatically lead to being moved, changing roles and losing contact with colleagues. A good friend, Adam Williams, a lecturer at Easton College, Norfolk offered to help me get something up and running to support officers and staff. The response has been groundbreaking. Adam trained me as an outdoor pursuits and bush-craft instructor and paddle sport instructor. I’m planning to get more Norfolk and Suffolk officers trained as instructors with the help of Adam and Simon McKinna, who runs
21 | POLICE | JUNE 2023
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