Dealing with an OSI over Christmas

PTSD and the holidays

For those with post-traumatic stress disorder, the holiday period can cause a lot of stress and may result in exposure to the common PTSD triggers. One of the main risks for PTSD sufferers over the holiday season is the tendency for group gatherings with family and friends. Dec. 9, 2019 https://www.ptsdgroup.com/ptsd-during-the-holidays/#:~:text=For%20those%20with%20post%2Dtraumatic,gatherings%20with%20family%20and%20friends.

For me it is those same get-togethers that cause my stress to send me overboard. And to my family it looks as though I am ungrateful and dismissive of family. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Pay attention to your feelings when this holiday comes on, they may help keep you sane. During recovery you will gain new skills that allow you to be around others during the holidays and avoiding family will not always be necessary.

Our mission is to inspire hope and contribute to the continuous well-being and recovery process of Veterans and Front Line Protectors across Canada.

We seek to empower and encourage them to strive for recovery through peer and professional support while creating greater public awareness.

We at OSI-CAN do not see PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a Disorder, we see it as an Injury you can recover from. If you are suffering from the symptoms of an Occupational or Operational Stress Injury, then a PTSD or PTSI diagnosis is not required to get our help

The target demographic of OSI-CAN are but are not limited to: former and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Allied Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Frontline Protectors --- which include Municipal Police Services, CN Police Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection Services, Wildland Firefighters, Hospital Trauma personnel, Nurses, healthcare Workers, Social Workers, Animal Control Officers, Coroners, Indigenous Emergency Management, Victim Services Personnel, Emergency Communications Specialist, Corrections Officers, “Volunteer” First Responders, Conservation Officers, Aboriginal Emergency Services personnel, Tow Truck drivers who clean up accident scenes and their spouses/partners. This demographic was chosen due to the commonality of experiences they share through the service they provide to the country and community. We have a special interest and support volunteer first responders as they are not eligible for programs such as Workers' Compensation.

Blog Posts – Remembrance Month for Veterans with an OSI

Remembrance Day is an important day for Veterans as we perform in the ceremonies to remember those who have fallen and those who are still here … But for those with an OSI there comes a multitude of emotions for the entire month. Remembering those who are not there anymore, feeling guilty or emotional about the pain of attending the ceremony amongst a large grouping of people or guilt for not attending at all in order to avoid that pain, feeling emotions related to surviving when others did not, and a host of other reasons. The following article describes how many Veterans end up going through so many issues in November that many take a lot of time in October to steel themselves for the pain in November.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/remembrance-day-challenging-for-mental-health-1.6237413

The effects of an OSI cause difficulty for those working to recover from it, especially during the month of November. Knowing this difficulty is not necessarily half the battle as opposed to what they used to say, knowing the problem is coming can be an opportunity to take action to deal with the coming emotions but for many it is a time that is dreaded. Many Veterans end up in crisis during this month be it a crisis of finances, emotions, relationships, or more. Dealing with this time of crisis can be helped by calling for help from any number of resources that are available: 24/7 Crisis / Suicide Hotline: 1-833-456-4566, contacting the Legion www.legion.ca, and there is of course the resources available through OSI-CAN.

Our mission is to inspire hope and contribute to the continuous well-being and recovery process of Veterans and Front Line Protectors across Canada.

We seek to empower and encourage them to strive for recovery through peer and professional support while creating greater public awareness.

We at OSI-CAN do not see PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a Disorder, we see it as an Injury you can recover from. If you are suffering from the symptoms of an Occupational or Operational Stress Injury, then a PTSD or PTSI diagnosis is not required to get our help

The target demographic of OSI-CAN are but are not limited to: former and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Allied Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Frontline Protectors --- which include Municipal Police Services, CN Police Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection Services, Wildland Firefighters, Hospital Trauma personnel, Nurses, healthcare Workers, Social Workers, Animal Control Officers, Coroners, Indigenous Emergency Management, Victim Services Personnel, Emergency Communications Specialist, Corrections Officers, “Volunteer” First Responders, Conservation Officers, Aboriginal Emergency Services personnel, Tow Truck drivers who clean up accident scenes and their spouses/partners. This demographic was chosen due to the commonality of experiences they share through the service they provide to the country and community. We have a special interest and support volunteer first responders as they are not eligible for programs such as Workers' Compensation.

Living with an OSI? You may need a laugh ...

Always open with a joke …

Ever hear about the toilet that suffered from PTSD?

They told their therapist they've seen some #$%^.

Humour is a major part of learning to cope. It is difficult to smile or enjoy a joke while you are in the middle of a trigger but it is important to find humour in the rest of your life. Don’t rush it, take your time. Just know that when you are able to enjoy a joke even a little, you are beginning to really heal.

Here is some perspective on dark humour from Psychology Today: “We’ve all heard phrases like: we laugh lest we cry; laughter is the best medicine; nothing can withstand the assault of laughter. Laughter has long been considered therapeutic and studies demonstrate that in the face of stress, comedy is a more effective coping strategy than seriousness. And if you’ve ever spent any time around the military, you’ve likely heard a joke or two. Okay, more than two.

Culturally, military members turn often to "gallows humor" or "black humor" to handle the stress of the job. Irreverent reverence is standard operating procedure and the most colorful black humor arises in the direst situations.

Black humor is best described as the kind of humor that treats threatening or disturbing subjects (i.e. death, combat, disease, deformity) with levity or amusement. This humor is typically employed to somehow convey the absurdity, illogicality, or helplessness of a situation. In essence, it juxtaposes a morbid element with a farcical one”. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-debrief/201805/awful-joke-can-feel-pretty-good

The article then described how using ‘Black Humour’, a therapist opened the door for one soldier who could then open up about his experiences because of the joke. Cracking a joke just may be what keeps you from cracking up yourself!

We at OSI-CAN do not see PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a Disorder, we see it as an Injury you can recover from. If you are suffering from the symptoms of an Occupational or Operational Stress Injury, then a PTSD or PTSI diagnosis is not required to get our help.