Champion PTSD
Description
I never thought I had PTSD from my career, but it turns out, I do. And truthfully, we all probably do, at least to some degree and especially for those of us who worked during the pandemic.
I've had to grapple with the fact that I have unresolved issues regarding 2020 and even events prior to 2020. Recently, I've begun to realize that these events have affected me in more ways than one.
Being truthful with ourselves about the traumatic events we have encountered as healthcare professionals is a crucial part in overcoming and bettering ourselves. It isn't easy reliving, understanding, and eventually (hopefully) resolving the trauma, but I am certain we will all be better for it, because it is my suspicion that PTSD plays a huge role in our feeling burned out and disdainful of our jobs at times.
Now, I don't use PTSD lightly. I feel like it has been overused in our culture. I've heard people say they have PTSD from someone breaking up with them. No, you have some heart wounds, and those shouldn't be minimized, but that isn't PTSD. Now, if that breakup was the result of abuse, then, yes, by all means. But, I use PTSD in the most clinical sense of the word. While nurses and doctors haven't necessarily witnessed the brutality as our soldiers have, we have privy to some gruesome things and those things DO affect us deeply.
I don't have an exact science to overcome our trauma, but I can share with you what I have been doing lately to help me in my journey. I hope it's helpful for you.



