CopShock: Second Edition
Surviving Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
by Allen R. Kates, MFAW, BCECR
Stress Management
To control symptoms of PTSD and the everyday
pressures of your job, people need to manage their stress. But how? They can
learn a variety of effective techniques and methods that may include rest and
relaxation, exercise, nutrition, yoga, deep breathing, journaling, hypnosis,
massage and meditation. They could involve humor, Tai Chi, time management
strategies, assertiveness training, spiritual awakening and establishing support
networks.
Allen Kates once gave himself a gift—once a week for a year he got a massage. And it was the best thing he'd ever done to relieve the stress. Bob Hope said that the reason he had lived so long was because he got a massage everyday. In fact, his massage person traveled with him around the world. He was so relaxed he couldn’t help being funny. For those of us without Hope’s financial resources, every once in awhile is a great thing to do.
There are no rights or wrongs in stress management, only what works for you. The Internet offers an abundance of sources for understanding and employing stress management. Here are just a few of them.
American Institute of Stress
(AIS)
Run by health professionals, the AIS serves as a
clearing house for information on all stress related subjects. The group can
provide a great deal of information on stress in police and law enforcement
officials as well as on PTSD. Among the founding members were prominent figures
like Hans Selye, Norman Cousins and Linus Pauling.
Online, the
organization provides fact sheets and links to other stress resources. Readers
can order in-formational packets on stress or health related issues, videos and
books.
Members of the AIS Board of Trustees serve on the advisory boards
of organizations devoted to understanding PTSD and stress in law enforcement
officials. These subjects are regularly addressed in AIS’ monthly newsletter, as
well as at the annual International Montreux Congress on Stress.
Go to:
http://www.stress.org. Write:
Director of Communications, The AIS, 124 Park Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10703. Phone:
914-963-1200.
Institute for Stress
Management (ISM)
A consulting and training group, the
Institute offers free reports, articles and posters online. The articles feature
stress management tips, frequently asked questions about sleep as well as other
subjects.
Go to: http://www.hyperstress.com. Write: The Institute for Stress Management, 3023 Shannon Lakes, N.,
#102, Tallahassee, FL 32309. Phone: 850-668-0696.
Self-Help Magazine for Good
Mental Health
Among other resources, this online publication
offers a free newsletter, articles, and information on how to relax, meditate
and manage stress. It provides discussion groups on many topics, including
alcohol use, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, terrorism and death of a
loved one.
Go to: http://www.selfhelpmagazine.com.
Street Survival
Seminar
Calibre Press is the world’s foremost independent
source of law enforcement training materials, books and seminars. Offered around
the U.S., its three day Street Survival® Seminar focuses not only on surviving
threats on the job and hostility in court, but Day Three concentrates on
speeding up emotional recovery from traumatic events, and how to improve family
communication at home and on the job to reduce stress.
For Calibre Press
or the Street Survival Seminar go to: www.CalibrePress.com. Write: 7616
LBJ Freeway, Suite 405, Dallas, TX 75251. Phone toll free: 800-323-0037. Main:
214-545-3060.
The Stress
Doc
Sometimes we take things so seriously we forget to laugh
at our own foibles. AOL’s and the Internet’s “Online Psychotherapist”™ Mark
Gorkin, LICSW, a.k.a. The Stress Doc, is a therapist who uses humor as a therapy
tool. His website entertains while exploring the management of stress and
creatively dealing with conflict. He is the author of Practice Safe
Stress.
Go to: http://www.stressdoc.com. Write: Mark Gorkin, Stress Doc Enterprises, 9629 Elrod Road,
Kensington, MD 20895. Phone: 301-946-0865.
Stress Education
Center
John Mason, Ph.D., gives stress relief seminars to
many organizations including police and fire departments. His website offers
information and articles about coping with stress. His book Guide To Stress
Reduction and audio stress management tapes are available.
Go to:
http://www.dstress.com. Write: L.
John Mason, Ph.D., 1258 Eagle Crest Drive, Oak Harbor, WA 98277. Phone:
360-593-3833.
Stress Free
Net
Health care professionals at Stress Free allow online
visitors to take a free stress vulnerability test. Other features include a
therapist directory and stress audit.
Go to: http://www.stressfree.com.
Stress
Management
Created by Mark Perloe, M.D., P.C., this web page
examines the concepts of optimal stress, managing stress better and eliminating
stress.
Go to: http://www.ivf.com/stress.html.
Stress Management from Mind
Tools
With over 4,000,000 visitors each year, this popular
website offers a great deal of information about what stress is, how to avoid
burnout, and what techniques you can use to lessen the negative aspects of
stress. It explores the idea of good stress versus bad stress. It offers a
burnout self-test, and many worthwhile links.
Go to: http://www.mindtools.com/smpage.html. Write: Mind Tools, Ltd., 2nd Floor, 145-157 St. John Street, London
EC1V-4PY United Kingdom
The Web’s Stress Management
& Emotional Wellness Page
Ernesto A. Randolfi, Ph.D.,
provides a wealth of information about stress management on his website. His
links cover a wide territory, exploring areas such as humor, relaxing your body,
crisis intervention and PTSD, stress in the workplace, and emotional self-help
links. To access the many links, click on The Web’s Stress Management and
Emotional Wellness page.
Go to: http://www.OptimalHealthConcepts.com. Write: Optimal Health Concepts, 1250 Kootenai Avenue, Billings, MT
59105-2088. Phone: 406-657-2123 (day) or 406-252-9797 (eve).