Month: October 2019

Stress: How It Fuels Your Mental Health & Wellness

Posted on by armorupnow

By Safe Call Now Admin Staff

In the United States, 8 out of 10 people consider themselves stressed. Whether it be an internal force that causes their stress, like overthinking or fear of missing out, or external factors like family problems or troubles at work, there are a myriad of ways that stress can creep into our lives. According to the American Psychological Association, the top stressors of Americans are money, work, the economy, family responsibilities, relationships, personal health concerns, housing costs, job stability, health of loved ones, and personal safety, in that order.

With that in mind, what coping mechanisms do people utilize in order to manage their stress? Some might exercise more to alleviate their stress. Others might meditate. But for those with addiction or mental health issues, stress could become a trigger for their vice.

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Praying Away PTSD

Posted on by armorupnow

By Vanessa Stapleton – President Armor Up West Virginia

People will recognize every injury out there as long as they can see it. The problem with PTSD is that often it is only those in the immediate family who see PTSD’s devastation. Those who see behind closed doors the nightmares, insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, severe isolation, bursts of rage, and so much more that those outside of the home are not privy to seeing. First responders and military are trained so well to maintain a sense of calm in crisis, therefore, they are excellent at hiding their PTSD in public. The family, however, often sees it for months and years before it becomes to known to others. The problem this creates is that by the time others realize there is an issue, the PTSD has become the least of the problem often overshadowed by drinking, addiction (which includes medication, porn, sex, gambling), and the family falling apart.

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What Happens When Your Career Is Over???

Posted on by armorupnow

By Steven Smith – Retired Assistant Chief

What do you do when it ends? When the career that you worked so hard for ends. The career that helped define who you were ends. Even though it was such a difficult and sometimes heart wrenching, you loved it. It becomes part of you, part of your personality. So what do you do when that journey ends?

For me my journey came to end on cold December night at the end of a sawed off 12 gauge wielded by drug addict. There is not a day goes by that I don’t miss being in the field and running calls with my guys. Sometimes, even almost 8 years later, if I see a cruiser running code, I’m heartbroken that I’m not there doing it anymore. More times than not it, still brings tears to my eyes.

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