Headington Institute eNews

Spring 2018 Headington Institute e-News
www.headington-institute.org

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Dr. Jim Guy

From the President

photo by thecontentworks.uk

Statistically, the frequency of mass fatality shootings is increasing. Regardless of differing views of why and what should be done, we all agree that innocent victims are being needlessly killed, injured and traumatized.

Emergency First Responders are also traumatized by these events. They arrive on the scene to eliminate further danger, manage the chaos, treat the wounded, recover the dead, and comfort the survivors. Despite their training and experience, no human brain was designed to handle the horrors they encounter. Afterwards, many suffer in silence, sometimes for years. Their incidence of PTSD, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and suicidal risk is higher than found in the general population.

That’s why providing psychological support is included in our mission. We are in awe of their great courage, dedication, and strength. But, we also see their pain and the damage to their health and relationships.

So, we work hard to support emergency responders, building their resilience and capacity to recover from trauma. Research and innovation help us create new tools, techniques, and resources to help these heroes thrive and continue in their important work. We need them to be resilient. Please join us in this effort by providing funding, advice, and referrals. Thanks.

- Jim

Stress Management

Why do some people seem to manage stress better than others?

Why does our ability to manage stressful situations seem better or worse at different times of our life?

These are great questions that have multiple answers.

You may be aware of external stressors like work, major life changes, and your environment. You know the times when you had more or less support from friends and family. But there are other factors affecting how you handle stress that are not as evident.

We created this chart to talk about some of the less obvious answers to these questions. We hope it provides insight into factors that can help you manage and respond to stress.

New Board Members

Pam Fogg

As an active volunteer, Pam has served on the boards of an AIDS facility, an oral deaf school, and as a lottery commissioner for the state of Oregon. She is currently a founding board member of Arise Rwanda Ministries focusing on vocational education, clean and safe water systems, and community development in Boneza, Rwanda.

John Romero

John is retired, after 32 years in law enforcement. He directs the LA County, Southern California Alumni Chapter of the Naval Post Graduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security. He remains interested in improving policies and practices to help mitigate fatigue related errors in high-consequence environments, and places a high priority on faith, family, and friends.

Good News We Learned From You, Humanitarians

Going into the field as a humanitarian aid worker is risky.

At Headington Institute we know this from talking with you, but also from the data. In some cases, exposure to critical incidents results in disruptive stress symptoms like intrusive thoughts/flashbacks, irritable mood, and poor sleep.

However, our preliminary research findings point us to some good news about what can help aid workers reduce the likelihood and severity of these stress symptoms even in the face of extremely challenging experiences.