Recognising and Understanding PTSD
What is PTSD?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after someone experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. While initial reactions to distressing experiences are natural, PTSD can involve ongoing psychological and physical responses that persist long after the event has passed.
Experiencing PTSD – what’s happening in the brain
Your brain is designed to protect you. The oldest part of the brain, called the amygdala acts as an internal alarm system, helping you respond quickly to danger by triggering your fight-or-flight response. In policing, this system can be activated frequently, sometimes staying on high alert for long periods.
Another part of the brain, called the hippocampus helps process and store memories, placing them in the past. When you’re repeatedly exposed to stress or trauma, this process can become disrupted, making it harder for the brain to “file away” experiences. This can leave memories feeling vivid, immediate, or difficult to move on from.
Different Types of Trauma
Trauma in policing doesn’t come from just one source. You might experience:
- Direct exposure – being involved in or attending traumatic incidents
- Witnessing events – seeing distressing situations unfold
- Hearing about trauma – when it affects colleagues, friends, or family
- Indirect exposure – through reviewing evidence, statements, or repeated accounts
Both direct (primary) and indirect (secondary or vicarious) trauma can have a real impact. It’s not limited to major incidents; everyday experiences can also stay with you.
How PTSD might show up for you
PTSD can look different for everyone, but you might notice:
- Intrusive memories, nightmares, or flashbacks
- Feeling on edge or constantly alert
- Avoiding certain places, people, or situations
- Changes in mood, such as feeling low, detached, or irritable
- Difficulty concentrating or sleeping
- Turning to coping strategies like alcohol or risk-taking behaviours
- The key is recognising what’s changed for you, how your thoughts, feelings, or behaviours may have shifted over time.
Support and Treatment
Effective support is available, and many people find the right approach helps them regain a sense of control. Evidence-based treatments include trauma-focused therapies such as:
• Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Prolonged Exposure (PE)
These approaches are designed to help you process trauma safely, reduce distress, and build practical ways to manage your responses and we offer them.
Taking that first step toward support can make a real difference.
