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ARMED FORCES PENSIONERS
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/ANNUITANTS
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ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
The Military Family Resource Cen-
tre (MFRC) defines Operational Stress
Injury (OSI) as, “…any persistent psy-
chological difficulty resulting from op-
erational duties performed while
serving in the Canadian Forces (CF) or
as a member of the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police (RCMP). It is used to
describe a broad range of problems
which include diagnosed medical con-
ditions such as anxiety disorders, de-
pression, and post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) as well as other condi-
tions that may be less severe, but still
interfere with daily functioning. The
symptoms and the injuries themselves
vary according to the individual and na-
ture of their experience. It is normal to
experience some form of distress after
being exposed to a traumatic event.”
But what exactly is a traumatic
event? Well, like most everything, its
degree depends on the individual. Some
examples are a threat of death, a serious
injury, the viewing or handling of bod-
ies, death or serious injury of a close
friend, colleague or family member, ex-
posure to a potentially contagious dis-
ease or toxic agent, or an action or
inaction resulting in serious injury or
death for others.
Recently we are hearing a lot more
about one specific sub-category, and
that is post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD). The Canadian Mental Health
Association states that there are three
categories of symptoms, the first in-
volving re-experiencing the event.
Signs include nightmares, withdrawal
from friends and family, loss of interest
in activities they used to enjoy, extreme
guilt, and difficulty dealing with emo-
tions, especially those involving inti-
macy. The second category is less
common but at that point the person
may enter a fugue or dissociative state
that may last anywhere from a few min-
utes to several days. The third category
involves changes to sleep patterns, in-
crease alertness, and may go as far as
insomnia, paranoia and outright aggres-
sion.
As with many mental health issues,
PTSD can be accompanied by several
physical ailments. These may include
dizziness, chest pains, gastrointestinal
complaints, fatigue, depression and
problems with the immune system. Peo-
ple with PTSD are also more like to de-
velop a dependence on drugs, alcohol
or both.
Research on PTSP treatments is
continually ongoing. Although medica-
tion may help with symptoms such as
depression, anxiety and sleep disorders,
cognitive-behavioural therapy as well
as group therapy are considered to be
more promising. These sessions are
usually supervised by therapists or pro-
fessional counsellors depending on the
type of event that triggered the PTSD in
the first place.
If you suspect that you or someone
you know may be suffering from OSI,
there are many ways you can reach out.
The first and most immediate is the Vet-
erans Affairs Canada Crisis and Refer-
ral Center Helpline, which is Toll Free
at 1-800-268-7708.
You can also visit some websites
such as those listed at the bottom of the
page.
And if you feel like doing some
more research, remember that the inter-
net is ripe with information about most
everything, including OSI, PTSD and
other related traumas. Simply Google a
symptom or disorder and you will be in-
undated with links to websites, support
groups and related services across the
globe. But, as with everything on the
web, not all information is guaranteed
to be accurate, so be sure to use your
discretion and avoid clicking on pop-
ups and advertisements.
Also keep in mind that you can al-
ways contact your physician who will
be able to refer you to professionals
specializing in OSI.
OSI is a very serious condition that
we are only now beginning to better un-
derstand. Research into its causes is on-
going and determining which
treatments work best for which specific
traumas are currently under constant
reevaluation.
OSI (PTSD)
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