The Jersey City Fire Department
Peer Support Team
SERVICES
As a Jersey City Firefighter and/or as a family member of a Jersey City Firefighter you should be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of Critical Incident Stress and Post Traumatic Stress and know there is help.
ANXIETY
DEPRESSION
FAMILY/RELATIONSHIPS
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Is your worry related to an appropriate reaction to real life events or is it there regardless of whether life is going well or not?
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Have you found that you are having trouble concentrating or making decisions because of constant apprehension?
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Do you struggle with bouts of fatigue, insomnia or muscle tension due to feeling “keyed up” or on edge?
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Ever find yourself having periods of time where you feel as though you are losing control or like something is terribly wrong that last for several minutes?
PTSD
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Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms). You may have bad memories or nightmares. You even may feel like you’re going through the event again. This is called a flashback.
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Avoiding situations that remind you of the event. You may try to avoid situations or people that trigger memories of the traumatic event. You may even avoid talking or thinking about the event.
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Having more negative beliefs and feelings. The way you think about yourself and others may change because of the trauma. You may feel guilt or shame. Or, you may not be interested in activities you used to enjoy. You may feel that the world is dangerous and you can’t trust anyone. You might be numb, or find it hard to feel happy.
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Feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal). You may be jittery, or always alert and on the lookout for danger. Or, you may have trouble concentrating or sleeping. You might suddenly get angry or irritable, startle easily, or act in unhealthy ways ( smoking, using drugs and alcohol, or driving recklessly).
• Do you ever feel like you have no motivation to get yourself going with no apparent reason?
• Does this lack of motivation last longer than a few days or a few weeks?
• Have you lost the lust or excitement from life including lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities?
• Do you struggle with bouts of crying or unhappiness?
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
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Do you ever need to use to get you started in the morning or fall asleep at night?
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Do you feel guilty about your substance/drug use?
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Do you or a family member think you need to cut back on how much you use?
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Are you annoyed when other people comment on or criticize your substance/drug habits?
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Separation/Divorce
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Elder Care
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Financial Issues
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Children
SUICIDE
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Talking about feeling trapped or wanting to die
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Expressing feeling of hopelessness
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Feeling like there is no reason to live
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Worrying about being a burden to others
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Increasing drug and alcohol use
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Partaking in reckless behavior
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Sleeping too much or too little
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Withdrawing or isolating from others
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Displaying extreme mood swings