The latest Call of Duty and Halo video games may be the most popular of the holiday season, but a three-decade-old classic is making headlines for a completely different reason. Tetris, research shows, can be used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the flashbacks so often associated with it. In a study conducted at Oxford University, researchers observed “that intrusive memories were virtually abolished by playing the computer game Tetris.” Their findings represent a major breakthrough in our understanding of PTSD and open up even more avenues to recovery for those afflicted. But before we delve into the study’s ...
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People serving in the Public Safety sector are used to acronyms. Codes for various situations, responses, and treatments exist in every department. If you transfer from one department to another, it can almost feel like you have landed in a foreign country. One acronym that everyone is familiar with these days is PTSD-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. While many people have heard the term, there is a misconception about what PTSD represents. PTSD is the result of a single or chronic exposure to a traumatic event. This event(s) can range from car accidents, shootings, abuse, rape, or any situation where ...
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Advanced Health & Educations (www.advhealth.com), Vice President of Business Development Mark Lamplugh, was a guest on the very popular Recovery Radio in South Florida. Mark talks about firefighter addiction and his work with the Frontline program (www.frontlinerehab.com) at Advanced Health. Firefighters tend to struggle with substance abuse and traumatic event issues because of the nature of their job. Mark also discuss’s some of his plans for the future, The problems with the opioid epidemic, some if the issues related to the addiction industry and his passion for helping addicts and alcoholics. The Frontline Program (www.frontlinerehab.com) focuses on firefighter addiction and ...
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Addiction is a mental disorder which affects millions of Americans across the nation. Addiction is characterized by a chronic inability to refrain from behavior which is harmful to the addict. The user feels a compulsion to continue engaging in this behavior, despite repeated painful experiences. Often, the addiction, in fact, continues to grow out of control, with the addict taking increasingly greater measures to ensure access to their preferred method of stimulation, and willing to accept more significant risks. In the end, the user often needs to engage in this behavior to feel normal. Although it is possible to be ...
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Mark Lamplugh and Terry Cronin were guests on Army WTF radio with host Redleg and discussed issues of addiction and PTSD. Mark and Terry also talked about the Frontline program at Sprout Health Groups New Jersey location Advanced Health & Education. Mark and Terry talk about the prevalence of these issues with Army, other military branches along with Police, Fire, and EMS. You can see the original broadcast and find the links for the different services available in the links below. If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction issue it’s imperative you reach out for help. ...
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Often the forgotten group involved during an emergency contains the very people who serve as the first point of contact for help. Mention the term ‘First Responder,’ and images of firefighters, paramedics, and police officer come to mind. However, how do all those responders know where to go or whom to help? It all starts with a call to an emergency dispatch center. Without those individuals willing to answer that first call for help, people in need of fire trucks, ambulances, and squad cars would be out of luck. Choosing the path of a First Responder is a brave one. ...
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We all dream about the day. Many of us make jokes and some can even tell you to the day how many shifts they have before retirement. Law enforcement is a grueling career. Filled with many opportunities to truly change the course of someone’s life for the better. But also, filled with many moments of despair. Retirement can be the proverbial pot of gold at the end of someone’s career. Like many dreams, the reality doesn’t always meet expectations. For many, those dreams of being retired and golfing whenever or relaxing by a beach sometimes fall short. Retiring from law ...
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By: La Mesa Police Captain (ret) Dan S. Willis What was the worst call you have ever been on? How many different ways did that call and so many others adversely affect your health and wellness, your relationships at home, how you perceive your job and the community, and the quality of your life? Could you have been better prepared before and after, to more constructively process the acute stress and trauma of a professional firefighter? Consistently being immersed in death, tragedies, danger, heartache, and suffering can often scar the spirit of any first responder – particularly firefighters and EMT ...
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As a fourth generation firefighter, I was practically raised in a firehouse. The firehouse was and will always be one big family. There is a code and a bond that all firefighters live for each day. We run towards danger. We save lives. We are invincible. Except we are not invincible. The physical and emotional demands that we put ourselves thru bring a toll. Ignoring this problem is like allowing a forest fire to burn unattended. It is only going to get worse. It’s time we adopt a culture that makes it okay for a firefighter to ask for help. ...
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At bars, restaurants and homes across America, many adults enjoy alcoholic beverages responsibly. However, there are those for whom drinking becomes a deadly addiction that sours personal and professional relationships and endangers lives. It’s no small number, either – according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, nearly 18 million adults have an alcohol use disorder. Firefighters are disproportionately affected. Among the 112 career firefighters surveyed in the study “Sleep Problems, Depression, Substance Use, Social Bonding, and Quality of Life in Professional Firefighters,” 80% used alcohol (averaging about one to two drinks per day), 56% binge drank (four or more ...
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