Medric Cousineau, with Thai, speaking during one of the Tema Conter Education sessions in Halifax. (Lois Gilmour)
I was recently approached by a senior who asked me what PTSD stood for. When I told her it was Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, she asked if I could tell her more.

Her timing was perfect, as my team at the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia and I had just been involved in a full slate of PTSD education sessions the day before.

The first thing I asked her was if she had ever heard of the term shell shock. Her answer, of course, was yes. Shell shock is a phrase many seniors are all too familiar with hearing.

It was coined to describe the reaction of some soldiers to the trauma of battle in the First World War. Many people living with PTSD today liken their battles to those of veterans who were diagnosed with shell shock many decades ago.

So how does PTSD come about? And, are the causes easy to define? The recent Tema Conter Education Sessions held in Halifax have taught me the answers to those questions are difficult. Each case is as unique as each individual narrative.

If you’re not familiar with the Tema Conter story, it’s sure to impact you. Personally, I’ve heard the details many times yet they never fail to leave me unsettled. Tema was just 25 years old when she was attacked and murdered by a convicted serial killer while on her way to work in Toronto.

Vince Savoia was the paramedic who was called to the scene back in 1988. He was so moved by Tema that his whole life was changed from that night forward.

Thirteen years later he set-up the Tema Conter Memorial Trust in her name as a scholarship fund to help other paramedics and create awareness for Critical Incident Stress or PTSD.

Tema’s brother, Dr. Howard Conter, is a well-known family physician in Halifax. He and his wife, Karen, work tirelessly to help raise awareness of the stresses placed upon all of our first responders — the people who run in when the rest of us are running out.

During the most recent education session, six presenters took centre stage at the Cunard Centre. The first two speakers were clinicians.

They spoke about the science, warning signs, treatment and stigma associated with PTSD. The next four presenters shared their personal accounts of recalling the day their lives were forever changed.

The first was a military veteran who spoke of a terrifying high seas rescue mission. The second was a young poster-worthy paramedic who attended a car accident involving a teenager. The third was a retired police officer who worked in homicide, drugs, sexual assault and spent time undercover.

The final was a serving member of the military who called his mother from Afghanistan to say goodbye while he was being fired at by the Taliban’s rockets and machine guns. All very different accounts… yet all very similar at the core.

All four presenters spoke about feeling ashamed, of not being able to sleep or focus. They talked about the frustration of not understanding what was happening to them and of looking for support when there was none.

They focused on the incredible toll their illness took on their families and friends. They openly and bravely shared their encounters with alcohol, their feelings of helplessness and their uncontrollable hypervigilance, night terrors and flashbacks.

They also talked about getting well, about wanting to tell their story to help others and about digging down deep to find that courage to share.

PTSD can be treated and there is hope. Psychotherapy is vital. So is the proper medication. The other critical component is understanding… not just by the person experiencing the symptoms, but by our community as a whole.

Like many mental illnesses, PTSD is too quickly judged. Many of us think we have a grasp on the toll it takes, yet we really have no idea. Ignoring it, or pretending it’s not real, will not make it go away. PTSD is a growing concern that can affect anyone, at any time. No one is immune.

Thank you to everyone at Tema for giving our team at the Foundation this access to first-hand experience. By making PTSD education a priority you’ve equipped us with the tools we need to answer questions, better understand what it means to live with PTSD and think more creatively about how we can help.

And to the senior who approached me for more information, thank you for being engaged enough to ask. Your question couldn’t have come at a better time, not just for me, but for the countless friends and family members who continue to think of Tema each and every day.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/more/thriving-50/1296542-understanding-impact-of-ptsd