<For two days afterward I suffered quite debilitating bouts of total and absolute remorse, repeatedly thinking about what I could have done differently to have stopped the officer being injured>

This is more bystander remorse (my term) than survivor remorse isn't it? The belief and guilt that one could have done something but didn't.

It is a very common reaction, but perhaps too widespread in modern 'civilised' society where all are used to the authorities taking the initiative and doing all that needs to be done to protect and take care of people.

Take heart though because even where trained, it remains likely that one will freeze up and not do what it is possible to do. In fact the brain becomes frozen as well. The throat is dry.

This is why the elite military units and police response teams undertake frequent, very realistic training. So realistic in the military where it counts, as to risk the occasional life.

You can program yourself a fair bit to take action in an emergency. It requires that you regularly think and play-act through some likely situations. Preferably aimed at being proactive in recognising and avoiding a developing situation. As well, immediate reactions where threatened.

But even where minor assistance is required, people don't act. The solution is to start reacting yourself. You will get better at it.

Not from books, just experience.

Csteele, you were involved in an event that put perspective back into your life, as it would nearly any of us here in the First World. Glad your ok.

I came across a descriptive that fairly well covered the cause of any Post Traumatic Stress Disorder:

“Any shattering event that leaves you stuck and feeling helpless and hopeless.”

That summed it up for me. From the shell shock victims of WWI to the shattered citizenry of NAZI occupied Europe, last century gave us graphic evidence of how debilitating PTSD is.

Shoot forward to yesterday when you witnessed the stabbing. This Police Officer is totally reliant on the insurance company his employer has engaged. So he will receive as much medical help as he requires but a limited “time” allotment of mental services.

Here in NSW we have MANY distinguished officers with records of heroism suffering job related PTSD thrown aside as their “insurance” case workers rationalize their mental health therapy to meet KPI’s….the insurance company KPI’s. The insurance company shrinks wipe their hands after a very short period and send the “victim” on their way with a handful of coping exercises.

Since 9/11 the global insurance business has answered to no government or lobby group…..and I can’t definitively say why….but the funding of needed ongoing mental therapy was rationalized.

I am surprised that cops actually pay to belong to the NSW Police Association…they get nothing for it. They have less insurance coverage than the corrupt bastards that haunted most forces late last century.

Anyway csteele lets hope time is the only medico you require…we are resilient buggers, it’s the repetition that screws us….like poor cops

onthebeach>> But even where minor assistance is required, people don't act. The solution is to start reacting yourself. You will get better at it.<<

OTB,I believe the identified "fight or flight" response rules our reactions particularly if a choice of participation or not is presented.

Our expectations of the "bystander" to carry the moral imperative in the situation on behalf of humanity quite often doesn't happen regardless of their conscious will to do so.....Their minds quandary between the imperative of their consciousness and the will of their subconscious to preserve their “being” at all costs.

Chickens are not chickens by choice, nor are heroes, they are those by gene.

Dear onthebeach,

I expected nothing less and you delivered as predicted.

You will have read where I wrote “People assured me that my actions were not only appropriate but over and above what was expected, perhaps even helping to prevent a worse outcome” and that I have been “repeatedly thinking about what I could have done differently to have stopped the officer being injured.”

Differently is not nothing.

This sort of stuff from you doesn't really bother me but in the spirit of Bazz's first post (“Never having been in such a position it might help if someone we know does get into such a situation”), I feel any misperceptions you are intent on creating should be addressed.

To all those interested.

Firstly from Wikipedia;

“Survivor guilt was first identified during the 1960s. Several therapists recognized similar if not identical conditions among Holocaust survivors. Similar signs and symptoms have been recognized in survivors of traumatic situations including combat, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, air-crashes and wide-ranging job layoffs. A variant form has been found among rescue and emergency services personnel who blame themselves for doing too little to help those in danger, and among therapists, who may feel a form of guilt in the face of their patients' suffering.”

Yes the variant surprised me too.

Cont..

Cont..

Some generic observations.

For the record I would not expect to see this type of reaction in a bystander. The person would need to have the capacity to help and made an attempt to do so.

A person at first glance may well appear to have been relatively unaffected by an incident but when they begin processing what happened they start to second guess their actions, often in face of things learnt after the fact.

Perhaps they feel their assessment of the situation was incomplete or erroneous in some manner, or they may feel that an action of theirs contributed to the sequence of events. Their initial view of what had happen will seem to change as self doubt then guilt flood in. They will go from being happy to recount the events to being reluctant to do so as it will become obviously emotionally draining. They will withdraw somewhat and express a desire to be alone. This is not to be taken as a bad thing as it may well be a sign they are needing space in order to try and process the events, particularly in an attempt to work through the overwhelming feelings that are slam dunking their emotions.

As a friend or relative comforting words will only go so far and getting the person to talk with someone who has either experienced something similar or would understand the situation the person faced and be able to talk them through it will be important.

I can only hope that your friends or loved ones or even yourselves never have a reason to go through this but if you do then perhaps what you have read may assist.

csteel,

You speak in riddles. What action if any did you take?