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Old April 27, 2011, 07:13 PM   #29
Glenn Dee
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 9, 2009
Location: South Florida
Posts: 1,560
Another 2 cents worth.

I say this with personal conviction, and personal authority.

I must agree 100% with the information shared by Glenn E. It jives perfectly with the things I know about this subject. Not what I believe... what I know.

First off PTSD can be caused by a single shooting but is more likely to be cause by total imersion in a life and death stress situation day in and day out over a period of time.

Anyone who takes another persons life and says he feels nothing is missing a component in their personality. I'm not suggesting that they must feel remorse... but they will feel something. It does get easier to handle the second time, and even easier the third time. This person may appear to be callus, but there is a deep emotional response. It may not be remorse as most people know it... but it's there.

In the civilian world as police, and armed citizens the reaction is a whole lot more acute. Solders are trained, and usually fight a defined enimy. I'm not saying that makes it any easier on them. I dont really know as I have never been in military combat. I do know as a civilian the work is done up close and very personal. Your adversary might look like you, or look like the kid next door... or may even be the kid next door. In the civilian world your always close enough to see the other guy, smell him, notice the color of his clothes, you may even touch him, or him touch you... Sometimes you hear his last words... he may curse you... he may forgive you... You may be close enough to watch the light go out in his eyes. You may hear him take his last breath... then be still... forever. You may realise that this man is gone... his life taken from him by you. Not just taken from him... but taken from those who love him... you may have taken a father from his children, or a husband from his wife ... forever.

You would have every right to have an emotional response. Any human being would. But it may not be what you or others would expect. As were all different, with different experiences there cant be one accepted emotional response... but there should be something. Anyone who dont feel anything after such an event would scare the crap out of me...

This is one of two things a police psychiatrist looks for... some emotional response. The other thing is that the officer is not debilitated by the event. They want to know basically... If you had to... could you do it again.

Glenn D.

Last edited by Glenn Dee; April 27, 2011 at 09:49 PM.
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