PTSD Awareness

When the Job Follows You Home: A First Responder’s Guide to PTSD

By Jesse Arvizu, Navy Veteran & Clinician at First Responders Wellness Center

It’s not weakness. It’s wiring. Up to 35% of first responders will have a posttraumatic stress injury. 

If you’re reading this, odds are you wear a badge, a uniform, and carry a radio. You’ve kicked in doors, run toward gunfire, gone into a burning building with people screaming, held the hand of someone on their worst day, or zipped up a body bag before heading home to dinner. And maybe lately, home hasn’t felt like much of a break.

You’re not sleeping like you used to. Loud noises make your heart pound. You catch yourself scanning every room, sitting with your back to the wall, jumpy at the smallest thing. Maybe you’ve stopped going out. Maybe your patience at home is razor-thin. Or maybe you’ve seen it in a partner — the sudden anger, the blank stare, the shift in drinking habits.

Let’s talk about it…

What is PTSD?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is your brain and body reacting normally to very abnormal situations. It’s not a sign you’re broken — it’s a sign you’ve been through things most people can’t even imagine.

Your brain has one job: keep you alive. The part that scans for threats — the amygdala — becomes supercharged by trauma, like a smoke detector that’s been rewired to go off even when there’s just burnt toast.

The part of your brain that helps you organize time, memory, and context — the hippocampus — takes a hit, too. That’s why you might feel like the event is happening again, even when you know it’s not. And the prefrontal cortex, the logical captain of the ship, tends to go offline under stress, making it harder to think things through or talk yourself down.

This isn’t a character flaw. It’s biology.

Common Signs of PTSD (That We Often Miss)

First responders are good at pushing through. That’s often why it goes unnoticed.

PTSD doesn’t always look like the movies. It can show up like this:

• “Short fuse” with loved ones

• Nightmares or insomnia

• Feeling numb or disconnected

• Avoiding certain places, people, or calls

• Drinking more than usual just to relax

• Always being on edge or hyper-alert

• Guilt over things that “could’ve gone differently”

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. And you’re not weak for noticing it.

Why It Hits Us Hard

In this line of work, you’re expected to witness the unimaginable — and then be fine. But no one teaches you what to do when the things you’ve seen don’t let go.

Here’s the thing: the job wires you for action — go, go, go. But trauma stores itself in the body like a loaded spring. If it’s never discharged, it shows up later — in your sleep, your relationships, your worldview, or your silence.

This job demands hypervigilance, but it rarely allows decompression.

PTSD is an injury.

What Helps• Talking to someone who gets it — especially someone trained to work with first responders• Learning how your brain and body respond to trauma (so you stop blaming yourself)• Grounding techniques to help bring you back when your mind starts spiraling• EMDR, CPT, or other trauma therapies that actually work, not just “talking about your feelings”

Here are a few things you can start doing now — nothing fancy, just real tools to help get some traction:

• Name it to tame it

  When your body feels off, take a breath and name what’s happening. “I’m anxious, and my chest is tight.” Doing this helps shift control from your fight-or-flight system back to your thinking brain. It sounds small, but it’s powerful.

  
  

• Ground yourself

  Use the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste. This brings your attention to the present when your mind wants to drag you backward.

  
  

• Create an end-of-shift ritual

  Whether it’s a quick shower, a drive with your favorite playlist, or changing out of your uniform and going for a short walk — build a transition that tells your nervous system, “We’re done for now. You’re safe.”

  
  

• Make a “safe list”

  Jot down five people, places, or things that make you feel calm or safe. Keep the list in your wallet or on your phone. When things feel chaotic, pick one and focus on it — even just for a minute.

  
  

• Challenge the lone wolf myth

  You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through this. If you're not ready for therapy, start by opening up to one trusted person or peer. Just letting someone know what you're going through can break the cycle of isolation.

  
  

• Say “Thank you, brain”

  When your mind or body starts sounding the alarm — even when there’s no real danger — try saying, “Thank you, brain. I know you’re trying to protect me, but I’ve got this. I’m safe right now.”

  
  

  It’s like getting a check-in from backup: well-intentioned, but not always needed. You can acknowledge the alert, then wave it off — like saying, “All clear, you can stand down.” Clients often find this simple habit surprisingly effective at calming the nervous system in real time

  
  

If This Sounds Like You (Or Someone You Know)

You don’t have to have every symptom to reach out. Maybe you're just tired of feeling tired. Or maybe someone you work with has changed, and you don’t know how to bring it up.

Here’s a start:

“I read something the other day that reminded me of you — about how the job can follow us home. I’ve noticed some stuff. You doing okay?”

That kind of nudge can save a life. Literally.

Final Thoughts

PTSD is not a weakness. It’s your brain trying to protect you, even when the danger has passed.

You don’t have to live stuck in survival mode. There’s help. There’s healing. And most importantly — there’s hope.

If you’re ready to talk, we’re ready to listen. Confidentially. Without judgment. And with the respect you deserve.

Call First Responders Wellness Center or go to  www.firstresponderswellnesscenter.com for information or an appointment.  Phone: 630-909-9094  Email: info@frwc.us