STRESS MANAGEMENT & RESILIENCE Group Captain Richard Castle PhD MDA BA C.Psychol RAF HQ AIR – DACOS Personnel Policy

Stress and Human Reactions RAF Stress Management & Resilience Policy Q&A

INDIVIDUAL which is beyond their WHAT IS STRESS? STRESS is an EXCESS of DEMANDS on an INDIVIDUAL which is beyond their ABILITY TO COPE RESILIENCE covers INTERVENTIONS to improve INDIVIDUAL COPING MECHANISMS

TRAUMA DEFINITION “An Event of Such Emotional Intensity that it breaks through the body’s normal defences and floods it with an uncontrollable Anxiety” (Freud, 1921)

WHY BOTHER ?

PERSONAL LIFE EVENTS ATTEMPTED MURDER RAPE SUDDEN LOSS OF PARTNER CUMULATIVE STRESSORS

SECONDARY STRESS RESPONSE Disturbed Sleep Patterns Irritability and Anger Outbursts Difficulty in Concentrating Hyper-Vigilance Exaggerated Startle Response Detachment from others Diminished Interest in Normal Activities

AT WORST Third Stage of Adaptive Syndrome Depressive Symptoms Exhaustion and Mental Breakdown Relationship Breakdown Chronic Adjustment Disorder Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Increased Risk of Suicide

THE INDIVIDUAL REACTION Response will depend on personality of individual pre-disaster: - Genes - Upbringing - Life Experience And Response of Support Services

RAF STRESS MANAGEMENT AND RESILIENCE POLICY

OP STRESS MGT POLICY – JAN 07 Roles for Leadership & the Individual Pre-Deployment – briefing and interview In-theatre – including decompression option/POR Return to PU – POL Post-Deployment – interview, Risk assessment/awareness, ongoing support Interviews mandatory, sharing of personal info is not Involvement of Family Groups

OP STRESS MGT POLICY – MAY 08 New Issue – Main additions: In-theatre – Reporting requirement to PU Risk Assessment to determine “Decompression” activity requirements Trauma Risk Methodology (TRiM) Post Deployment – Introduction of “Stn Recall Days” Attention on those with unpleasant roles or removed from the immediate discomfort of the battle zone

RAF POLICY Holistic Stress Mgt & Resilience Policy, May 08 Stressors & Vulnerable Individual Operational Stress Management Occupational Stress Management Suicide & Deliberate Self Harm Training Families Resources

ISSUES TO CONSIDER Episode(s) not confined to short-term Potential for Cumulative stress Awareness of potential symptoms Do not forget “Uninjured” participants Link with family paramount Counselling Skills Vs Leadership Major Event: Focus for “Acceptance”