The Foreign Service Journal, January 2008

• Many people are afraid to go for help because of concerns that others will lose respect for them, or fear that it may adversely affect their careers. Nevertheless, it is recom- mended that you seek assistance from your medical doctor or from a mental health professional who is skilled in the treatment of trau- ma if you are experiencing any symptoms that are causing dis- tress, are causing significant changes in relationships, are impairing work function, or lead to either self-medicating with alcohol or drugs or doubts about whether life is worthwhile or manageable. Here are some reasons why you may want to seek help: • Early treatment is better: dealing with symptoms now might help stop them from getting worse in the future. • PTSD symptoms can adversely affect family dynam- ics. You may find that you pull away from loved ones, are not able to get along with people, or are becoming angry or even violent. • PTSD can aggravate pre- existing physical health prob- lems. For example, a few studies have shown a relationship be- tween PTSD and heart trouble. • It may not be PTSD at all: having the symptoms of PTSD does not always mean you have the condition. Some of the symptoms are also associated with other mental health prob- lems. For example, trouble con- centrating or feeling less inter- ested in things you used to enjoy can be symptoms of clinical depression. Furthermore, different problems require different treatments. If you do not want to be evaluated, you may choose “watchful waiting,” a wait-and-see approach. However, if your symptoms do not get better after three months and they are either causing you distress or are getting in the way of your work or home life, please talk to a health pro- fessional. In a few cases, your symptoms may be so severe that you need immediate help. Call 911 or other emergency F O C U S 30 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 8 L earn more about PTSD from Web sites or publications (see “Resources,” p. 34) that offer information on self- care and self-help guidance, including tips on both positive coping strategies to use and negative coping strategies to avoid. If you do have PTSD, it’s important to get treatment. Taking steps early may help reduce long-term symptoms, so talk to: • A mental health professional, such as a social worker in the State Department’s Office of Employee Counsel- ing Services, or your regional psychiatrist, who can be con- tacted through your mission’s health unit; • Your mission’s regional medical officer or FS health practitioner, or your private family doctor; • A religious leader; or • A close friend or family member who can support you and find you help. If you prefer to seek professional help privately, you may use the mission health unit staff to see if there are local therapy resources. In the U.S., besides the State Depart- ment resources listed above, contact your insurance provider, local mental health agency, local hospital’s med- ical referral service or psychiatric department, or a univer- sity psychology department. For support groups in Washington, you may call Employee Consultative Services at (202) 663-1815 for assistance in attending the biweekly Unaccompanied Tour Support Group in SA-1 (Columbia Plaza). To find locations elsewhere in the continental United States, check with the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, which offers a self-help group network, or the National Alliance for Mental Illness, which has a Web site listing affiliates who provide family support groups in different states. If the traumatic event that triggered your PTSD was work-related, the Office of Worker’s Compensation Program, administered by the Department of Labor, will pay your medical bills without the out-of-pocket expens- es such as co-payments or deductibles that apply to FEP health insurance use. Time off work can be taken with- out consuming sick leave. The paperwork seems daunt- ing at first, but the Office of Employee Relations in the Bureau of Human Resources can help shepherd you through the OWCP application process to expedite receipt of benefits. What can the trauma survivor do to help himself/herself? While we cannot predict with certainty who will develop PTSD, researchers have discovered some factors making that more likely.