LEBANON, Ind. – The Boone County sheriff took to social media Tuesday night to display the mental hardships first responders experience on a daily basis.
Michael Nielsen of the Boone County Sheriff’s Department wrote about the impact Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has had on his daughter, Lebanon Police Officer Taylor Nielsen, and others in the field on Facebook.
The post has since gone viral and been shared over 1,000 times.
He noted that the condition isn’t spoken about in the profession, but needs attention to help save lives.
“We have lost many lives to a disorder that is treatable and more common than we want to believe. Police officers don’t want to admit that a call has affected them emotionally. Police officers feel that showing emotion is a sign of weakness. As leaders, parents, spouses, family, we need to do a better job of identifying the signs that our loved ones are displaying from this disorder.”
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, PTSD “develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation. Fear triggers many split-second changes in the body to help defend against danger or to avoid it.”
Nielsen also mentioned his daughter wasn’t given proper treatment of PTSD by her employer due to, “lack of recognition and understanding.”
You can read the full Facebook post below:
