First, I am by no means and expert on this topic. However, I think the topic is important for anyone in a Men’s Shed given the membership of a typical Men’s Shed.
Second, I am an advocate of starting the journey of understanding – more so you can be proactive in managing your health AND also gaining a better understanding of where to get help.
Enjoy!
Rick
What is Operator Syndrome?
Operator Syndrome is something that can happen to soldiers or special forces who go on lots of hard missions. It’s like their body and brain get really, really tired from always being on alert, in danger, or away from home.
They might have trouble sleeping, feel angry or sad a lot, or not want to be around other people. It’s not their fault — it’s just their mind and body saying, “I need a break.”
With rest, support, and talking to people who care, they can start to feel better again.
While this relates primarily to ex Military, aspects of it also relate to other jobs such as emergency responders, firefighters, and more.
Tools for understanding:
- Rick’s white paper: Operator Syndrome Summary by Rick Otero
- Medical Article on Operator Syndrome: Operator-Syndrome-International-Journal-of-Psychiatry-in-Medicine
- The One Page Assessment: Operator-Syndrome-Scale-short-form
- Assessment Instruments: CSTS_FS_Assessment_Instruments_Special_Operators