Backup after the Beat should be compulsory reading for first responders, whether serving or retired, professional or civilian, as well as those closest to them.
Author Steve Eastin is a retired cop with eighteen years' service under his belt. After retirement and looking forward to enjoying life with his family, he found his time on the beat wasn't quite done. Without realizing it, this tough professional found himself firmly in the grip of the terrifying and potentially lethal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
You'd better believe PTSD is real: Steve challenges the deniers and haters, showing how first responders are our front line against chaos. Daily confronted by the unbelievable, the inconceivable, the unspeakable—they risk their lives to protect us in the face of the human talent for evil. Physically tough, resilient, and skilled at staying alive, how do these extraordinary human beings mentally cope when responding to emergency calls with no idea what fresh hell awaits them or their officers once on scene? For them, the horrors can't be unseen and, if untreated, the psychological effects of PTSD can resonate for years to come, with some resorting to suicide.
Steve is now determined to help prevent other first responders and their families suffering from the malign effects of PTSD. Based on his own experiences, those of colleagues, and family members, he reveals the unacknowledged truth about first responder roles, while laying bare the potential psychological cost of being on the beat—even years into retirement. This book is a must-read for retired, serving, and future first responders, and anyone interested in the effects of PTSD.
