Operator Syndrome Impact on Vets, Active Duty, Law Enforcement and the Special Operations Community | Chris Frueh
Combat Story
Ryan Fugit
4.8 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 4 May 2024
⏱️ 95 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This episode dives deep into the challenges and conditions dubbed 'Operator Syndrome' faced by veterans and active-duty members of the military, exploring both psychological and physical facets, including traumatic brain injury, PTSD, hormonal imbalances, low testosterone, existential issues, and more.
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The episode features insights from Dr. Chris Frueh, a clinical psychologist with extensive experience treating thousands of veterans, on the complexity of these issues and the effects on individuals and their families. It also highlights the importance of a holistic approach to treatment, covering proper diet, sleep, medical care, and the support structures provided by organizations like the Warrior Health Foundation.
Additionally, it addresses the unique experiences of female operators and the broader implications of these syndromes across different nations and military roles.
Check out our interview with Derek Nadalini - former Delta Force operator featured in this video - at https://youtu.be/IjaGelOdV6U
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🎙️Find Chris Online:
🔗 Website https://chrisfrueh.com/
📘 Book Operator Syndrome https://www.amazon.com/Operator-Syndrome-PhD-Chris-Frueh/dp/1962202070
📖 White Paper https://chrisfrueh.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Frueh-et-al-2020-2.pdf
📸 Instagram: drchrisfrueh
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🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
#veterans #operatorsyndrome #ptsd #specialoperations
⏰ Show Notes:
- 00:00 - Intro
- 01:11 Unveiling Operator Syndrome with Dr. Chris Frueh
- 01:22 The Science Behind Operator Syndrome
- 02:01 Chris Frueh: A Life Dedicated to Veterans' Health
- 04:36 The Power of Music and Connection
- 06:20 Understanding Operator Syndrome: A Deep Dive
- 14:58 The Personal Journey of Dr. Chris Frueh
- 25:43 Insights into History of Suicide in Active Duty Military since the 1800s
- 36:27 Why do we call Operator Syndrome a Syndrome
- 42:18 What exactly is TBI (it's not what I expected)
- 50:36 The Hidden Impact of TBIs Beyond Physical Injuries
- 53:29 Diagnosing and Recognizing TBIs: Challenges and Approaches
- 55:04 The Signature Injury of Modern Warfare: Research and Realities
- 55:41 Innovations and Adjustments in Training to Mitigate TBI Risks
- 01:05:51 The Psychological and Existential Effects of Operator Syndrome
- 01:14:31 Addressing TBIs: Medical Insights and Personal Stories
- 01:15:31 The Global Perspective: Operator Syndrome in International Forces
- 01:16:42 Women in Combat w/ Operator Syndrome
- 01:24:56 Three Things to Change if You're Dealing with Operator Syndrome
- 01:29:56 Closing Thoughts and Listener Comments
What is Operator Syndrome?
From Chris' Research paper: We identified a consistent pattern of health-care difficulties within the special operation forces community that we and other special operation forces health-care providers have termed “Operator Syndrome.” This includes interrelated health and functional impairments including traumatic brain injury effects; endocrine dysfunction; sleep disturbance; obstructive sleep apnea; chronic joint/back pain, orthopedic problems, and headaches; substance abuse; depression and suicide;
anger; worry, rumination, and stress reactivity; marital, family, and community dysfunction; problems with sexual health and intimacy; being “on guard” or hypervigilant; memory, concentration, and cognitive impairments; vestibular and vision impairments; challenges of the transition from military to civilian life; and common existential issues.
“Operator Syndrome” may be understood as the natural consequences of an extraordinarily high allostatic load; the accumulation of physiological, neural, and neuroendocrine responses resulting from the prolonged chronic stress; and physical demands of a career with the military special forces. Clinical research and comprehensive, intensive immersion programs are needed to meet the unique needs of this community.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Mike is a legend in the SEAL teams. I've heard of him. I knew he had a book. |
| 0:05.0 | The reason that kind of brought him into some of the spotlight is he went on target. |
| 0:09.0 | He got separated from the stack and he went into a room by himself and there were three |
| 0:14.8 | three Al Qaeda operatives in there and he was immediately injured by a hand grenade. |
| 0:20.4 | He lost his rifle, he drew his sidear, and he killed the three Al Qaeda operatives. |
| 0:28.1 | He took 27 gunshot wounds, and as he was passing out, own teammates came got into the room and he was saved and he came |
| 0:37.2 | home and he had a whole career post you know a whole life post military service and |
| 0:42.0 | he wrote a book about resilience and surviving |
| 0:44.8 | tough times. This is hyperbole, but viewed by many as the toughest in the world. |
| 0:49.1 | And then he takes his life. |
| 0:51.6 | Welcome to Combat Story. |
| 0:54.0 | I'm Ryan Puget and I serve War Zone Tours as an Army |
| 0:56.5 | Attack Helicopter pilot and CIA officer over a 15-year career. |
| 1:00.0 | I'm fascinated by the experiences of the elite in combat. On this show I interview some of the best to |
| 1:06.4 | understand what combat felt like on their front lines. This is Combat Story. |
| 1:11.6 | Today we've got a very interesting Combat Story digging into the impact of a life downrange, |
| 1:16.3 | training, and the never-ending stress that leads to what our guest Dr. Chris Freee calls |
| 1:20.8 | Operator Syndrome. In this episode we get into the science behind |
| 1:24.0 | operator syndrome, leveraging Chris's research and newest book on the subject, |
| 1:27.9 | helped change the way we understand and treat the complex set of interrelated |
| 1:31.2 | health, psychological, and interpersonal difficulties that are common |
| 1:35.3 | downstream outcomes of a career military special operations. Think traumatic brain injury, anxiety, |
... |
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