What it can feel like
Sitting with your back to the wall, scanning every room, jumping at sudden sounds, and being unable to relax on days off. Sleep is light, and the "threat radar" never fully powers down.
Why it happens
Repeated high-stakes calls train your nervous system to stay locked and loaded. That edge is protective on duty, but off duty it turns into anxiety, insomnia, and tension with the people around you.
What can help
Skills that signal safety — tactical breathing, exercise, decompression routines — help you stand down. Trauma-focused therapy and first-responder peer teams are effective when the edge stays high. Reaching out early prevents worse.