Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 6: Watching PTSD up close is one thing. Watching it happen to your child is another. For this conversation, I bring on my mum and dad to tell the story people rarely hear: what it’s like to raise a strong-willed kid, cheer her on into the police force, and then sit in the shockwave when trauma finally shows up years later. We talk about the proud moments and the ordinary memories, but we also get real about the scary parts: not knowing the right thing to say, worrying when the phone stays quiet, and learning that you can’t “fix” someone else’s depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress. We unpack why PTSD can feel sudden even when the signs are hidden, how stigma around mental health hospitals can keep families stuck, and why inpatient care can actually be the safest, most supportive step forward. We also go into medical retirement at 37, the loss of identity that can follow emergency service work, and the coping strategies that helped me climb back, including education, therapy, medication, support from my husband and kids, and the small daily wins that signal the old me returning. If you’re searching for honest first responder mental health stories, PTSD recovery, and what family support really looks like, this one will land. If it helps, share it with someone who needs hope, then subscribe and leave a review so more people can find Mad Mel’s Mic. What part of the parents’ perspective hit you hardest? Thought of the Week: The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse - Daniel Mackesy "Sometimes, said the horse, Sometimes what asked the boy. Sometimes just getting up and carrying on is brave and magnificent"
