Flash Point: A Firefighter's Journey Through PTSD

(Paperback)

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For twenty-five years, paramedic and firefighter Christy Warren put each tragic, traumatizing call she responded to in a box and closed the lid. One day, however, the box got too full and the lid blew openand she found herself unable to close it again. Her brain locked her inside a movie theater in which film after film of gut-wrenching scenes from her career played over and over again; she found herself incapable of forgiving herself for what happened at one call in particular. Caught in a loop of shame, anger, irritability, and hypervigilanceclassic signs of PTSDshe began to spiral, even to the point of considering suicide, and yet still she was reluctant to seek help.

In the end, it took almost losing her marriage to force Christy into actionbut once she began to reach out, she found a whole army of folks waiting and ready to help her. The team of people supporting her eventually grew to include an EMDR therapist, a psychiatrist, her peers at a trauma retreat, and a lawyer who made the case for medical retirement and workers compensation. Along the way, Christy learned the vital truths that made it possible to keep going even in her darkest momentsthat post-traumatic stress was literally a brain injury; that suicide and alcohol were not the only ways out; that asking for help was a sign of strength, not weakness; and that although it was ultimately up to her to do the work to change the dialogue in her head, she was not alone.

Reviews

Despite focusing on harrowing subjects, Warren maintains an approachable style that has an endearing buoyancy . . . The result is a well-balanced, courageously candid memoir that moves toward a note of hope, reassuring others that the grip of PTSD need not last forever. An honest, informative, emotionally stirring memoir.
Kirkus Reviews

[Flash Point is] an intriguing and at times harrowing memoir. . . . Warren has created a paean to the difficult work done by all first responders. Its eye-opening, even awe-inspiring.
The Indypendent

Flash Pointis essential reading. We depend on first responders who are willing to race to a crisis and put themselves in the path of danger. Its time for us to tell the truth about the immense toll this career can take on a mind and body. I commend Warren for her deeply principled authenticity in this beautiful, heartbreaking, honest, laugh-out-loud funny, and ultimately triumphant memoir.
Julie Barton,New York Timesbest-selling author ofDog Medicine:How My Dog Saved Me from Myself

Flash Pointis a book for all of us. What author Christy Warren has captured is every humans struggle to feel safe, secure, attached, and connected. This is a life-saving book with the understanding that we must take care of ourselves along the way. Warren expertly outlines how she worked through many of her struggles and realistically writes to her failures along her journey even while trying to heal. Her journey is many of oursher recovery can also be ours.
Tom Satterly, retired CSM Delta Force, and author ofAll Secure: A Special Operations Soldier's Fight to Survive on the Battlefield and the Homefront

Christy Warren's powerful memoir of her struggle with PTSD is both heartbreaking and inspiring. It's a must-read for first responders and the clinicians who help them heal.
Ellen Kirschman, PhD, public safety psychologist and the author of I Love a Fire Fighter, I Love a Cop, and co-author of Counseling Cops

Christy Warren brings her incredible heart and psychological wisdom to this page-turner of a book. She engages with topics that most people would find too scary to even approach, and dives into them without fear of what she might find. What emerges from her efforts is a memoir about bravery, vulnerability, and the complexities of surviving complicated lives. This book is a gift for first responders everywhere, for the communities who support them, and for humanity at large. It is a must-read for anyone striving to become a better person.
Maya Shankar, cognitive scientist and host of the podcastA Slight Change of Plans

A tough and emotional read but a must-read. Christy dives deep into her life's journey of trauma and, more importantly, her healing and ultimate recovery. I cried and I laughed and I can honestly say this book has helped me dig into my never ending healing process. If you need inspiration, Christy nails it. Thanks for helping me with my journey Christy.
Clint Malarchuk, former NHL goaltender and author of A Matter of Inches

Christy captures the constant exposure to exigent calls a firefighter faces. Over time it takes a toll on our brains.
Sig Wallen, SanFrancisco Fire Department

Author Bio

Christy Warren is a retired fire captain from the Berkeley Fire Department in California. She has twenty-five years of service as a professional paramedic and eighteen years as a professional firefighter/paramedic. After being diagnosed with PTSD in 2014, she retired from the fire service; since then, she has become a triathlete, completed the Escape from Alcatraz swim five times, and earned a bachelors degree in business from Washington State University. She is a volunteer Peer at the West Coast Post-trauma Retreat and hosts the podcast The Firefighter Deconstructed. She lives in Pleasant Hill with her wife, Lisa, and dog, Harriet.