Things are looking up

Cactusflower

Pied Piper of Ponies
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Jan 20, 2018
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Well, I've had a strange sort of week. I went on my first official search and rescue with my team a few days ago. We were sent up a mountain in the middle of the night for a missing person call. My team leader and I found the person.

To make a long story short, the gist of it was that the subject was having a mental health problem and he was being a bit difficult, which I completely understood as I have dealt with this kind thing in my occupation for the last 25 years. For many reasons, I was forced to leave this person alone on a mountain and I knew very well, the subject was not fit to be left alone and was a high risk.

Fortunately, the subject came out with other hikers the following night, but I was super distressed about how the call was handled. I'm still a member in training and I don't want to over step boundaries or command, but in this case, I was the only one with extensive experience dealing with this kind of issue. Anyway, I spoke with a senior member of my team and I was super impressed with how they are dealing with what happened. They have acknowledged a training gap with the members and are actively taking steps to address this and get mental health training. I was so relieved. I kept thinking that if that person hadn't made it out, I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself. All in all, it was a great experience and it initiated some positive changes. YAY.
I sometimes forget that there is still a lot of fear and stigma around mental health issues.

In other news, I was at an RCMP recruiting event and I've decided to apply. It's the first time I've felt excited about a new career, since I lost my job one year ago.
 
If you became RCMP that would be soooooo cool! I always admired the, even being in the States. I think all police members are a noble breed, but there's something about the mounted police that evokes something of the old west cavalry and it just is majestic to me. There's nothing more wonderful than the trust and love that comes with bonding with a horse.

I'm glad there was a favourable outcome to your search. When someone is in the midst of a mental health crisis, they can sometimes do everything possible to *not* help extract themselves from the situation. Being both a person with mental illness AND an ex-mental health provider, I know it from both ends. You did what was in your power to do. You located them, offered assistance, sympathized with their plight and then, whether it was in their best interests or not, you respected their wishes. I hold that in high regard. If you'd forced them to leave against their will, you wouldn't have really done them a service, yet I 100% empathize with your fear for having done so. I think you'll do fantastically at the search and rescue. You have good instincts. I think you'd be a great Mountie. You have a good heart and deep desire to be of service.
 
Thanks Foo.

Most Mounties are not mounted these days, but they do regular policing in the municipalities in my area and that’s what I’m interested in. The pay is less than half of what I was making, but getting up every morning and liking my job would be worth it.

There are a couple obstacles that might interfere with me becoming a member (primarily my hair, which is blue and purple and white), but I’m going to give it a go.

As for the rescue guy, the issue I had with leaving him was that he didn’t send us away, he begged us to stay with him and we didn’t, but should have. He did initially ask us to leave, but we woke up a person in the middle of the night who was having delusions. What can you expect. At least it ended well.
 
I completely concur with foo. So glad that there was a positive outcome. As someone with mental health issues, I understand that stigma all too well.
 
I’m happy to hear of a positive outcome for the man. Also happy to hear about people taking action to correct wrongful training.

Good luck with your application to join the RCMP!! I love the RCMP seeing them at the Royal Winter Fair every year really makes my day. I absolutely love their horses and the skills they require for them. It’s an extra special officer who works with the very talented animals of the force (police not Jedi).
 
Wait, is there anyone on here who doesn't have mental health issues? Here's the thing, having mental health challenges doesn't mean you're any less of a person. I've had my own challenges for 30 years, but I deal with it, I don't make it someone else's problem and I don't use it as an excuse to treat others poorly when I'm not feeling well. You can be a high functioning person and still have problems. I try to keep my crazy contained in my own version of Pandora's box.

I would like to see more understanding and education within North America. Perhaps even a trend towards normalizing certain conditions. Depression is a good example. Most people, at some point in their lives will experience depression. It may not be chronic, but they will at least have some understanding or perspective with which to view others who do have a chronic problem. Anxiety is another common one. Many people have experienced the feeling of being anxious. If more education was based on connection you could breed more understanding. For someone who has trouble understanding what an anxiety disorder looks like you could give examples such as "Can you remember a time when you felt anxious about something like a test? Can you now imagine feeling like that all the time or not being able to easily control those feelings or make them stop? That's what it can be like for a person with an anxiety disorder.

Sorry for the rambling, but I have a keen interest in mental health. My degree is in psychology and I've always been interesting in behaviour and how it is linked to the happenings in the mind.
 
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I’m happy to hear of a positive outcome for the man. Also happy to hear about people taking action to correct wrongful training.

Good luck with your application to join the RCMP!! I love the RCMP seeing them at the Royal Winter Fair every year really makes my day. I absolutely love their horses and the skills they require for them. It’s an extra special officer who works with the very talented animals of the force (police not Jedi).

I can't even tell you how much I miss the Royal. I should come home for a visit during the Royal.
 
I just received quite possibly the most disappointing news of my life. I'm currently ineligible to apply for RCMP. I'm completely devastated. The reason is also ridiculous. I've smoked pot a couple times in the last year. Even stupider is that I smoke for medical reasons, but I never obtained a medical card because I didn't want the stigma of having my name on record as a user. I figured I would just wait until it becomes legal and buy it when I need it. Now, it's screwed me out of the only career that I felt really suited to.

The current legislation states I have to be one year free from committing any crimes. Some of the other examples are things such as murder, sexual assault, child ***********, ********* activity, weapons etc. I can see how literally smoking a couple puffs of ********* to ease a migraine is on par with murder.

I called one of the recruiters about this a few minutes ago and she remembered me and encouraged to wait the 10 months and then apply, but the reality is I'm 43 years old, unemployed and waiting almost another year, just to apply and then still having to wait another year after that to potentially be accepted just doesn't seem like a realistic and viable plan. I thought it would be my hair colour that would be the issue. I didn't even think about the pot, because I'm not a regular user.
 
First off, I'm very glad to hear that the Search & Rescue thing ended well. I can only imagine how rough and worrying that must have been! :( I'm glad things ended happily.

Second... ouch on the ineligibility. :< 10 months wait time to reapply?! It's all ridiculous. x_x I just wish it was easier for you, and that you had been accepted.

The only thing I can suggest is that a lot of places will be looking for seasonal hires, to help with the upcoming holiday. Maybe check a few of those out? Not all positions have to be retail/working directly with the customers, if you're not a fan of that. It might only be temporary, but at least it would be something, and could lead to a more permanent job, even?
 
Thanks Uftaki. Finding a well paying job is not going to be a problem with my experience, it will just be finding something that I don't hate doing. I can survive a long time without working, but I don't want to simply survive. I need a purpose again.

I've just looked up the qualifications for VPD and Abbotsford Police and they do not have the same ridiculous qualifications and I'm free to apply. Also, their starting waging are $20,000 above RCMP. All hope is not lost yet.
 
I can relate to the qualifications thing. My husband R2 has just gone through a mess load of that everything including FBI background checks. Finger printing back ground checks...good grief. Its taken months. It has been a roller coaster of waiting. He passed everything and only has a medical thing to go, but mercy heavens I had no idea anything would be like this. He turned 50 this year and completely changed careers. I hope you get what you want for employment and that it is something you enjoy. Then maybe later you can get that dream job.
 
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I just received quite possibly the most disappointing news of my life. I'm currently ineligible to apply for RCMP. I'm completely devastated. The reason is also ridiculous. I've smoked pot a couple times in the last year. Even stupider is that I smoke for medical reasons, but I never obtained a medical card because I didn't want the stigma of having my name on record as a user. I figured I would just wait until it becomes legal and buy it when I need it. Now, it's screwed me out of the only career that I felt really suited to.

The current legislation states I have to be one year free from committing any crimes. Some of the other examples are things such as murder, sexual assault, child ***********, ********* activity, weapons etc. I can see how literally smoking a couple puffs of ********* to ease a migraine is on par with murder.

I called one of the recruiters about this a few minutes ago and she remembered me and encouraged to wait the 10 months and then apply, but the reality is I'm 43 years old, unemployed and waiting almost another year, just to apply and then still having to wait another year after that to potentially be accepted just doesn't seem like a realistic and viable plan. I thought it would be my hair colour that would be the issue. I didn't even think about the pot, because I'm not a regular user.


I'm so sorry. :( there's a big stigma against *********, too. There's a big difference between someone who occasionally uses it for pain and someone who is in denial about being an addict. I've met people whose excuse was that they couldn't eat without it. They swore they could stop and weren't addicted, but couldn't go more than 3 weeks. The only condition that they had was depression.

I also agree that most people go through periodic depression throughout their lives. Nobody can stay positive and cheery all the time. Everyone experiences losses and grief usually causes depression to some degree. My brother got severely depressed being away at college and away from his mom. At home, he's his normal contrary grouchy self. :p

I sometimes feel that I use my mental health issues as an excuse. :( I just can't get control over the ptsd dissociative disorder aside from avoidance of triggers. I keep trying and pushing. It's exhausting. Then I got the darn migraine that left a permanent blind spot from overstretching my limits. I don't know what else to do.

Well... enough of that!
I really hope that you'll be able to get into the rcmp in the future if you want to. :xmashug:
 
Yea here in the USA it doesn't seem to matter where stuff is legal. When it comes to certain jobs they will not allow employment if it shows up on a drug screening. Where my husband works they will drug screen quarterly so, there is no way you can get around having a problem and keeping your job with that going on. They want their employees to be drug free completely unless they have written prescriptions. No room for anything in between. In all fairness though when it comes to the job he has, he has to be 100% at his best because lives depend on it. So, I think this is why certain jobs feel this way.
 
Thanks Foo.

Most Mounties are not mounted these days, but they do regular policing in the municipalities in my area and that’s what I’m interested in. The pay is less than half of what I was making, but getting up every morning and liking my job would be worth it.

There are a couple obstacles that might interfere with me becoming a member (primarily my hair, which is blue and purple and white), but I’m going to give it a go.

As for the rescue guy, the issue I had with leaving him was that he didn’t send us away, he begged us to stay with him and we didn’t, but should have. He did initially ask us to leave, but we woke up a person in the middle of the night who was having delusions. What can you expect. At least it ended well.

Dang, I had no idea. Lots of cities in the US still have mounted police, I thought you guys did too. Bummer! I totally lol'd about your hair though. My hair is purple and blue with some silvery white showing where the purple is fading. (Purple dyes always fade so fast for me. What brand do you use? Does it have good hold?)

It might have not been safe to stay. Sometimes people in crisis can be very unpredictable. Up there away for quick assistance, things might have gone bad for you had he'd suddenly become aggressive. I think your first decision to leave was a good one. It's easy to second guess ourselves and worry about our actions, but usually our gut is right.

What a bummer about the drug test. If it was ****** or something damaging, I could see it, but pot? It seems they should just let that slide, especially with it becoming legal in so many places. When it's legal here I intend to try it for my insomnia and depression. I'm using CBD oil, and it just doesn't seem to work. I'm desperate enough to try just about anything. LOL

I hope one of the jobs pans out. It's one thing to be employed, but to find a career you *enjoy*, that's just golden.
 
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Dang, I had no idea. Lots of cities in the US still have mounted police, I thought you guys did too. Bummer! I totally lol'd about your hair though. My hair is purple and blue with some silvery white showing where the purple is fading. (Purple dyes always fade so fast for me. What brand do you use? Does it have good hold?)

It might have not been safe to stay. Sometimes people in crisis can be very unpredictable. Up there away for quick assistance, things might have gone bad for you had he'd suddenly become aggressive. I think your first decision to leave was a good one. It's easy to second guess ourselves and worry about our actions, but usually our gut is right.

What a bummer about the drug test. If it was ****** or something damaging, I could see it, but pot? It seems they should just let that slide, especially with it becoming legal in so many places. When it's legal here I intend to try it for my insomnia and depression. I'm using CBD oil, and it just doesn't seem to work. I'm desperate enough to try just about anything. LOL

I hope one of the jobs pans out. It's one thing to be employed, but to find a career you *enjoy*, that's just golden.

We still have some mounted police around too, but most RCMP are not on ponies.

The guy was not a threat to me at all. Even if he had flipped his lid, I outweighed him by at least 30 lbs and I'm freakishly strong :p It wasn't my decision to leave him and I wouldn't have left if it was my decision. At least he came down the next night with two hikers. That was a relief.

Pot is legal here now too, but attitudes are slow to change. Oddly enough, this city is terrible for drinking. And driving. People are so strange.

I have the same problem with purple dyes. I just changed to a new colour, a dark bluish purple and it lasts really long. I'm using N Rage colour and I get it from Sally Beauty supply, which I believe is also in the US.
 
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