The physical injuries David Savage suffered when a child suicide bomber exploded beside him in Afghanistan proved a shadow of the trauma he would experience in his own mind.
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Mr Savage, a former federal police officer, was working for AusAID at Tarin Kowt when the 12-year-old boy detonated his vest several metres away in early 2012.
About 60 ball bearings tore into his flesh and critically injured every part of his body except his right arm. He also sustained a mild traumatic brain injury.
His phsyical struggle was compounded by post-traumatic stress disorder, which brought nightmares and flashbacks that saw him relive not only the explosion, but difficult experiences from more than two decades as a police officer.
"Your life's fine one minute but then it turns completely upside down," Mr Savage said.
"It affects you psychologically where you aren't able to control your emotions and fears and your mind and body react in ways that can be quite frightening.
Mr Savage was on Monday night announced as patron of AUSPOL - Police Welfare Foundation, a charity which supports former and serving police officers, at an event tied to the Australian Federal Police Association's annual conference in Canberra.
AFPA chief executive Dennis Gellatly used the event to call for greater focus on the inner battles with stress, trauma and depression many police officers fight alone.
It's a problem he hopes to shine a light on this year and one that could worsen in the territory as budget cuts to ACT Policing threaten jobs and put pressure on employees.
Mr Savage hopes to share his experiences in his new role to highlight the psychological trauma police face in the line of duty and to cast off the shame and stigma often associated with asking for help.
"But of you talk about it openly you realise it's just an ordinary response to an extraordinary event or a series of incidents over the course of a career."
He said police were regularly exposed to trauma through violent offenders, car crashes and people in distress throughout their careers.
"PTSD can be something that happens on a daily basis or it can just be one event that's enough to cause it but it doesn't mean they're weak or unable to take it.
"It's not something a person can control, it's just how your body reacts."
He believed it was "absolutely critical" police officers felt able to talk about their traumatic experiences.
"The culture in the past was one of hoping it would be put in a compartment in the back of your mind, never to rear it's ugly head.
"It's really important police feel they're able to talk about it with their colleagues or some kind of professional support that is available.