Escaping Employment Stressors
People who hold positions in law enforcement are not alone in dealing with a multitude of work related stressors. However, those working in a law enforcement capacity can more frequently be exposed to traumatic situations. It is how a particular person is able to deal with these experienced traumatic situations that will determine the ultimate longevity of their career. In the past, police departments did not place as much effort into the mental well being of their officers as they do now.
The implementation of critical incident stress debriefings (CISD) and peer support groups have changed the ways officers can deal with stress and exposure to trauma. Prior to the recent push in ensuring the mental well being of officers, officers would deal with their stress and experiences alone and on their own terms. For example, officers could find themselves drinking more often than usual, becoming agitated more easily, isolate from their family, experience moodiness, have trouble sleeping or concentrating, and also experience other physical ailments that could be attributed to dealing with stress or trauma. As the use of CISDs and peer support groups continues to increase, officers now have a start to dealing with their stress and trauma without having to internalize it and deal with it alone. CISDs and peer support groups allow officers who have experienced traumatic events the time to discuss with other officers the event and their individual actions along with the reasons they acted as they did.
In order for law enforcement officers to remain at the top of their game they must be aware of both their physical and mental health. While many departments provide gyms for officers to work out and maintain their physical health, the discussion about mental health well being has been hidden behind closed doors and not really discussed until recently. As time progresses more and more law enforcement agencies across the country are implementing employee assistance programs, CISD teams, and peer support groups to further benefit officers. These programs provide access to resources in order for officers to maintain a healthy mental state and to assist in the processing of traumatic experiences that happen while on duty.
There has long been stigma associated with mental health illness both in law enforcement and the general population. The education regarding mental health illness it’s treatment is vital in the reduction of attached stigmas. Within law enforcement, officers fear losing their job, losing their ability to carry a weapon, or be transferred within a department to a different position. These fears although real possibilities can prove beneficial to an officer’s healing process after a traumatic experience where one feels the effects of PTSD. It is imperative for law enforcement agencies to continue educating officers and department managers in the importance of seeking mental well being as much as physical well being. Mental well being can be sought both through self-care and reaching out to others for help. In order for an officer to decide to use physical strength, they must have the proper mind set to make such a decision and determine if that is the right course of action. If one is not of the proper mindset, they may jump to an irrational decision creating the potential for discipline that could have been avoided. The awareness that officers possess in regards to their own self both mentally and physically is extremely important to performing their duties to the best of their ability and creating the safest mind set to perform such duties.
Davis, Joseph A. 1998. Providing Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) to Individuals and Communities. The american Academy of experts in Traumatic Stress, Inc.