Page 46 - July 2015 Issue
P. 46
Emotional Survival
By La Mesa Police Captain (ret) Dan S. Willis
The Warning Signs
Emotional survival means having the ability to
process stress, overcome trauma, while serving with
compassion without the job being crippling either
mentally, emotionally, or physically. If you are doing
nothing proactively to develop and promote emotional
survival, then you are allowing the job to victimize
you. The irst objective is to understand the several
warning signs that an oficer’s spirit has been injured
and not processing stress effectively.
Photo Courtesy of Dan Willis 1. Isolation: Over time there is a natural tendency
What was the worst call you have ever been on? for an oficer to become increasingly isolated. This
How many different ways did that call and so many involves withdrawing—preferring the company of
others adversely affect your health and wellness, your work colleagues or being alone over associating with
relationships at home, how you perceive your job and other friends, family, and their related activities.
the community, and the quality of your life? Could you Oficers develop the tendency to disengage, not
have been better prepared? wanting to make decisions away from work, and
preferring not to be involved with others, even
Consistently being immersed in violence, tragedies, spouses and children. Eventually, an oficer can
danger, heartache, and suffering can often scar the spirit become distant and reclusive.
of any police oficer. Tragically, each year more oficers
kill themselves than die in the line of duty, with an 2. Irritability: When affected, an oficer will develop
estimated 120,000 more suffering from symptoms of a shorter-than-usual fuse, ly off the handle for
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.[1] It is estimated that seemingly insigniicant reasons, respond to questions
oficers are twice as likely to become problem drinkers in one-word sentences, usually say they are “ine” just
and that about 20% suffer from at least one addiction. to stop any further conversation, and keep everyone
It is essential for oficers to incorporate proactive near them walking on eggshells for fear of how they
emotional survival and wellness practices that nurture, will react. They may seem to be on edge, restless, and
protect, and heal their spirit—to bulletproof their agitated.
spirit to prevent them from becoming victims of their
profession. 3. Dificulty Sleeping: Having dificulty consistently
getting a good night’s sleep—either because of sleep
The inherent adverse effects of a career in law interruptions several times each night or because the
enforcement are poisonous and cumulative. Like a oficer is only capable of sleeping for a few hours—is
cancer, dedicated yet unsuspecting oficers have the a signiicant sign that the oficer is not effectively
potential to slowly succumb to the toxic, debilitating processing stress.
effects of acute stress and trauma with little training
on how to effectively process the internal damage. 4. Anger: When seriously affected, the oficer begins
The job has an inherent ability to turn oficers into to develop a pattern of taking out their stress and
someone their loved ones no longer recognize. frustration on others, often those they care about most.
Following is emotional survival strategies based upon They’ll use anger to control others, to keep others at a
the award-winning book, “Bulletproof Spirit: The First distance, and to avoid taking a real look at themselves
Responders Essential Resource for Protecting and to examine what is actually going on inside.
Healing Mind and Heart,” (irstresponderwellness.
com)
46
By La Mesa Police Captain (ret) Dan S. Willis
The Warning Signs
Emotional survival means having the ability to
process stress, overcome trauma, while serving with
compassion without the job being crippling either
mentally, emotionally, or physically. If you are doing
nothing proactively to develop and promote emotional
survival, then you are allowing the job to victimize
you. The irst objective is to understand the several
warning signs that an oficer’s spirit has been injured
and not processing stress effectively.
Photo Courtesy of Dan Willis 1. Isolation: Over time there is a natural tendency
What was the worst call you have ever been on? for an oficer to become increasingly isolated. This
How many different ways did that call and so many involves withdrawing—preferring the company of
others adversely affect your health and wellness, your work colleagues or being alone over associating with
relationships at home, how you perceive your job and other friends, family, and their related activities.
the community, and the quality of your life? Could you Oficers develop the tendency to disengage, not
have been better prepared? wanting to make decisions away from work, and
preferring not to be involved with others, even
Consistently being immersed in violence, tragedies, spouses and children. Eventually, an oficer can
danger, heartache, and suffering can often scar the spirit become distant and reclusive.
of any police oficer. Tragically, each year more oficers
kill themselves than die in the line of duty, with an 2. Irritability: When affected, an oficer will develop
estimated 120,000 more suffering from symptoms of a shorter-than-usual fuse, ly off the handle for
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.[1] It is estimated that seemingly insigniicant reasons, respond to questions
oficers are twice as likely to become problem drinkers in one-word sentences, usually say they are “ine” just
and that about 20% suffer from at least one addiction. to stop any further conversation, and keep everyone
It is essential for oficers to incorporate proactive near them walking on eggshells for fear of how they
emotional survival and wellness practices that nurture, will react. They may seem to be on edge, restless, and
protect, and heal their spirit—to bulletproof their agitated.
spirit to prevent them from becoming victims of their
profession. 3. Dificulty Sleeping: Having dificulty consistently
getting a good night’s sleep—either because of sleep
The inherent adverse effects of a career in law interruptions several times each night or because the
enforcement are poisonous and cumulative. Like a oficer is only capable of sleeping for a few hours—is
cancer, dedicated yet unsuspecting oficers have the a signiicant sign that the oficer is not effectively
potential to slowly succumb to the toxic, debilitating processing stress.
effects of acute stress and trauma with little training
on how to effectively process the internal damage. 4. Anger: When seriously affected, the oficer begins
The job has an inherent ability to turn oficers into to develop a pattern of taking out their stress and
someone their loved ones no longer recognize. frustration on others, often those they care about most.
Following is emotional survival strategies based upon They’ll use anger to control others, to keep others at a
the award-winning book, “Bulletproof Spirit: The First distance, and to avoid taking a real look at themselves
Responders Essential Resource for Protecting and to examine what is actually going on inside.
Healing Mind and Heart,” (irstresponderwellness.
com)
46
