Page 47 - July 2015 Issue
P. 47
5. Emotional Numbness: Becoming emotionally maintain their wellness. Oficers should periodically
numb or dead inside is inevitable, at least initially, and seek opinions from their spouse and loved ones
oficers need to consistently work to prevent it from regarding whether they believe the oficer has been
overwhelming them. The job will naturally tend to changing in any way, how the job has been affecting
make them want to shut down emotionally as a way the oficer, and what speciically the oficer can do to
to no longer feel the frustration, stress, helplessness, improve their relationship.
pressures, and emotional pain of the job. However, this
inevitably leads to seriously damaged relationships at Oficers should be asking themselves how they cope
home. and manage career stress, and whether what they
have been doing is healthy. It’s helpful to think about
6. Lack of Communication: As an oficer increasingly what positive things you can do that you enjoy, that
withdraws, they will tend to make the serious mistake will help to breathe life back into your spirit; how
of keeping everything inside. This becomes serious to become more engaged with family and activities,
because, as their communication skills diminish, they and how to promote your health and wellness more
will refuse to talk about how work is affecting them. consistently.
Feelings of depression, anxiety, helplessness, anger,
fear, and other negative emotions will then tend to PTSD – Unresolved Trauma
intensify.
7. Cynicism, Distrust, and Loss of Work Satisfaction: PTSD is not a weakness. It’s not about what’s wrong
with you; it’s all about what happened to you. PTSD
If any of these warning signs are not addressed, the is really an injury to the brain’s ability to process a
oficer will likely become highly dissatisied at work, traumatic incident or acute stress. The brain’s natural
extremely cynical, and distrustful of most everyone.
This cynicism and negative outlook can send them into processing ability becomes injured, or stuck, which
can cause a person to repeatedly re-live the experience
a downward spiral that eventually could affect every while experiencing crippling emotional reactions.
aspect of their quality of life.
8. Depression: Ignoring any of these warning signs Such was the case with a San Diego police oficer
eventually can lead to clinical depression. Left who was involved in a fatal shooting. He was ine for
several weeks, but one day when coming home he was
untreated, this may worsen and become potentially shocked to see blood running down his little boy’s
severe depression, resulting in substance abuse and face. He saw this “blood” every time he looked at his
addictions, broken families and lives, and a host of boy. The more he tried not to see the phantom blood,
other debilitating problems, up to and including suicide. the more often and more intensely he would see it.
9. Drinking as a Perceived Need or Habit: Drinking
or consuming other substances because of a perceived
need or by habit is a major warning sign. Alcohol abuse
among police oficers is about double that of the general
population, with 23 percent of them seriously abusing
alcohol.[2] Drinking because of a need or habit tends to
only intensify already serious problems and emotional
issues, as well as problems at work.
Self Awareness
The irst step for an oficer to bulletproof their spirit
is to learn to become more self aware of not only how
the job may be adversely affecting them, but what
emotional survival methods may be effective to
Photo Courtesy of Dan Willis
47
numb or dead inside is inevitable, at least initially, and seek opinions from their spouse and loved ones
oficers need to consistently work to prevent it from regarding whether they believe the oficer has been
overwhelming them. The job will naturally tend to changing in any way, how the job has been affecting
make them want to shut down emotionally as a way the oficer, and what speciically the oficer can do to
to no longer feel the frustration, stress, helplessness, improve their relationship.
pressures, and emotional pain of the job. However, this
inevitably leads to seriously damaged relationships at Oficers should be asking themselves how they cope
home. and manage career stress, and whether what they
have been doing is healthy. It’s helpful to think about
6. Lack of Communication: As an oficer increasingly what positive things you can do that you enjoy, that
withdraws, they will tend to make the serious mistake will help to breathe life back into your spirit; how
of keeping everything inside. This becomes serious to become more engaged with family and activities,
because, as their communication skills diminish, they and how to promote your health and wellness more
will refuse to talk about how work is affecting them. consistently.
Feelings of depression, anxiety, helplessness, anger,
fear, and other negative emotions will then tend to PTSD – Unresolved Trauma
intensify.
7. Cynicism, Distrust, and Loss of Work Satisfaction: PTSD is not a weakness. It’s not about what’s wrong
with you; it’s all about what happened to you. PTSD
If any of these warning signs are not addressed, the is really an injury to the brain’s ability to process a
oficer will likely become highly dissatisied at work, traumatic incident or acute stress. The brain’s natural
extremely cynical, and distrustful of most everyone.
This cynicism and negative outlook can send them into processing ability becomes injured, or stuck, which
can cause a person to repeatedly re-live the experience
a downward spiral that eventually could affect every while experiencing crippling emotional reactions.
aspect of their quality of life.
8. Depression: Ignoring any of these warning signs Such was the case with a San Diego police oficer
eventually can lead to clinical depression. Left who was involved in a fatal shooting. He was ine for
several weeks, but one day when coming home he was
untreated, this may worsen and become potentially shocked to see blood running down his little boy’s
severe depression, resulting in substance abuse and face. He saw this “blood” every time he looked at his
addictions, broken families and lives, and a host of boy. The more he tried not to see the phantom blood,
other debilitating problems, up to and including suicide. the more often and more intensely he would see it.
9. Drinking as a Perceived Need or Habit: Drinking
or consuming other substances because of a perceived
need or by habit is a major warning sign. Alcohol abuse
among police oficers is about double that of the general
population, with 23 percent of them seriously abusing
alcohol.[2] Drinking because of a need or habit tends to
only intensify already serious problems and emotional
issues, as well as problems at work.
Self Awareness
The irst step for an oficer to bulletproof their spirit
is to learn to become more self aware of not only how
the job may be adversely affecting them, but what
emotional survival methods may be effective to
Photo Courtesy of Dan Willis
47
