Comprehensive Stress Management Guide for Law Enforcement Professionals

1. Stress Management for Peace Officers Chief David Rider Fort Bend ISD Police

2. Objectives • Recognize and differentiate between positive and negative stress • Diagnose personal and organizational stress and stressors • Identify specific problems and apply treatments • Gain practical knowledge about techniques that can be readily applied • Practice, discuss and problem solve

3. Stress: Good or Bad? • All occupations experience stress • Some stress is good

4. What is “Stress”? • A mentally or emotionally disruptive condition in response to adverse external or internal influences and capable of affecting physical and mental health. • “…a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation.” -Merriam-Webster, 1998

5. What is “Stress”?There are different kinds of stress • Distress • Eustress

6. DistressThe “bad” kind of stress. • Work demands • Death of a friend or family member • Car troubles • Financial issues

7. EustressThe “good” kind of stress. • Job promotion • Purchasing a new home • Marriage • Birth of a baby • The Holidays

8. Distress versus Eustress • The “dis” and “eu” refer to the stressor, not the impact of the stressor. • Both can be equally taxing on the body • Stress is cumulative in nature.

9. Job Stress: External to Agency • Lack of respect from traditional LE agencies • Frustration with Juvenile Justice System • Court Scheduling • Perceived Lack of Public Support • Negative / Distorted Media Coverage • Decisions of Powers That Be

10. Job Stress: Internal to Agency • Offensive Policies • Poor Training / No Career Opportunities • Lack of Recognition for Good Performance • Benefits,Work Conditions, Equipment • Paperwork • Inconsistent Discipline • Favoritism

11. Stressors in Work Itself • Shift Work • Frequent Exposure to Misery and Brutality • Boredom to Sudden Action • Fear / Dangers of Job • Responsibility of Protection of Life • Fragmented Nature of Job • Work Overload

12. Stressors on Individual Officer • Job Competence, Success, Safety • Necessity to Conform • Second Job / Further Education • Social Status Change

13. Family and Personal • Marital • Children • Parents • Financial

14. Stages of Stress • Alarm Stage – At onset of event, physical and psychological changes occur. Perception disrupts your body’s normal balance and body reacts as best as possible. • Resistance Stage – Body tries to cope or adapt by beginning to repair damage. • Exhaustion Stage – Stressor not being managed effectively and body / mind are not able to repair the damage.

15. Warning Signs !! • Emotional symptoms • Physical symptoms

16. Emotional Symptoms of Stress • Divorce • Alcoholism • Suicide • Abrupt change in typical behavior • Rapid mood swings • Overly suspicious

17. Emotional Symptoms of Stress • Overly hostile • Always blaming others for problems • Becoming argumentative • Depression

18. Physical Symptoms of Stress • Digestive disorders • Headaches • Excessive illnesses • Blood pressure • Sleep disorders

19. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder • Anxiety disorder that can occur after someone experiences a traumatic event that caused intense fear, helplessness, or horror. • Usually sudden and unexpected • Other names include Post Traumatic Incident Stress and Critical Incident Stress

20. PTSD - History • Dates back to Civil War • World War I and II • Korean War • Vietnam War • Desert Storm • Iraqi Freedom War

21. PTSD – Triggering Events • War • Witnessing or experiencing violence • Child abuse • Partner abuse • Shootings • Auto accidents • Air crashes

22. PTSD – Initial Response • Fight or Flight

23. Psychological Reactions to a Shooting Incident • The Shooting: • View the event in slow motion • Senses keenly attuned to the event • Some can see the bullet leave the gun • Some see the bullet hit the suspect • They see the blood come out of the body and the body bend and fall

24. Psychological Reactions to a Shooting Incident • Flashbacks: • Event is re-lived in dreams and nightmares • Nightmares reflect unexpressed feelings • Conscious recognition of event can occur (ex: Officer may drive past location of event and re-live the event)

25. Psychological Reactions to a Shooting Incident • Fear: • Of the violent nature of the event • Of insanity when they can’t shake the memories • Of real or imaginary retribution • Of criminal or civil charges filed on them • Cause to avoid future confrontations so as not to show a pattern of unjustified violence

26. Transition PhasesFive phases a person goes through • Denial Phase • Anger Phase • Bargaining Phase • Depression Phase • Acceptance Phase

27. Denial Phase • Tendency to reject the traumatic incident occurred • Disbelief • May be brief or non-existent in shootings

28. Anger Phase • Feeling of anger or resentment that the traumatic event “had to happen to me” • Feeling of anger toward the suspect who “forced me to take action”

29. Bargaining Phase • A wish the event never took place • Wish to “take back the bullet”

30. Depression Phase • Often the longest • It’s severity depends on: • The individual’s basic personality • The nature of the event • The reaction of the department • The reaction of the community • The officer’s support system

31. Acceptance Phase • The officer returns to a normal routine • The officer “gets over” the total preoccupation with the event • Accepts the fact that the event occurred • Resumes normal life • May still have periodic times of depression, anxiety, and insomnia

32. Possible Symptoms • Heightened sense of danger • Anger • Nightmares • Isolation / withdrawal • Fear / anxiety about future situations • Sleep difficulties • Flashbacks • Emotional numbing • Depression • Alienation

33. Possible Symptoms • Guilt / Sorrow / Remorse • Problems with authority figures, rules, regulations • Family problems • Feelings in insecurity / loss of control • Sexual difficulties • Alcohol / drug abuse • Suicidal thoughts • Similar to victims

34. Your Perception… • …of an event can make the event more stressful or less stressful

35. What Influences Stress Levels? • Ability to laugh at one’s self • Attitude towards one’s job • Self concept • Attitude toward those we encounter

36. Stress Reduction • Is there such a thing? • We can reduce our stress in two ways: • Verbalizing our feelings and… • Relaxation techniques

37. Verbalizing • Talk with co-workers • Peer counseling • Talk with significant others • Talk with supervisor • Talk with clergy member • Seek professional counseling • Assertiveness information • Aggressive characteristics

38. Relaxation • You must be able to relax • Experience relaxation techniques: • Deep breathing • Yoga • Meditation

39. Nutrition • What role does nutrition play in stress management?

40. Exercise • What role does exercise play in stress management?

41. Life Style • What role does your life style play in stress management? • Smoking • Drinking • Sleep and rest

42. Recreation • What role does recreation play in stress management? • Get hobbies • Have friends outside of law enforcement

43. Coping With StressAppropriate or Not? • Drinking • Kicking the dog • Drugs • Exercise • Hunting, fishing • Needlepoint • Sleeping • Time off from work • Eating • Reading • TV / Movies

44. Problems, Symptoms, and Responses to Substance Abuse in Law Enforcement

45. Alcohol and Drugs at Work • A significant number of US workers abuse alcohol and / or drugs. • Alcohol and / or drug use occurs on the job as well as off the job • Alcohol and drug use endangers the health and safety of these workers, their co-workers, and the public • Law enforcement is not immune

46. Alcohol and Drug AbuseFindings: • Abuse in the U.S. • Abuse in Law Enforcement • Personal Experiences

47. Work Place Alcohol / Drug Abuse in U.S. • It is estimated that; • Approximately 10% can’t do their job due to alcohol abuse. • Approximately 3% can’t do their job due to drug abuse. • Approximately 10-23% use drugs (illicit or prescription) on the job. • Up to 65% of new work force members have used illegal drugs.

48. Law Enforcement Alcohol / Drug Abuse • Survey of 2,200 officers in 29 departments in US revealed 23% of officers had serious alcohol problems. • Study of 6,182 Canadian police officers: • 11% drank more than 5 drinks a day • 13% drank more than 3 drinks a day • 37% used illicit drugs in their lifetime • 14% used illicit drugs in the past year • 7% used illicit drugs in the past 30 days

49. Law EnforcementAlcohol / Drug Abuse • Questionnaire to Chicago police officers revealed 40% drank while on duty. • Mid-western state study revealed 53% came to work with a hangover… • And an “average” officer drank alcohol on the job 16 days a year.

50. Personal Alcohol /Drug Abuse • Evaluate your own use of alcohol and drugs. • Assist co-workers who are experiencing alcohol and/or drug problems.