Stress In Law Enforcement Essay
The Effects of Stress on the
Law Enforcement Officer
Liberty University
Abstract
This paper explores the effects of stress as it pertains to the job of law enforcement. Every job has its stressors but law enforcement carries with it the potential for stressors unlike many people will ever go through. The law enforcement job comes with the potential for life and death situations that can have a lasting impact on one’s life. The research shows that while officers are given instruction on how to protect themselves and others they are often not told what to expect after these incidents are over. Many officers find themselves experiencing mental health problems after some incidents but don’t know what to do or who to go to …show more content…
The law enforcement persona can play a role in the aftermath of these incidents because officers often don’t know if or who they can trust with asking for help. They often worry of being misunderstood, talked negatively about by their peers because others may feel like they are not up to the task of being in law enforcement or may even fear being fired. Situations like these often leave officers with many questions, and extreme levels of stress. Stress in the law enforcement field is certainly not limited to critical …show more content…
Law enforcement officers are prime candidates for PTSD because of the work they do, the critical incidents they are involved in, and the trauma they face. Some of the most life threatening critical incidents can lead to PTSD however not every officer will respond to life threatening incidents the same way. Two officers can experience the same incident but have complete opposite reactions to the event. One may be able to return to work in a few days but the other may need months to recover. It is important that each officer is given the time and help needed for them to recover. PTSD symptoms can range from sleeplessness, nightmares, replaying the events over and over, dizziness, loss of appetite, or having a feeling of being numb (Nickerson, 2009). Just because an officer may begin to experience some of these symptoms does not mean that a diagnosis of PTSD is
Law Enforcement Officer
Liberty University
Abstract
This paper explores the effects of stress as it pertains to the job of law enforcement. Every job has its stressors but law enforcement carries with it the potential for stressors unlike many people will ever go through. The law enforcement job comes with the potential for life and death situations that can have a lasting impact on one’s life. The research shows that while officers are given instruction on how to protect themselves and others they are often not told what to expect after these incidents are over. Many officers find themselves experiencing mental health problems after some incidents but don’t know what to do or who to go to …show more content…
The law enforcement persona can play a role in the aftermath of these incidents because officers often don’t know if or who they can trust with asking for help. They often worry of being misunderstood, talked negatively about by their peers because others may feel like they are not up to the task of being in law enforcement or may even fear being fired. Situations like these often leave officers with many questions, and extreme levels of stress. Stress in the law enforcement field is certainly not limited to critical …show more content…
Law enforcement officers are prime candidates for PTSD because of the work they do, the critical incidents they are involved in, and the trauma they face. Some of the most life threatening critical incidents can lead to PTSD however not every officer will respond to life threatening incidents the same way. Two officers can experience the same incident but have complete opposite reactions to the event. One may be able to return to work in a few days but the other may need months to recover. It is important that each officer is given the time and help needed for them to recover. PTSD symptoms can range from sleeplessness, nightmares, replaying the events over and over, dizziness, loss of appetite, or having a feeling of being numb (Nickerson, 2009). Just because an officer may begin to experience some of these symptoms does not mean that a diagnosis of PTSD is