(COR) Stress in LPSCS Lesson

Stress in LPSCS Lesson 

Stress in the Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security career field is well documented. Most of the research is on law enforcement, but those findings should hold true across the other career fields. The life expectancy for a male police officer is only 66 years old, while men in general have a 76 year life expectancy. Police have some of the highest rates of divorce, depression and suicide when compared to other careers. It is estimated that 1 in 4 officers had alcohol dependency issues. Additionally, officers are in "survival mode" as a regular part of their job which releases harmful hormones in the body damaging the heart and other vital organs.

An emerging issue is the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a psychological condition marked by an inability to be intimate, inability to sleep, increased nightmares, increased feelings of guilt and reliving the event. Since police, as well as others in the LPSCS careers, often deal with horrific events, PTSD is making a significant impact in many officers' ability to serve.

There are many potential sources of stress. The unpredictability of the next call always keeps officers on edge. The next call may be a minor traffic accident. Just as likely is the accident where a child lost their life. Many LPSCS officers deal with violence in their work and personal safety is always at risk.

Work related factors are numerous. Dealing with management and superior officers creates stress. Inadequate, broken or missing equipment is often an issue. Officers may work excessive overtime. Many departments have rotating shifts where officers work midnight to 8 a.m. for a few weeks and then shift to a daytime or evening shift for several weeks before shifting back. Duties that are seen as wasteful, such as paperwork, also add to stress.

Officers might also have individual factors that cause stress. Usual stresses like family issues, money problems and health problems can be magnified by the additional stress from work. Most officers work many second jobs. It is not uncommon for fire fighters to even own companies they run on their days off.

Compounding the problem is that most officers do not have a support network. Going to a counselor is often seen as a weakness. Most LPSCS officers have the traditional "macho" attitude about stress - even the female officers. Also, few outside of their fellow officers at work understand what they do and see at work.

There are many signs and symptoms of stress. Fatigue is very common. Irritability is common. Emotional outburst ranging from anger to crying can signal stress overload. Alcohol and drug abuse are often attempts to self-medicate. Lack of interest in hobbies, friends and usual activities is a significant indicator.

Interestingly, most of the suggestions for reducing stress for LPSCS officers are also great suggestions for anyone. Let's look at some of the best stress management ideas from the presentation below:

 

 

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