Police Stress

Stress Before Referencing What are the primary points of this article or informational link? How could a forensic psychologist contribute to a positive outcome? What type of psychological instrument could be of assistance in resolving the problems noted in this article? Although the physical dangers of policing the community are well-documented on the evening news on almost a daily basis, the psychological difficulties police officers confront are often less publicized.

Police officers, as representatives of the law, are seen as immune to the impact seeing violence and tragedy can have upon the psyche. But according to PBA psychologist Daniel Goldfarb, the 'Scrooge' effect is a dangerous one, causing officers to become cynics to the point where they are incapable of seeing the good in people. A healthy skepticism is essential and healthy to doing the job, but cynicism, defined as the corruption of skepticism, leads to burnout (Goldfarb, 2008, "Scrooge").

The sense that people do not appreciate their sacrifice, after they give above and beyond the average individual can be soul-destroying to police officers (Goldfarb, 2008, "Why?"). The officer's stress can spill over into home life, as police wives feel like widows to the force, and officers feel as if their wives do not understand them. This is why counseling, from a forensic psychologist who is trained to understand the unique psychological needs of an officer, can be helpful (Goldfarb, 2008, "The Home Front).

Why not just seek solace from other officers, not a therapist? Unfortunately, "The police subculture holds many myths that can lessen the officer's ability to deal with the situation...police officers, as all human beings, will experience deep emotional reactions to a critical incident. Attempts to deny this fact often cause officers to suffer in silence, not seek help, and in some instances, truly disrupt their lives and the lives of their families" (Goldfarb, 2008, "Critical Incident Stress Reactions").

Even their fellow officers may ignore the emotional needs of their fellow officers to talk and let off steam, and the hierarchical, military-style culture of the police tends to see emotional displays as signs of weakness, not human reactions to the tensions of the job.

Shift work, long hours, and a lack of sleep or seeing the light of day, the need to bottle up normal emotions on the job, and the quick bursts of adrenaline followed by long periods of boredom only exacerbate the emotional strain of being a police officer (Goldfarb, 2008, "10 Reasons Why Cops are Different"). Rational emotional therapy can be of particular use in dealing with the stresses of police work.

It can help an officer gain a more realistic assessment of his or her degree of control over what transpired during an incident. Re-framing or rationally breaking down what occurred into fact, thought, and reaction phases helps the officer gain a more objective assessment of what transpired. Officers are encouraged to feel a strong sense of responsibility and control over their actions at all times.

Understanding exactly how much control the officer actually had enables him or her to attain a more realistic view of his or her role (Goldfarb, 2008, "In Search of the Silly Thought"). The risks of untreated stress in can be great -- the officer may run a higher risk of alcoholism, even suicide. Divorce and a lack of a connection with spouse and children is another common problem. Wearing a uniform all day creates an 'us vs.

them' point-of-view, but even officers are unwilling to admit to discontent, because this seems to let down their fellow officers. Forensic counseling can provide a much needed stress release for officers and enable them to open up and to realize that their feelings are natural, which.