Until it affects their leisure and work activities, Americans delay being treated for physical injury and pains. Studies have found less than 40% of people with a mental health condition seek professional assistance (Haecker, 2017). Psychologists report much of the opposition in police officers seeking help stems from their desire to control themselves and their environments. Officers tend to fear anything threatening control of their thoughts and mental process (Haecker, 2017). Stigma, cost, and lack of insurance coverage are the most cited reasons law enforcement officers give for postponing a psychological consultation (Haecker, 2017).
Police officers will not seek help for emotional or mental health problems if they believe it will slow or stop promotional opportunities, hurt their image, or even end their career (US DOJ, 2017). The most frequently noted barriers to seeking mental health resources for law enforcement officers is the concern over confidentiality, the fear of negative career impacts, fear of stigmatization from colleagues, and the lack of experienced resources. Some of the fears are not unwarranted, as there are reports from officers stating they felt betrayed and alienated when their mental health problems become known (Gibson, 2020).
Gender is another barrier to police officers seeking mental health assistance, as the profession is approximately 85% male, and men are generally more uncomfortable appearing frightened, vulnerable, and not in control (Haecker, 2017). Another massive hurdle to officers seeking help is the fear of the unknown, what they may find out about themselves, or that no one can help (US DOJ LEMHWA, 2019). Work shifts are another cited barrier to police officers seeking mental health assistance, as most behavioral health providers only offer appointments during regular business hours (Gibson, 2020). In police agencies that provide psychological services, many officers were more willing to use an external service than an in-house police psychologist due to the appearance of the psychologist being embedded within the hierarchical structure of their agency (Haecker, 2017).
Law enforcement officers’ perceptions about how their career will be impacted have led to mental health services being underutilized, despite each government’s level, creating several programs and services offering support (Haecker, 2017). According to Haecker (2017):
77% of counties in America had a severe shortage of mental health counselors, and rural counties had the least services available. Nearly every county in America had an unmet need for mental health counselors and overall various levels of unmet needs for assistance. There are entire counties in rural America with no practicing psychiatrists, psychologists, or social workers, and patients noted that barriers to available services.” (p. 71)
Police departments with mental wellness programs could prevent suicides from occurring, as reported by officers in a study. These officers also believe departments need to be talking about the mental health needs and services to break stigmas (Thoen et al., 2020). Social norming campaigns targeting police officers have also been found to break stigmas and encourage officers to take advantage of various mental health resources (Copenhaver & Tewksbury, 2018).