Police officers experience stressors related to their work conditions. The chronic work stress officers are constantly exposed to can become a risk factor for depression and the development of depressive symptoms (Gibson, 2020). Without access to resources that allow for the opportunity to recover from stress, it will create conflict in the home related to work and family and emotional exhaustion at work (Crawford, 2020). A 2002 study looked into the effects of stress on police officers. This study found once an officer puts on their uniform, their average heart rate was +29 beats per minute above their pre-shift measurement. This increased heart rate, as a result of simply putting on the uniform is explained as anticipatory stress. Officers must also learn to regulate their physiological responses during and after a critical incident or traumatic event. Police officers’ heart rates consistently fluctuating throughout their shifts can cause long-term detrimental physical and emotional effects (Anderson et al., 2002).
Van Hasselt et al., (2008) stated “it has been estimated that between 25% and 30% of police officers have stress-based physical health problems, most notably high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, and gastrointestinal disorders” (p. 134). Other symptoms of stress-based physical health problems include high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, glucose intolerance, hypertension, abdominal obesity, and higher chances of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Fucigna, 2019 & Violanti et al., 2006). Increased stress causes the primary glucocorticoid stress hormone to be released into the saliva and blood, which activates the amygdala and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Release of the stress hormone results in increased vigilance and arousal in addition to facilitating the creation and retrieval of fearful memories (Port, 2016 & Violanti et al., 2006). The constant and continued fluctuating stress levels police officers face causes the amygdala to grow to a walnut-size compared to the general population’s pea-sized amygdala. Police officers have a truncated lifespan by up to 25 years because of the psychological and physical effects of the job (Haecker, 2017).
A study of 750 police officers found that officers exposed to a higher number of critical incidents were more likely to abuse alcohol and experience PTSD symptoms than officers who experience fewer critical incidents (Heyman et al., 2018). Some police officers believe they cannot tolerate psychological pain any longer, and rather than asking for help, they self-medicate, engage in reckless behavior, or commit suicide. Law enforcement officers are twice as likely to commit suicide than to be killed by a felon in the line of duty (Haecker, 2017).
Exposure to traumatic events and critical incidents can lead to personal growth, and it does not have to be a negative experience. Police officers must know and use self-care methods or seek professional help to ensure a positive mental health outcome (Battle, 2011 & Jenkins, Allison, Innes, Violanti, & Andrew, 2019). Officers can minimize the impact of work-related stress and burnout through awareness, training, and wellness (Port, 2016). Research shows police officers experience considerably less stress and a greater willingness to attend counseling in police departments with a supportive climate toward counseling (Soomro & Yanos, 2018).