NCJ Number
85226
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 30 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1982) Pages: 66-75
Date Published
1982
Length
10 pages
Annotation
The police are more vulnerable than other professionals to stress. Supervisors must familarize themselves with the signs of stress and methods of assisting officers in dealing with it, recommend proper referrals, and attempt to reduce the factors inducing stress.
Abstract
Police stress can be broken down into six categories (with characteristics in each): intra and interorganizational practices and characteristics, criminal justice and public practices and characteristics, criminal justice and public practices and characteristics, police work itself, and police officers themselves. The officer is often unaware of stress symptoms, such as blurred vision, dizziness, giddiness, feeling weak, lack of confidence, sweating hands, and other psychosomatic reactions, and is often afraid to seek help. Persons are experiencing nervous disorders when their nervous symptoms are so intense that they cope inadequately with daily work or fail to cope at all. A continuous state of fear gradually stimulates the adrenalin-releasing nerves to produce disturbing sensations. A nervous disorder begins when sufferers become afraid of the unusual sensations produced by continuous fear and tension and so place themselves in the circle of fear/adrenalin/fear. One type of disorder, called the Anxiety State, is caused by a concern with the physical symptoms. The other is created by some overwhelming problem, sorrow, guilt, or disgrace leading to indecision, loss of confidence, feelings of unreality, etc. Treatment must take into account that the disorder is created by the body's nerves and is not a mental abnormality. Case histories illustrate police stress experiences and indicate proper methods of handling the sufferer. No references are cited.