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You've Got Stress. Who Are You Going To Call? Stress Busters! Law Enforcement Officers face many forms of danger in relationship to their career. Stress is law enforcement's hidden assailant. Law Enforcement work can be a killer, even if no one is shooting at you! Stress among Law Enforcement Officers often means divorce, an annual rate of nearly four times that of the general population. It spells problems with alcohol abuse. Stress also means disruption of normal sleeping patterns, eating habits, poor nutrition, anger, fear and depression. In addition to the day-to-day stresses of police work, officers are exposed to trauma and critical incidents causing post traumatic stress disorder. As a last resort, many officers turn their own handguns on themselves making law enforcement suicide an international epidemic. According to the FBI the "Top Ten Most Stressful Law Enforcement Critical Life Events" are as follows: 1) The violent death of a partner in-the-line-of-duty. 2) The dismissal or loss of the job. 3) Taking of a life in-the-line-of-duty. 4) Shooting someone in-the-line-of-duty. 5) Suicide of an officer who is a close friend. 6) The violent death of another officer in-the-line-of-duty. 7) A murder committed by a law enforcement officer. 8) A duty related violent injury such as a shooting. 9) A violent job related injury to another officer. 10) A suspension from the job. In the early 1960's experts predicted that the work- week would soon decrease to four days, possibly even three. Labor saving devices would make housework and home maintenance a breeze. But those rosy predictions have been replaced by this harsh reality: people today are working harder and longer than ever! In spite of life's demands there are many simple, effective steps that you can take to ease your daily pressures. Remember stress reduction starts with you! You have to be willing to make changes in your own life to begin to reduce the stress. Stress reduction begins with an evaluation of one's life. Taking a close look at your life and the things that you can control will help with your evaluation. Here are some ways you can reduce stress in your life: 1) Rather than jumping out of bed and rushing to start your day, plan to get up 15 minutes earlier each morning and take time to meditate and pray. Beginning this way provides a foundation for the rest of the day. 2) Live in the present moment. Anxiety increases when we brood about a past event or fret about a future obligation. 3) Approach a stressful event with a positive attitude and it will boost your energy. 4) Remember, you get to make mistakes in life. Don't be so hard on yourself. 5) Give yourself some credit. Each day take a moment to give yourself a pat on the back for all the things that you do. Appreciate the great balancing act that God enables you to pull off daily as you manage multiple responsibilities at home, at work, at church and in the community. 6) Take the time each day to create peaceful images in your mind. During your workday, occasionally pause to imagine yourself in a tranquil setting. 7) Change your eating environment. Get out of the office or your patrol car and enjoy your meal in the park. Occasionally eat by yourself in silence. Eat slowly, and enjoy yourself and be thankful for your meal. 8) Observe your breathing. When we are relaxed, our breathing is slow and even. However, when we are anxious or upset, we tend to breathe irregularly. 9) Take a brisk walk. Exercise burns off the excess adrenaline that fuels feelings of anxiety and stress. 10) Practice hospitality. Greet people with a smile; this will make others feel good and in turn, it will give you a deep sense of ease, calm, and peace. 11) Just say no. You don't have to accept every project, every invitation to become involved, and every opportunity to attend a meeting. 12) Relive a happy memory. In a time of stress look back and remember a pleasant experience or satisfying moment in your life. 13) Settle for good enough. It's amazing how much stress can be completely eliminated when we decide that we don't have to have the cleanest house, the best manicured lawn, and the most well behaved children. 14) Walk in someone else's shoes. Try to see a conflict or difference of opinion from another person's point of view. 15) Don't bring work problems home or home problems to work. When you pull into the driveway, take a minute to orient yourself to being with your family and entering your home. Most of us aren't able to get rid of all the stress in our busy lives. However, by finding ways to cope with and reduce stress and keeping your live simple, you can begin to start sorting out what really matters in your life. Sometimes the badge we carry becomes heavy. Complications can destroy you from the ground up, as when a nest of termites attacks your home. You must first begin to rebuild. Simplify. Be happier. Lighten your "heavy badge!" " Reduce the complexities of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life will reduce themselves." _ Edwin Teale.
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