Invisible wounds caused by the daily traumas of police work are often far more threatening than physical injuries. Traumas — experiences that have the potential to adversely affect an officer in a seriously negative way over a long period of time — can not only be crippling, but can cause post-traumatic stress injuries, suicide and various other psychological and emotionally distressing symptoms.

For officers to heal from the traumas of work while maintaining optimal wellness and resiliency, it is essential for them to become aware of the warning signs that their work experiences have affected them. Regarding the 12,000 officers I’ve trained throughout the country, I have yet to have one say he or she is the same person they were when they got hired. With increased awareness of how work traumas can harm us comes the empowerment to recover.

It’s normal to be affected by troubling work experiences

An officer doesn’t have to be involved in a shooting or anything horrific to experience distress or severe symptoms. Most officers with post-traumatic stress were never in a shooting. The daily traumas of the profession are dangerous and have an inherent ability to turn us into someone our loved ones no longer recognize — even someone we may not recognize ourselves.

Officers often imagine that they become used to the traumas of work. They mistakenly believe they shouldn’t be affected by the job, which only makes them more vulnerable. The truth is that the brain never gets used to trauma — which is both toxic and cumulative.

A human being can only experience so much before their brain’s normal functioning can become altered. Consider all that an officer experiences in their career: the different ways people kill themselves, fatal car collisions, countless dangerous and life-threatening situations, molested children, dead children, the endless heartaches from the suffering of others, senseless acts of violence, sexual assaults, violence and threats against their own lives.

It’s only normal to be affected by these experiences. It is never about what is wrong with you; it is always about what you’ve experienced. The good news is that there are effective ways to recover and heal. (See my April 2021 APB article, “PTSD treatment that works,” at apbweb.com/2021/04/ptsd-treatment-that-works.)

Self-assessments that are private, anonymous and confidential can be an effective way for officers to realize they may have an issue. They tend not to be aware of how the job has affected them over the years. Kaiser Permanente offers several online self-assessment questionnaires. Search for “Kaiser self-assessment depression,” “anxiety” or “post-traumatic stress.” This is obviously never to replace seeking help from a trauma professional but can help to increase awareness of what needs to be addressed.

The brain is so mysterious; if it becomes injured from trauma experiences, it can develop a mind of its own — and it can be terrifying.

Warning signs and symptoms of trauma-related issues

Sleep problems: Usually, sleep is the first thing to be affected because of work experiences. A Harvard Medical School study of 5,000 peace officers found that, on average, officers sleep between four to five hours a night when seven to eight hours are needed for the brain to maintain normal functioning. The study also found that 40% of officers have sleep disorders. The inability to fall asleep, waking up early in the morning, not being able to fall back asleep and sleep disruptions are all indications that traumas have been accumulating and aren’t being effectively processed.

Anger and irritability: Becoming increasingly angry and irritable is also a significant red flag. Traumas erode one’s ability to be resilient and to calmly and rationally respond to the stress of life.

Feeling dead inside or emotionally numb to life, uncaring, disengaged or uninvolved: Feelings of being numb or emotionally dead, withdrawing from life’s interests, people and activities, isolating oneself and disassociating from others are significant results of traumatic experiences. Becoming calloused and hardened and developing a general lack of caring and compassion are also caused by trauma experiences.

Physical health problems: About 35% of officers will have at least one serious stress or trauma-related health issue at some time in their career.

Excessive negativity, cynicism, bitterness and disillusionment: I’ve found that officers tend to be the most negative people I have ever met. Negativity drains one’s energy and capacity to respond to challenge and stress in constructive ways. It also causes burnout and a lack of motivation to be professional, to do the most good and to want to make a meaningful difference.

Compulsive behaviors: Twenty percent of officers will acquire at least one serious addiction at some point in their career. Traumas can lead to officers participating in self-destructive behaviors, behaviors that harm relationships and behaviors to avoid dealing with inner distress.

Lack of effective communication: Traumas often lead to officers shutting down, and they can lose the ability to communicate effectively, listen and relate to others. My ex-wife would say that I talked in one- or two-word sentences. I wasn’t like that when I met her.

Anxieties and depression: Thirty-five percent of officers experience anxieties or depression, a significant and destabilizing effect of trauma experiences.

Intrusive thoughts, reliving experiences or uncontrollable emotions: If the brain’s normal functioning becomes altered by work traumas, one could experience intrusive thoughts, seeing things that aren’t real, or uncontrollable or unusual emotions. With two male officers who were involved in fatal shootings, one “saw” and “felt” blood on his hands for months, while the other would often cry for no apparent reason. The brain is so mysterious; if it becomes injured from trauma experiences, it can develop a mind of its own — and it can be terrifying.

Drinking as a perceived need: Officers are twice as likely to become alcoholics than the general population. Mixing drinking with trauma is a deadly combination, and the worst thing an officer can do to try to deal with the traumas of work. The main red flag is if one drinks because they believe they “need” to in order to sleep, forget, unwind, relax or calm down.

Promiscuous behavior: Promiscuous, careless behavior destroys relationships, peace of mind and lives. One officer shared that in his 12 years of marriage, he never once ever thought about cheating on his wife. After he was attacked in a life-and-death fight, having to kill the attacker, he shared that he was “driven” to have as many affairs as he could — not realizing that “need” was caused by his traumatic experience.

Suicidal ideation: Twenty-four percent of officers at some point in their career will think about suicide, or at least consider it as an option.

Conclusion

Any one of these warning signs and symptoms is a significant red flag that something is going on inside that needs to be faced and corrected. All of them imperil one’s overall health and well-being, peace of mind and ability to have a fulfilling and meaningful career. Remember, there is always hope and there are proven, effective ways to recover and heal from trauma. Life improves when we are honest with ourselves and proactively address issues as they manifest rather than blindly burying them in a futile attempt to pretend to be all right.