Nothing here is a substitute for seeking help if you need it!  If things are "not right," particularly if you have been having thoughts of suicide, there is no time to waste in getting help.  You will be in good company if you do, for "we" are many and we care.  

 

Seek help immediately.  If your department has peer officers, feel free to contact them for guidance and support.  Do NOT delay, however--suicidal ideation is a medical emergency.  Call 911 or go to an emergency room--you WILL be treated with care! 

 

 

Q.  How many police suicides happen each year?  What is the rate compared to the average population?

 

A.  No one truly knows.  The numbers are “the best we can get” from police agencies who, in many cases, have a reputation for covering up suicides—and not always in the best interests of the surviving family.   True "rates" are impossible to give without a valid number--depending on their own samplings, some researchers say the rate is high while others say it is low or the same, often depending on their agenda.  The answers will come only when law enforcement agencies decide to gather this information in a central database.  (Read more on the page, Sloppy Data.)

 

Q.  What is the “official” definition of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?

 

A.  PTSD is formally defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (commonly referred to as the DSM-IV, last revised in 2004). The text is at 309.81 Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

 

Q.  Is there an “easier” definition of PTSD?

 

A.  There are many.  The following are only two that you can find on the internet.  These are provided only for your general reference—don’t self diagnose!  If you feel you may be suffering the effects of PTSD, depression or any other condition that has you “off bubble,” seek professional advice.  If your department has a Peer Officer Support Program, they  can help you "sort out" the feelings and support you in finding care.

 

PTSD Today

 

Wikipedia

 

 

 

Q.  Does PTSD have to be caused by one big event?

 

A.  Not at all.  It can result from one catastrophic event or from an accumulation of traumatic events over time.  Contrary to popular opinion, cumulative PTSD can be deep and long lasting and prove a greater challenge to overcome. 

 

The California Department of Industrial Relations states, for example, “Examples of traumatic exposures provided in DSM-IV include but are not limited to exposure to combat, violent personal assault, kidnapping, hostage situations, terrorist attacks, torture, concentration camp incarceration, disaster situations, severe automobile accidents or diagnosis with a life-threatening illness. It should be noted that the stressors can be sudden, circumscribed and singular or they may be cumulative and repetitive. Either an individual can be responding to a single hold-up or a series of bank robberies, for example.

 

McLean and Woody point out, in Anxiety Disorders in Adults, that Officers “become accustomed to death, dismembered body parts and the anguish of family members.  While adjusting to each of these events individually is satisfactory and while exposure to such events over the course of one to three decades seldom causes significant adjustment problems, PTSD can be triggered by a relatively mild stressor.  In this case, stressors from years ago seem to combine and acquire traumatic significance.”

 

There is further reading on this at PTSD Today and the

Wikipedia.

 

 

Q.  Should I see a psychologist instead of just a therapist?

 

A.  This is an individual choice.  It might help you to review the credentials of various therapists in Psychology Today.  In my recovery, I have been exposed to several levels, including psychologists and Licensed Clinical Social Workers.  The alphabet following the name refers to the level of education.  It has been my personal choice simply to seek out and work with the individual with whom I am personally comfortable, is eclectic (flexible in style) and provides a good balance of honesty, empathy and feedback.  

 

 

Q.  How long does therapy for PTSD take?

 

A.  That depends on the individual and is best guaged by a therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist.  We all respond to the same events differently and we come from different backgrounds.  Much depends on the immediacy of the trauma and how easily it can be identified, as well as what other life and career events have preceded the latest trauma.  There is more on this also at PTSD Today.

 

 

Q.  Am I just too weak for this job?

 

A.  No, your courage is unsurpassed and you have gone through much.  Eric Wahgren, in BusinessWeek, wrote, “In some ways, a cop's work may be even more traumatic than that of a soldier sent into a war zone, experts say. ‘The police officer's job, over many years, exposes and reexposes them to traumatic events that would make anybody recoil in horror,’ says Beverly Anderson, clinical director of the Metropolitan Police Employee Assistance Program in Washington, D.C., a counseling service for law enforcement personnel and their families.”

 

 

 

 

Q.  I’m worried that I’ll pick a therapist who knows nothing about law enforcement.

 

A.  This is an individual decision but should not keep you from seeking help.  My first therapist knew nothing about law enforcement and a big part of my healing was the release of telling her what it was like.  When I was done, I took satisfaction in knowing that I had not only helped myself, but I had prepared the therapist to help other cops.

     It’s understandable, however, that many officers feel comfortable only if they know the therapist knows something about police work.  Ask your Peer Support Officer if your department has them, or check with your family doctor.

 

 

Q.  I’m nervous about my first therapy visit.

 

A.  That’s normal.  Many people feel reluctant to say anything or feel pressed to say everything in one visit!  Therapists are wonderful people.  Relax and get to know them.  Ask questions—how do they work?  Are they listeners, or do they interact?  Which do you prefer?  Let your needs be known.  And above all, if you don’t walk out feeling good about the therapist, consider finding another.

 

 

Q.  Should I see a psychiatrist?

 

A.  A psychiatrist can prescribe medications, whereas a therapist and psychologist cannot.  There are some clear guidelines under which you should see a psychiatrist, such as thoughts of suicide.  You can read the American Psychiatric Association’s guidelines. 

 

 

Q.  But won't a psychiatrist make me take medications?

 

A.  You are in control of your treatment and no one can mandate treatment unless you present a danger to yourself or others.  I chose to be on medications.  They did not "make me crazy" or "numb me out." They made me available for therapy by helping me with the nightmares, flashbacks, rages and other symptoms. It did take some trial and error to find the medication that worked best for me.

 

 

Q.  Someone said I should go to AA.

 

A.  Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is just one of many "Twelve-Step" programs designed to help people with problems ranging from substance abuses to personal and relationship issues.  All operate the same as AA.  They are not "religious" (unless you want one--there is only one ("Celebrate Recovery"). 

     Go to AA if you're an alcoholic--you know if you are.    I'vd been in a twelve step program over a year and it has helped me greatly.   Twelve-Step Programs don't advertise, but you can read more about them on Wikipedia.  A full listing of programs you can choose from can be found at List of Groups.  Finding a meeting is easy on the internet or by telephone.

 

Q.  What if I go to an AA meeting and I see someone I arrested?

 

A.  So what?  AA requires that you set your ego aside and put your recovery first.  You may run into other officers, a prosecutor, your boss or yes, someone you arrested.  If recovery is not important to you, go look for a program that is “insulated and safe and without any risks”—and you’ll no doubt continue your addiction, as well.

 

And what is the arrestee going to do?  Tell the judge he saw you at an AA meeting?  The judge will no doubt say, “So what?  I go too.”

 

 

 

Q.  What are the warning signs of suicide?

 

A.  There are two excellent sites to review in order to be prepared in the event you have a friend or relative who may be in danger:

 

Center for Disease Control  and

 

American Association of Suicidology

 

 

Q.  I would like to see my department doing more about stress reduction and preventing suicides.

 

 

A.  Become a part of the solution.  Remember that suicide prevention is a relatively new concept for police agencies, who balked for many years at even acknowledging the existence of a problem.  Many departments still have no programs at all.  If you're on such a department, your leaders have no excuse.  Become an active, positive supporter and encourage prompt implementation of a program before it's too late.  Get your union actively involved!

     If your department already has the beginnings of a program, such as peer support officers, volunteer to help out.  There's nothing more satisfying--or healing--than helping a fellow officer when the chips are down.  The cost of training more peer support officers is the best industrial insurance a police department can buy!

     If your department is giving "Suicide Awareness" presentations this year, make sure they do again, for everyone, next year.  Don't let them just "check the box" and walk away.

     Most importantly, don't let your departments stop halfway.  You--and your retirees--are your department's greatest resource.  When administrators whine about costs, quote the figures and comparisons you've seen on this website--replacing a dead officer, paying off lawsuits from having unhealthy officers out on the streets!

     "We are many" if we put our minds to it.

 

 

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FINDING A THERAPIST:  Some good places to start you thinking at

"Psychology Today,"

"Making a Choice,"

"Healing Well,"

and "Online Resources."  

For an explanation of the different licenses: "The Credentials."

 

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