POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
Understanding Mental Health and Police Work
It may come as no surprise that police and law enforcement officers (LEOs) are at a significantly higher risk for physical and mental health issues throughout their lives, including posttraumatic stress disorder. While approximately 3% of the general population suffers from PTSD, the rate of PTSD among LEOs is 20%. In addition to PTSD, our law enforcement officers have also been found to be at a higher risk for substance abuse, insomnia, anxiety and depression when compared with the general public. Alarmingly, 1 in every 4 police offers are battling suicide thoughts and LEOs have one of the highest suicide completion rates of any job.
The staggering statistics on mental health and LEOs is no doubt due to the trauma that police officers are exposed to on a regular basis as a part of their jobs. But it isn’t just the trauma alone that leads to the onset of PTSD or a suicide attempt. Often, it’s years of chronic stress, dysregulated sleep schedules, and isolation that contributes to the development of mental health issues among law enforcement. Police officers often struggle from burnout at times, feeling that no matter how much good they do on the job, it will never be good enough because crime never takes a break. In addition to all of this, the current political climate in the United States in not set up in favor of police officers. Our law enforcement officers are working around the clock to keep safe the very same people who believe the police should be defunded.
Treatment Approach for Law Enforcement Officers
At SYTI counseling, we understand that you put your life on the line every day, and we understand the toll that this can take on you over time. Our therapists will help teach you stress management techniques that you can use both on and off the job. Once you have created a solid foundation of coping skills, we will then use Dialectical Behavioral therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT), Existential therapy, and Humanistic therapy to help you make sense of the trauma and devastation that you have been exposed to in your career. From there, we will work on how you can move forward in life without being weighed down by the trauma you have experienced. Whether you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, PTSD, insomnia, anxiety, or depression, we are here to help you figure out how to manage your symptoms and get back to living life on your terms.
Scheduling and More Information
If you are a member of the law enforcement community and seeking treatment and support, please click here to book a therapy appointment with a See You Through It Counseling therapist.
To learn more about the treatment services See You Through It Counseling provides, check out our treatment specialties.
To read more about the law enforcement community and the issues they face, please click here:
