Stress: Causes, Signs, and Support
What is stress?
Stress is your body’s natural reaction to pressure or challenge. A little stress can help you stay alert and focused, but when it becomes overwhelming or constant, it can take a toll on your energy, focus, sleep, and overall health.
In policing, stress isn’t just about major incidents. It also comes from the cumulative impact of everyday responsibilities, from responding to emergencies to managing the emotional demands of the public.
Causes of stress in policing
There are several reasons why you might experience stress in your role:
- Exposure to Trauma and Violence: You regularly witness distressing or dangerous events, whether first hand or through reviewing evidence. Studies report that most police have encountered traumatic incidents, with many experiencing symptoms of PTSD or Complex PTSD.
- High-Pressure Decisions: Your work involves rapid, high-stakes decision-making, sometimes under life-or-death pressure, often requiring quick decision-making. Attending incidents or emergencies can place a heavy mental load on you.
- Shift Work and Long Hours: Irregular hours and night shifts disrupt sleep, affect cognitive function, and increase fatigue. Shift work also impacts your diet and overall physical and mental wellbeing
- Public and Organisational Pressure: Operating under public scrutiny, media attention, and organisational demands can weigh heavily. Factors like workload, limited autonomy, and cultural pressures can sometimes be even more stressful than operational incidents.
The repeated activation of your body’s fight-or-flight system is designed to keep you safe, but when it’s constantly engaged, it can create chronic stress patterns that resemble anxiety, burnout, or PTSD and Complex PTSD. Practical tips to help you manage stress
Three symptoms you may experience
Stress can affect your body (physical), mind (emotional), and behaviour:
Physical signs
- Headaches or muscle tension
- Fatigue
- Trouble sleeping
- Racing heart
Emotional signs
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Irritability or mood swings
- Anxiety or sadness
- Feeling out of control
Behavioural signs
- Changes in appetite
- Withdrawing from others
- Increased alcohol or cigarette use
- Difficulty concentrating
- Common triggers can include workload, health worries, financial concerns, relationship or family challenges, major life changes, and simply not having enough rest or time for yourself.
When to Seek Professional Support
You may benefit from professional help if stress is affecting your daily life, leaving you feeling unable to cope, disrupting your sleep or appetite, or making you feel persistently low or anxious.
Talking to a GP, mental health nurse, counsellor, or therapist can give you support tailored to your needs. We might be able to help too.
Enquiring about help is a sign of strength. It’s a way to take care of yourself so you can keep performing at your best and stay connected to the people and life you care about. Practical tips to help you manage stress
Enquire about ways we can support you
