The Mental Health Field Has an Anti-Police Problem

Police officers experience elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and substance use compared with the general population. Officers are routinely exposed to traumatic events while also facing organizational stress, shift work, sleep disruption, and public scrutiny. In one large-city department, 26 percent of officers screened positive for at least one serious mental health condition, and more officers die by suicide each year than in the line of duty. Despite these risks, few officers seek treatment. Only about 10 percent of officers with PTSD accessed mental health care. Occupational culture, toughness norms, fear of appearing unfit for duty, and concerns about confidentiality and stigma contribute to avoidance. Therapists need police cultural competence to build trust and improve outcomes.

"“Therapists are not your friend and really could care less about you as a person. Never ever talk to them.”"

"Police officers face elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder ( PTSD), depression, anxiety, and substance use compared to the general population. For instance, in a single big-city department, 26 percent of officers screened positive for at least one serious mental health condition (such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or suicidal ideation). Police officers are routinely exposed to traumatic events, whether it be violence, death, child abuse, or the like-all while managing organizational stress, regular shift work, sleep disruption, and relentless public scrutiny."

"Yet, despite these numbers, remarkably few officers ever seek treatment. For example, Jetelina and colleagues found that only about 10 percent of officers with PTSD had ever accessed mental health care. As Kaliebe notes, part of this is due to occupational culture: Police work prizes toughness, and officers worry that seeking help could signal a lack of fitness for duty or could trigger removal from active service. Concerns about confidentiality and stigma are all major barriers to their seeking treatment."

Read at Psychology Today