| Photo by Aaron Andew Ang on Unsplash
We have read or seen on TV news of first responders or law enforcement officers making poor judgments while responding to an emergency. These decisions are often made under tremendous stress and time pressure, split-second decisions, we call them. Sometimes, these decisions could save or cost lives. The constant exposure to stressful and dangerous situations has a cumulative, adverse effects on the person’s mental health. Sometimes, a routine traffic staff or response to a distress call from someone could turn into a violent, fatal encounter between the caller and the responding officer and vice versa.
The occupational hazards a police officer, for example, encounters regularly are different from the stress experienced by an office manager. The former is routinely exposed to life-threatening situations as part of his job, while the latter often has to deal with job-related decisions or interpersonal conflicts among employees. First responders, particularly police officers, are exposed to secondary trauma from victims of violence and physical threats from perpetrators and lawbreakers. These exposures eventually take their toll on the person’s ability for emotional regulation to mentally calm one’s heightened emotions.
The physical brain of a person who encounters chronic stress or traumatic experiences is altered by his experience. Human experience can shape the brain for better or worse. The brain mechanism involved is called neuroplasticity. The same principle is operant in psychotherapy, or how intimate relationships can change our thinking or perspective.
“Mindfulness practice should be routinely part of first responders’ self-care. In fact, anyone can benefit from it since we experience different levels of stress in daily life. Consider it a prophylactic, keeping our mental health in good shape.”
The dramatic symptoms of severe trauma or PTSD are caused by the person’s altered brain functions brought on by his traumatic experience. Adverse experiences don’t have to be severe to cause problems. Chronic stressful experiences common among first responders or law officers have cumulative adverse effects on their brains via the mind or consciousness, the center of self-awareness. Self-awareness plays a crucial role in emotional self-regulation. The problem arises when the amygdala, the brain’s fear center, gets activated when it perceives a threat or danger, down-regulating the various regions of the cortex and dampening self-awareness.
The practice of mindfulness strengthens regions of the cortex responsible for self-awareness, helping us sustain our sense of self while perceiving internal and external stimuli from moment to moment. Maintaining self-awareness and the capacity for self-reflection while we navigate the world or engage in tasks increases our ability for emotional regulation, minimizing the impact of stress. When a stressful situation is severe, and we lose the ability to self-regulate, it impairs our judgment.
Mindfulness practice should be routinely part of first responders’ self-care. In fact, anyone can benefit from it since we experience different stress levels in daily life. Consider it a prophylactic, keeping our mental health in good shape.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Fernando B. Perfas is an addiction specialist who has written several books and articles on the subject. He currently provides training and consulting services to various government and non-government drug treatment agencies regarding drug treatment and prevention approaches. He can be reached at fbperfas@gmail.com.
