Staying Healthy in the Fray – Maintaining Strong Mental Health

Recommendations for front line officers

Maintaining Strong Mental Health

Maintaining focus on mental health and physical wellness before, during, and after response to civil unrest can help keep your mind healthy during these difficult times. Stress can negatively impact your physical, psychological, and emotional health.⁴⁶ Stress makes it difficult to think clearly, react appropriately, and regulate your emotions, particularly in dynamic situations such as 1st Amendment demonstrations and civil unrest. It is important to acknowledge stress as soon as possible,⁴⁷ while it’s happening, and to take action to mitigate its negative impacts. During demonstrations, when situations are intensifying and emotions are rising, you can implement some of the following relaxation techniques:^{48, 49, 50}

Perform breathing exercises through a “body scan”, which entails “a few minutes of deep breathing…focus[ing] on one part of the body or group of muscles at a time and mentally releasing any physical tension you feel there;” or a repetitive prayer.
Know when it’s time to step away from the frontline (based on departmental policy) if things are getting too intense.
Watch for other officers and pull them off the line if you notice it’s time for a break due to heightened emotions.
Employ the “buddy system;” when a situation involving your “buddy” is deteriorating, check in and tap each other out.

Protect each other during protests, off the line, and off-duty. If you notice a colleague in need of help, encourage your fellow officer to seek assistance, or seek out resources to give to your colleague and offer to be there with them when reaching out.
Take decompression breaks during a protest, preferably in a designated area where there is a physical, non-human barrier between the area and the protest. If possible, establish this zone prior to the event.

Clearing Your Mind (Meditation, Mindfulness, and Other Methods)

Learning to clear your mind can provide autonomy over your thoughts and emotions and give you a greater sense of control. This is commonly referred to as mindfulness, which is defined as, “moment to moment, nonreactive, nonjudgmental awareness.”⁵⁰ The most popular way to practice mindfulness is meditation, during which a person is aware of, and acknowledges, their thoughts and emotions as they happen.50 This process can lead to reductions in anxiety and depression, PTSD symptoms, negative health outcomes, and even addictive behaviors. All of this results in increased resilience and emotional intelligence.⁵⁰ Ways to clear your mind include:⁵¹

When arriving home from work, safely store your service weapon(s), change your clothes, and take a “tactical pause” to transition from work to home.
Take the time to clear your mind. Consider strategies such as deep breathing or meditation. There are also many different apps which provide a number of helpful strategies to relax and clear away stress.
Take a walk outside. Walking is a good form of exercise, and walking in nature (rather than an urban environment) has additional benefits. A 20- to 30-minute walk in a natural environment decreases physical and emotional stress and improves cognitive functioning.
Journaling is also an effective method of relaxation and decompression.

Maintaining Healthy Relationships and Spending Time with Loved Ones

In times of stress, many react by internalizing, shrinking away from support systems, and selfisolating, yet these are the times when reaching out is more crucial than ever. Spending time with your friends, family, colleagues, or teammates can “recharge” your emotional batteries. Loved ones want to provide you with the support you need; allow them to do this. Invest in healthy, productive relationships that replenish rather than deplete you.

Foster a Positive Outlook

When under extreme stress, it is often hard to notice positive events that are also occurring.
Taking time to reflect on the positives in your life can help you keep your perspective in stressful times.
Try writing one positive thing about your life on a slip of paper every day. Keep the slips in a jar or box, and when you’re feeling stressed, read the slips and remember how many positive things there are in your life.
In addition to slips of paper, fill the box with pictures of your family, friends, pets, relaxing vacations, or other personal reminders.

Slips of paper and pictures are no substitute for real life interactions and activities. Working overtime can limit the ability to interact with your loved ones. When possible, make the time to reconnect with your family and friends. Even short intervals of time, such as date night with your spouse/ partner, game night with the family, or an afternoon with friends, can go a long way toward maintaining healthy relationships at a time when you need it most.

Related Publications

ABCs of Good sleeping habits

Valor Officer Safety and Wellness Program, Bureau of Justice Assistance

Always Be Consistent. This poster highlights the good sleep habits that you can follow to have quality sleep.

Read More

An Empty Well Gives No Water

Valor Officer Safety and Wellness Program, Bureau of Justice Assistance

An empty well gives no water. This poster reinforces the need for self-care to “help fill your reserves.” Keep self-care at the forefront with this poster that you can hang in your locker or other high visibility locations.

Read More