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Trauma and Stress

What is Trauma?

Trauma can mean different things to different people. You, as law enforcement officers, are exposed to traumatic situations on a regular basis. At any given time, roughly 30% of law enforcement officers are suffering from symptoms or meet the full criteria for a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).14 Police officers who experience traumatic incidents are also more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression.15 Generally, trauma can result from experiencing an event that involves:

  • Actual or threatened death
  • Injury or threat to physical integrity
  • Negative life-altering event, such as a divorce, a death in the family, witnessing violence, and/or death
Different Reactions to Trauma17
different-reactions-to-trauma

Reaction to Trauma

You may react differently to traumatic events than others; and reactions can manifest themselves in a number of ways.17 Some victims of trauma experience only minimal reactions, including minor changes in sleep or appetite. Others encounter more distressing effects, like Acute Stress Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).18,19 Still others may push through the trauma aftermath to achieve resilience and recovery.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “while most but not all traumatized people experience short term symptoms, the majority do not develop ongoing (chronic) PTSD.20”

overwiew of ptsd

Triggers

The type of events that can trigger trauma can range from natural disasters, acts of terrorism, motor vehicle accidents, or crowd management, among others.16

Symptoms

The four categories of symptoms that an individual will experience when suffering from PTSD include re-experiencing, avoidance, arousal and reactivity, and cognition and mood. Signs and symptoms of PTSD may not occur for weeks or even months after the traumatic incident takes place.20

Treatment

Individuals with PTSD can seek treatment through medication options, psychotherapy (which can include exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring, and/or talk therapy), or a combination of these techniques.20

Related Publication

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Reduce stress online poster

Valor Officer Safety and Wellness Program, Bureau of Justice Assistance

Take long term steps to reduce stress and increase your health!

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This project was supported by cooperative agreement number 2016-VI-BX-K001 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

This report was prepared by the National Police Foundation (NPF). The National Police Foundation is the oldest nationally known, non-profit, non-partisan, and non-membership driven organization dedicated to advancing policing through innovation and science.

The internet references cited in this publication were valid as of the date of publication. Given that URLs and websites are in constant flux, the NPF cannot vouch for their current validity.

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