Ontario Police College Stress Management Workbook PDF

PHYSICAL TRAINING & WELLNESS EDUCATION STRESS MANAGEMENT WORKBOOK BASIC CONSTABLE TRAINING STRESS MANAGEMENT THROUGH WELLNESS SOURCES OF STRESS UNIQUE TO POLICING The policing profession has been termed one of the most stressful occupations. According to a recent Canadian survey of 4500 police off...

PHYSICAL TRAINING & WELLNESS EDUCATION STRESS MANAGEMENT WORKBOOK BASIC CONSTABLE TRAINING STRESS MANAGEMENT THROUGH WELLNESS SOURCES OF STRESS UNIQUE TO POLICING The policing profession has been termed one of the most stressful occupations. According to a recent Canadian survey of 4500 police officers from 25 police services, 50% of all officers report being “highly stressed”, with another 46% of officers classifying their job as “moderately stressful” (Duxbury & Higgins, 2012). Sources of stress unique to the profession include job-related elements, personal/family/social elements, organizational elements and societal elements. JOB ELEMENTS • • • • • • • • Shiftwork “Firsts” Fear of unknown Tragedies Physical demands Overtime Complex caseloads Attending court on days off • Constant exposure to negative side of world • Lack of positive feedback • Predominantly sedentary PERSONAL FAMILY & SOCIAL ELEMENTS ORGANIZATIONAL ELEMENTS • Relocation • Family demands • Missing special occasions and holidays • Making time for friends • Being selective about who to associate with • Scheduling issues • Hierarchy • Leadership responsibilities • Work relationships • Policies & procedures • Understaffed • Lack of careerdeveloping opportunities • Lack of communication 1 SOCIETIAL ELEMENTS • Public scrutiny • Special Investigations Unit • Media • Court System • Frustrating contacts with the public IDENTIFY THE MAJOR STRESSORS IN YOUR LIFE Stress is not always work-related. Major events or life changes will also elicit a stress response. The following table will assist you in identifying representative changes in your life. Each event is weighted according to how much stress it can potentially add to one’s life. Please note any item that you may have experienced in the last 12 months. Total up your score. STRESSOR EVENT VALUE Death of spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend Divorce Separation from living partner Death of close family member other than spouse Serious personal injury or illness Any drug or alcohol use Marriage or establishing life partnership Fired at work Marital or relationship reconciliation Change in health of immediate family member Work more than 40 hours per week Pregnancy Sex difficulties Gain of a new family member Business or work role change Change in financial state Death of a close friend (not a family member) Change in number of arguments with spouse or life partner Mortgage or loan for a major purpose Foreclosure of mortgage or loan Sleep less than 8 hours per night Change in responsibilities at work Trouble with in-laws, or with children Outstanding personal achievement Spouse begins or stops work Begin or end of school Change in living conditions Change in personal habits (diet, exercise, etc.) Chronic allergies Trouble with boss Change in work hours or conditions Moving to new residence Presently in pre-menstrual period Change in social activities (more or less than before) Change in frequency of family get-togethers Vacation Presently in winter holiday season TOTAL SCORE = 2 100 60 60 60 45 45 45 45 40 40 35 35 35 35 35 35 30 30 25 25 25 25 25 25 20 20 20 20 20 20 15 15 15 15 10 10 10 _______ _______ If your total stress within the last 12 months totals 250 or greater, even with normal stress tolerance, you may be overstressed. Persons with low stress tolerance may be overstressed at levels as low as 150. It is crucial to understand that being overstressed can make you sick. Stress symptoms are specific to the individual and have inherited characteristics. RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF EXCESSIVE STRESS PHYSICAL COGNITIVE Elevated heart rate High blood pressure Dizzy spells Hair Loss Headaches Fatigue Digestive issues Ulcer Depressed immunity Decreased sex drive Skin rashes Frequent colds or infections • Decreased performance • Difficulty multitasking • Dazed • Disoriented • Memory dysfunction • Difficulty concentrating • Errors in judging distance and timing • Negative thinking • Suicidal thoughts • Forgetful LONG TERM: • Mental Illness (e.g. Depression) • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Weight Gain/Loss Diabetes Stroke Heart Attack EMOTIONAL • • • • • • • • • • • Shock Anger Grief Crying spells Feeling guilt Feeling overwhelmed or pressured Depression Irritability Moodiness Rage reactions Feeling frustrated BEHAVIOURAL • • • • • Sleeping difficulty Anxiety Restlessness Isolation Loss of interest, energy or enjoyment in something you used to enjoy • Destructive changes in relationships with family, friends or colleagues • Drug or alcohol abuse LONG TERM: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEALTH & WELLNESS The terms health and wellness are often used interchangeably, and although they are related, they are separate entities. According to the World Health Organization, health is “the condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain”. Wellness on the other hand, is “the process of achieving balance in all areas of life to positively affect health, quality of life and sense of well-being. 3 THE WELLNESS WHEEL Wellness is the journey of achieving balance in our lives. The “wellness wheel” is a visual representation of the 10 domains of wellness. The major concept behind this diagram is that all areas of wellness are interconnected. Furthermore, optimal wellness occurs when we achieve balance in all areas of our lives. As people move towards a state of optimal wellness, they become happier, healthier, satisfied, relaxed and tend to live life in the moment. Balanced living ensures the wellness wheel turns smoothly and creates a sense of ease as we live life. Physical Medical Social Financial Mental Optimal Wellness Intellectual Spiritual Emotional GOOD STRESS VS.Occupational BAD STRESS Environmental GOOD STRESS VS. BAD STRESS The term “stress” often has a negative connotation; however, it is important to mention that not all stress is bad. Bad stress produces signs and symptoms such disability and, eventually, even death. Jobrelated stressors and/or major events or life changes can directly or indirectly impact one or more of the wellness dimensions. For example, new recruits at OPC often feel stressed intellectually with the academic workload of OPC, occupationally with the pressure to represent their police service well, socially since they are distanced from friends and family, and physically with the lack of sleep and long days. Furthermore, you may be adjusting to a new schedule, a change in financial state, and other factors specific to your current home life. Understand that when one area of your wellness is neglected or negatively stressed, the wellness wheel becomes unbalanced and your total well-being suffers. Positive stress, is what allows us to adapt, learn, and grow as individuals. As we accumulate negative stress, we must remember to stress ourselves positively through self-awareness and education in order to grow as individuals and achieve balance in our lives. 4 THE ILLNESS-WELLNESS RELATIONSHIP In reference to the previous study, “two-thirds of officers miss about 14 days of work each year, mainly due to health problems or fatigue” (Duxbury & Higgins, 2012). The illness-wellness continuum demonstrates the relationship between stress, wellness and illness. Moving from the centre to the left shows a progressively worsening state of health. As we accumulate more stress in our lives, we experience more signs and symptoms of stress and move closer to illness, disability and, possibly, even early death. Moving to the right of center indicates increasing levels of health and well-being. The treatment model (drugs, herbs, surgery, psychotherapy, acupuncture, etc.) can bring you up to a neutral point where the symptoms of disease can be alleviated. The wellness model, which can be used at any point in the continuum, helps you move toward high levels of wellness. The wellness model is not intended to replace the treatment model, but to work in harmony with it. If you are ill, treatment is important, but don’t stop at the neutral point. Use the wellness model to move towards high-level wellness (John Travis, MD, 1972). SELF-EVALUATION Below is a ten-part questionnaire designed to help you self-evaluate your overall well-being. There are 100 questions pertaining to the ten dimensions of wellness. Answer the questions truthfully. Pay attention to which dimensions you score the highest in, and what dimensions are suffering. Score each statement according to the ranking system below. Almost always = 2 points Sometimes/occasionally = 1 point Very seldom = 0 points PHYSICAL WELLNESS _____ 1. I exercise aerobically (vigorous, continuous) for 30 minutes at least three times per week. _____ 2. I eat 3-5 balanced meals daily. _____ 3. I avoid tobacco products. _____ 4. I avoid relying on supplements for vitamins and minerals. _____ 5. I deliberately minimize my intake of cholesterol, dietary fats, and oils. _____ 6. I avoid drinking alcoholic beverages or I consume no more than one drink per day. _____ 7. I wake up feeling refreshed and ready to enjoy the day. _____ 8. I do not abuse prescription drugs. _____ 9. I am happy with my weight and have a healthy body composition. _____ 10. I frequently drink water and rarely feel thirsty. _______ Total for Physical Wellness Dimension 5 SOCIAL WELLNESS _____ 1. I contribute time and/or money to social and community projects. _____ 2. I am good at keeping in touch with my friends. _____ 3. I exhibit fairness and justice in dealing with people. _____ 4. I have a network of close friends and/or family. _____ 5. I am interested in others, including those from different backgrounds than my own. _____ 6. I like meeting new people and find it easy to strike up conversation with a stranger. _____ 7. I am able to communicate with and get along with a wide variety of people. _____ 8. I obey the laws and rules of our society. _____ 9. I am a compassionate person and try to help others when I can. _____ 10. I support and help with family, neighbourhood, and work social gatherings. _______ Total for Social Wellness Dimension OCCUPATIONAL WELLNESS _____ 1. I am happy with my career choice and look forward to work. _____ 2. I get along with my co-workers. _____ 3. My job responsibilities/duties are consistent with my values and skills. _____ 4. The payoffs/advantages in my career field choice are consistent with my values. _____ 5. I am happy with the balance between my work time, home time, and leisure time. _____ 6. I am happy with the amount of control I have in my work. _____ 7. My work gives me personal satisfaction and stimulation. _____ 8. I am happy with the professional/personal growth provided by my job. _____ 9. I feel my job allows me to make a difference in the world. _____ 10. My job contributes positively to my overall well-being. _______ Total for Occupational Wellness Dimension SPIRITUAL WELLNESS _____ 1. I feel comfortable and at ease with my spiritual life. _____ 2. There is a direct relationship between my personal values and daily actions. _____ 3. When I get depressed or frustrated, my spiritual beliefs and values give me direction. _____ 4. Prayer or meditation or quiet personal reflection is/are important in my life. _____ 5. Life is meaningful for me, and I feel a purpose in life. _____ 6. I am able to speak comfortably about my personal values and beliefs. _____ 7. I am consistently striving to grow spiritually and I see it as a lifelong process. _____ 8. I am tolerant of and try to learn about others' beliefs and values. _____ 9. I have a strong sense of life optimism and use my thoughts and attitudes in life-affirming ways. _____ 10. I appreciate the natural forces that exist in the universe. _______ Total for Spiritual Wellness Dimension INTELLECTUAL WELLNESS _____ _____ _____ _____ 1. 2. 3. 4. I am interested in learning new things. I try to keep abreast of current affairs - locally, nationally, and internationally. I enjoy attending lectures, plays, musical performances, museums, galleries, and/or libraries. I carefully select educational movies and television programs. 6 _____ 5. I enjoy creative and stimulating mental activities/games such as crosswords, sudoku, etc. _____ 6. I am happy with the amount and variety that I read. _____ 7. I make an effort to improve my verbal and written skills. _____ 8. I enrol in classes on my own time for personal interest. _____ 9. I am able to analyze, synthesize, and see more than one side of an issue. _____ 10. I enjoy engaging in intellectual discussions. _______ Total for Intellectual Wellness Dimension EMOTIONAL WELLNESS _____ 1. I am able to develop and maintain close relationships. _____ 2. I accept responsibility for my actions. _____ 3. I see challenges and change as opportunities for growth. _____ 4. I feel I have considerable control over my life. _____ 5. I am able to laugh at life and myself. _____ 6. I smile regularly. _____ 7. I know what activities and people lift my moods. _____ 8. I am able to recognize my personal shortcomings and learn from my mistakes. _____ 9. I am able to recognize my moods and express my feelings appropriately. _____ 10. I enjoy life. _______ Total for Emotional Wellness Dimension ENVIRONMENTAL WELLNESS ______1. I consciously conserve energy (electricity, heat, light, water, etc.) in my place of residence. _____ 2. I practice recycling (glass, paper, plastic, etc.) _____ 3. I am committed to cleaning up the environment (air, soil, water, etc.) _____ 4. I consciously try to conserve fuel energy and to lessen the pollution in the atmosphere. _____ 5. I encourage others to be more environmentally conscious. _____ 6. I do not use aerosol sprays. _____ 7. I do not litter. _____ 8. I enjoy spending time outdoors. _____ 9. I purchase recycled items or environmentally-friendly packaged items even if they cost more. _____ 10. I feel very strongly about doing my part to preserve the environment. _______ Total for Environmental Wellness Dimension FINANCIAL WELLNESS ______1. I am aware of how much debt I currently have. _____ 2. I understand the concept of net worth. _____ 3. I pay my credit card off monthly. _____ 4. I feel as though I make enough money to afford the necessities of life. _____ 5. I put money aside for vacations and fun within my budget. _____ 6. I have funds set aside in case of emergency. _____ 7. I am happy with my retirement plan. _____ 8. I feel as though the lifestyle I live is within my means. _____ 9. I regularly go out of my way to save money. _____ 10. I feel as though I am in control of my finances. _______ Total for Financial Wellness Dimension 7 MENTAL WELLNESS ______1. I am someone who thinks positively. _____ 2. I try to avoid sarcasm and negative humour. _____ 3. I feel confident with my body and who I am. _____ 4. I enjoy listening to others opinions and beliefs. _____ 5. I do activities that allow me to express my creativity. _____ 6. I never think about my imperfections. _____ 7. I often think about my strengths. _____ 8. I regularly engage in activities that alleviate my stress. (e.g. music, walks, baths, golfing etc.) _____ 9. I have a positive attitude when trying new things. _____ 10. I do not feel down or depressed. _______ Total for Financial Wellness Dimension MEDICAL WELLNESS ______1. I get a physical exam annually. _____ 2. I regularly wash my hands. _____ 3. I take advantage of medical benefits (e.g. massage, physio, chiro etc.). _____ 4. I make an effort to visit the doctor when I am sick. _____ 5. I have had my eyes checked within the last 2 years. _____ 6. When I get a headache, I take Advil or Tylenol immediately. _____ 7. My friends and family would classify me as a hypochondriac. _____ 8. I see the dentist at least twice annually. _____ 9. I plan to get/or do get the medical screening tests recommended for age benchmarks (e.g. 30, 40, etc.) _____ 10. I practice good overall hygiene. _______ Total for Financial Wellness Dimension Use the following table to transfer scores from each wellness domain. Use the scoring system below to help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses. Score: 15 to 20 Points - Excellent strength in this dimension. Score: 9 to 14 Points - There is room for improvement. Look again at the items in which you scored 1 or 0. What changes can you make to improve your score? Score: 0 to 8 Points - This dimension needs a lot of work. Look again at this dimension and challenge yourself to begin making small steps toward growth here. Remember: the goal is balanced wellness. 8 RECOGNIZE SUFFERING DIMENSIONS WELLNESS DOMAIN SCORE Physical Social Occupational Spiritual Intellectual Emotional Environmental Financial Mental Medical TOTAL SCORE OVERALL WELLNESS SCORE 150-200: Living Well 90-149: Satisfactory Wellness 0-80: At Risk for Illness MINIMIZE STRESS BY PRACTICING WELLNESS While stress management is extremely important for managing the uncontrollable stressors in our lives, it is important to realize that many sources of stress can be prevented by practising wellness regularly. Uncontrollable stressors include things such as work-related factors, family-related elements, circumstantial situations, major injury and illness, or death. Controllable stressors include your general attitude, beliefs, lifestyle choices, and reactions to life’s daily hassles. For example, you have no control over the nature of police work (e.g. shiftwork, predominantly sedentary, etc.); but, you can make lifestyle choices (e.g. proper nutrition, regular physical activity) that will optimize our physical wellness and enable us to effectively manage job-related stress. Similarly, you cannot predict daunting traffic jams after a stressful work day, however, you can choose how you react to the situation. If you choose to react with road rage, you are creating unnecessary emotional stress which will, in turn, disrupt the balance of your wellness wheel. Learn to recognize which stressors you have control over. 9 MANAGING WELLNESS We must take time regularly to reflect on our wellness. During that time, we must assess which dimensions of wellness are suffering and pinpoint the major sources of stress. From there, we must make a plan to manage uncontrollable stressors and eliminate controllable stressors in order to improve the suffering dimensions. Finally, and most importantly, we must consciously make an effort to act out the plan. This process should be done frequently enough so that we are continually improving each wellness dimension and moving towards the optimal state of wellness. WHO TO CONTACT FOR HELP Police services are beginning to realize the stresses and challenges faced by their employees. Today, most police service employees have direct and confidential access to the Employee Assistance Programs (EAP,) while peer support groups offer another option with many organizations. The EAP provides short-term voluntary, confidential, and professional counselling to help employees and their families deal with a variety of personal and work-related concerns. This network of dedicated professionals includes counsellors, psychologists, social workers, and specialists. The goal is to provide early intervention and support, and encourage employees to seek the professional assistance they require. The EAP provides professional assistance for a wide range of issues, including: • • • • • • • • • • • • • Personal and work-related stress Couple and marital relationships Childcare and parenting issues Eldercare concerns Depression and anxiety Alcohol and drug misuse Family matters Bereavement Legal issues Financial concerns Career issues Crisis counselling/Trauma Other concerns When you lose the ability to cope or effectively manage the stressors in your life, consider contacting your EAP for help or seek out the assistance of a recognized trained peer within your organization. EAP programs operate on a 24/7 basis. The Canada-wide contact information for the EAP available to OPS employees is 1-800-268-5211. Police service members are also the beneficiaries of robust health care benefits under their insurance providers and this offers an addition point of entry for assistance through the support of a health practitioner or other medical professional. 10 REFERENCES Anderson, Gregory A. et al. "The Physical Evidence of Police Officer Stress." International Journal of Police Strategies and Management 25.2 (2002): 399-420. Benavides, A. "Local Government Wellness Programs: A Viable Option to Decrease Healthcare Costs and Improve Productivity." Public Personnel Management 39.4 (2010): 177. CBC News. "Police Jobs Lack Work-Life Balance: Survey finds most officers are well-paid but says jobs are demanding and stress levels are high." 2012. Retrieved from CBC News Website: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2012/04/24/ottawa-police-officers-work-life-balance-study.html Collins, P. A., and A.C.C. Gibbs. 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