CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — May is Mental Health Awareness Month and there has been a growing need of mental health support for law enforcement officers.
The mental health of our first responders has become more of a priority for agencies as many of them suffer from PTSD, depression and anxiety.
According to the Blue H.E.L.P.organization, more than 120 police officers died by suicide in 2023. They also say that officers are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.
Denise Pace, a senior officer for the Corpus Christi Police Department. She told KRIS 6 News that, as a peer support member, the department has many resources to help others.
“I’ve seen the effects that a law enforcement career has on our officers. It breaks my heart," Pace said. "We’re trained with conducting one on ones with officers, we’ll just talk to them. We can also help facilitate the need for professional care, if they need it.”
For law enforcement in smaller departments, the need of mental health support is three times higher than the national average. But Pace said many officers do not want to receive help because of the stigma behind it.
“You’re afraid of your peers in thinking that you’re not strong enough to do the job," Pace said."There’s a stigma in reaching out for mental health anyway. And in law enforcement, it is exacerbated. We need to make it okay for our officers to feel comfortable in reaching out for help when they need.”
There are many signs that officers and their families can look out for due to the stress of the job. Also to help, the department offers training for stress management, emotional survival, surviving critical incidents, as well as officer support groups and one on one counseling.
“What we stress is that it’s okay not to be okay," Pace said.
Senior Officer Catherine McDonald emphasized the need for prioritizing an officer’s well being and mental health. Following a recent mandated well being course, McDonald said in order to help others, officers have to start by helping themselves.
“We are human too," McDonald said. "We suffer anxiety, we suffer from stress just like everybody else. For us to be strong and go out there, to do the demands of the job, we need to take care of ourselves. It starts with us first.
Officers Pace and McDonald want other officers to know that they are not alone in their journey.
Here are helpful wellness tips to help with the mental health of not only first responders, but anyone looking to improve their well being:
- Get daily exercise to improve your health
- Pick a hobby that you enjoy
- Eat healthy, regular meals
- Focus on positivity
- Maintain a proper sleeping schedule
- Plan a vacation or getaway to clear your mind
- Unplug from social media
- Lean on family and friends to help you
- Talk to a licensed professional
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