Burnout caused by repeated trauma

FINDLAY — According to Lt. Andrew Welch of Findlay Police Department, as long as a law enforcement officer or first responder is able to get to the end of a shift and feel they made a difference in someone's life, it's been a good day. When every day starts feeling like a bad day, he said it may be time to assess. "Burnout is when the bad days are outnumbering the good days," Welch said. Burnout doesn't arrive with lights, sirens and a sense of urgency, as first responders would arrive to an emergency — it's a slow depletion of motivation and energy over time until there's nothing left. Last spring, NPR reported the "average law enforcement officer in the United States is exposed to 188 traumatic events over the span of their career, compared with the average civilian adult experiencing two to three over their lifetime." Welch said he sees burnout in his colleagues when they start feeling like the job is just a job. It comes from repeatedly being exposed to trauma and not having a healthy outlet. "We don't get the phone call when someone is having a good day," he said. "Our job is to essentially solve the problem that gets heavy." At the Hancock County Sheriff's Office, Chief Deputy Walker said burnout often shows up as cynicism. He said it can start to occur when deputies see the same incidents from repeat offenders. "It goes back to being cynical, " Walker said. "No matter what I do for this person, they're never going to change. About 3-5% of society causes 98% of the problems." But it's the 3-5% of the population that law enforcement officers deal with daily. Walker said he believes his deputies enjoy their jobs, but over time, like any job, it can wear on them. "Being short-staffed and having to do overtime does create a lot of burden," Walker said. "It's just like the snowball effect." Zach Thomas, director of wellness and education with the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services, called burnout emotional exhaustion that is exacerbated by the constant trauma of the job. He said burnout can lead to cynicism, a lack of trust and an inability to feel accomplished. "Burnout is cumulative of all those things that just kind of weigh you down," he said. Thomas calls it "insidious trauma," the idea that it's like someone standing behind you who is tapping on your shoulder constantly. At first, it may just be annoying. Then it becomes painful and the reaction doesn't match the response. "It keeps building and building and building, that chronic stress," Thomas said. "Without taking time for self-care, reflection, just removing yourself from that environment for a bit. When you don't allow yourself those opportunities, then that contributes to burnout." Hancock County Sheriff Michael Cortez has previously echoed this sentiment, saying it's like "ducks" and "bears." Bears represent major high-risk incidents while ducks are smaller, routine calls. According to Cortez, repeated exposure to ducks can be just as damaging as the occasional bear. Because interactions with the public can escalate quickly, Thomas said officers may struggle to see the long-term impact of their work, leaving them feeling discouraged in their work. Sometimes giving everything they have simply doesn't feel like enough. Even off the clock, officers may be looking for "bears" even when none exist. A constant state of hypervigilance and "fight or flight" activation can quickly lead to exhaustion, which can lead to burnout. Both Welch and Walker noted it can take 5-10 years after entering the field for first responders to start feeling the strain. "I think what I found is that about the 7-10 year mark, you will start seeing indicators," Walker said. "About 7-10 years is when you start seeing the cynicism." When discussing warning signs of burnout, Welch said that hindsight is 20-20. According to Mental Health America's webpage, burnout can look similar to clinical depression, but some key "red-flags" include constant exhaustion, dreading responsibilities, feeling emotionally numb, feeling irritable and frequent physical symptoms. Welch notes it may also look like excess drinking, belligerent behavior or something else that may be completely out of character for that person. "Burnout is not a career-ender," Welch said. "I think you can come back from burnout, but it may be very difficult." Departments are working to intervene earlier. At the Findlay police, debriefings after difficult calls are becoming more common. "What we're trying to do is we're trying to do debriefs," he said. "We're trying to pull those officers out of the mix earlier and check on them immediately after the call." Peer-to-peer support has also been said to be beneficial. "Cops flock to cops," Welch said. Only other law enforcement agents know what they may be experiencing. But some may not want to admit they need the help. Though it may be getting better, both Welch and Walker said they believe a stigma still exists that may be difficult to fully shake — there's always a concern that seeking help will be seen as a sign of weakness. "You fall victim to that stigma," Walker said. "You have everything all together and you have to be bigger than life, 10-feet tall and bulletproof. That's simply not the case at all." It's a career that can be taxing, not just on the workforce, but also on their friends and family. The stress of the job can ripple into the home life. Because of the emotional and physical labor and overtime that is expected of most first responders, relationships can pay the toll. It's a career that's not for everyone. "We want to fix the problem," Welch said. "Not be the problem." He said the stigma has persisted for many years, but that seems to be changing. "It's okay not to be okay, and for many years that wasn't the case."