Fingal Person of the Year - Mark Reddy

FINGAL PERSON OF THE YEAR!!

At this time I had no clue that those I had proudly worked with in An Garda Siochana had come together to nominate me for the award of Fingal Community Person of the year. 

It was even more shocking when I won the section I had been nominated under! I'd be lying if I didnt say I had a tear in my eye and a feeling of shear pride that evening, and ever since. I had proudly been given two seperate awards from the Garda Representative Association previously for "working above and beyond the call of duty", one of which has only once ever been given to a member of the poblic I believe. The words humbling and pride really don't do justice to these awards.    

This was the presentation speech by Mary Kennedy of RTE

“In 2002 our next nominee established a voluntary therapeutic support service helping members of our emergency services who suffered issues with mental health and trauma. He supports individuals, primarily members of the Gardaí 24 hours a day 365 days per year, alone. He established small groups of individuals in need of support in order that they can support each other.

To expand on this voluntary service, he developed an online forum for all emergency service personnel in which he has a secured welfare section. This allows him to support more members in need, those who may have been suicidal to find a way through their crisis.

He has voluntarily advised the Garda Representative Association on best welfare practice and researched the area in order to best advocate on behalf of those in need of support. 

He would never admit that there are many successful people helping others who are alive due to his support in their recovery from poor mental health and he has done this alone and voluntarily, believing that if you are not well in yourself you cannot be well for

others. 

Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome Mark Reddy.”

Mary Kennedy RTE

Post traumatic stress disorder

Post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a serious mental health disorder which arises in a minority of people exposed to psychological trauma.

People with PTSD have distressing re-experiencing of the original trauma through flashbacks or night-mares. They tend to avoid stimuli associated with the trauma and they tend find it difficult to fall asleep, are more angry and are hyper-vigilant. These features of re-experiencing the trauma, hyper-arousal and avoidance are readily measurable. They lead to significant disruption in a person’s daily life and effect every aspect of it including social, occupational and family life.

The concept of post traumatic stress disorder achieved prominence in the 1980’s following in the wake of the experiences of trauma reported by the American survivors of the Vietnam war.

The range of experience capable of promoting post traumatic stress disorder is too wide and varied and indeed distressing to list. It is agreed however that these experiences should involve at least a risk of serious injury or death or loss of physical integrity and that the response to this event should involve intense fear, horror or helplessness.

It is important to emphasise that most people, most of the time, respond even to these dreadful events with resilience and a capacity to recover. But, unfortunately in some cases, a clinical syndrome emerges of PTSD in which there is persistent re-experiencing of the traumatic event, persistent avoidance and emotional numbing around the event. These symptoms emerge in a characteristic delayed fashion and are not just features of acute stress. PTSD emerges after a typical delay of at least 30 days.

While no particular trauma is associated with the emergence of PTSD certain characteristics are well described. The development of PTSD even in the most robust of individuals is more likely with traumas that occur early in life, traumas which are particularly horrific, including penetrative abuse, and traumas which are repeated or persistent. Some individuals experience traumas which fulfil all these three criteria, being early, horrific and persistent.

The prevalence of PTSD in populations is hard to measure. There is a wide variation in reported studies. For example, some studies suggest that up to 2% of women with traumatic childbirth will develop PTSD. Between 6 and 10% of people exposed to active combat fulfil criteria for PTSD. Whereas some studies suggest that up to 40% of people currently living in Gaza fulfil criteria for PTSD. The result is that the data on the number of people who experience this condition varies widely according to circumstance and indeed according to the nature of the trauma.

Where the condition becomes chronic and persistent, it is particularly challenging and may be disabling in the long term.  PTSD can be more disabling on individuals with co-existent psychological or mental health issues such as depression,  addiction or substance misuse.

At a neurological level, post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is associated with abnormalities in areas of the brain which process threatening information. These areas include areas in the frontal lobe as well as key areas in the temporal lobe associated with the management of memory. Psychologists will be aware of the importance of areas such as the amygdala and the hippocampus. Modern brain scanning has confirmed the importance of changes of these areas probably as a result of persistent high levels of stress hormones arising from the trauma.

Effective treatment does exist. Psychological treatment includes cognitive behavioural therapy, particularly where this has an emphasis on exposure to feared stimuli. There is also a therapy named EMDR (eye movement, desensitisation and reprocessing therapy). This is a relatively recent therapy in which elements of CBT and exposure therapy are combined with manipulation of eye movements. It requires trained therapists but there is some interesting research validating its efficacy.

The most important element of therapy is that it needs to be early and substantial. Risk factors for a poor response to therapy include a high level of arousal associated with a high level of avoidance. Where this is also combined with persistent substance misuse or alcohol dependency, the outcome can be poor.

Individuals who suffer from PTSD have experienced a real and substantial degree of psychological difficulty arising out of their misfortune. They had the misfortune to be exposed to a horrific, often violent and life threatening experience which alters, for a substantial period of time, their management of stress and their ability to adapt to life. It is a great pity that we are in a world that you have to experience stigma if you have a mental health issue.

Written by the wonderful:

Professor Jim Lucey, Medical Director, St. Patrick's University Hospital

Am I in a “High- Risk” Job?

By Dr Jo Clarke and Dr. Michael Carroll

Introduction

There are some jobs which, of their very nature, leave individuals open to danger. Often called “critical occupations”, these jobs are unique in that professionals can encounter traumatic events which may, under certain circumstances, exert critical impact on their psychological well-being. It’s not difficult for most of us to name the kinds of jobs we are talking about. Emergency service personnel and disaster responders are two clear examples where front-line workers face acute risk owing to the nature of their work. Body recovery after natural disasters, removal of victims from vehicle crashes, attending scenes of terrorist activity can all be readily identified as situations likely to challenge any individual’s psychological equilibrium. Drawing up an inclusive list of ‘critical occupations’ would be a considerable challenge, but no doubt Garda would feature high on the list.

An organisational strategy to enhance the well-being of staff working with the most difficult, disruptive and damaged prisoners held in High Security prison discrete units in England has been devised. Much of what is now in place is very applicable to organisations and individuals in other environments e.g., police, fire brigade.

Traumatic Events and Well Being

A traumatic event is one that is outside of the range of usual human experience and that would be markedly distressing to almost anyone. Examples given of such events include threat to life or physical integrity or seeing another person being seriously injured or killed. Clearly, front line emergency responders (like the Garda) face such events frequently.

From research and from reviewing backgrounds to help outline and implement the well being strategy above a number of factors has merged:

• It’s not just the events that can traumatise. How individuals react to events is vitally important (there will be individual differences here). Age, gender, length or service and previous history of trauma are all factors in how stressful an event can be.

• Interestingly, organisational practices will also impact e.g., For example, organisations characterised by high levels of bureaucracy, internal conflicts regarding responsibility, persistent use of established procedures (even in novel situations), and a strong motivation to protect the organisation from blame or criticism, have all been found to increase the risk of poor post-trauma outcome Conversely, positive organisational practices, such as adoption of autonomous response systems, consultative leadership styles, training to develop adaptive capacity, and tolerance of procedural flexibility, can all enhance the likelihood of positive outcomes

• Finally, events removed from the work context, but significant to the individual, also need to be understood if risk potential is to be managed. For example, in a study of prison and community-based sex offender treatment providers, respondents who had experienced a non-work related adverse event in the previous six months, also reported significantly higher levels of dissatisfaction with their organisations. Such events included illness, relationship breakdown, house moves and so on.

An engaged workforce is identified by high levels of resilience, characterised in turn by the ability to bounce back from negative emotional experiences despite threats to the individual. This is illustrated by staff who are competent, autonomous, understand the difference they can make to their work place and have personal values and beliefs that fit the needs of the role they undertake. Consequently, an engaged and resilient workforce is one that has low rates of turnover, low levels of sick absence and high levels of performance. The development and maintenance of such should arguably then be the number one priority for both individuals and organisations in the critical occupations business. How can we ensure such a workforce exists?

Interventions

Our well-being model included three sets of interventions: primary, secondary and tertiary. The first two aim to prevent stress occurring in the first place. Tertiary interventions are those put in place to support individuals if distress is experienced.

Primary interventions are concerned with the individual. They cover issues of selection, training and preparation of the individual to undertake a critical role. In addition to skills and competencies to do the job, self-care skills also need to be considered (psychological self-maintenance). The aim here is not to deselect staff who have yet to acquire the requisite skills, competencies or values to stay psychologically well and perform highly, but to generate a profile that enables the individual and organisation to work together to achieve such a position if potential is shown to do the job.

Further interventions concerns the job itself, and relate to the workplace, the work force and the work people do. Here, consideration needs to be given to the environment, organisational policies and procedures, on-the-job support, frequency of exposure to traumatic events, recognition of distress and so on. However, recognition and understanding of the impact that dynamic factors can have on well-being enables appropriate responses at both the individual and organisational level. Disclosure by a worker of difficult family circumstances, for example, can enable a manager to initiate different support options; understanding the impact on the team of a new manager can allow apposite preparation and so on. Intervention here would be an example of secondary prevention. Tertiary responses might include referral to a mental health professional or counsellor, adjustment of work demands, retraining and so on.

Consultation

With the support of the prison’s senior managers (essential to the perception of meaningful intervention), a five stage process was initiated. This included:
1. Focus groups with frontline staff to identify their perceptions of barriers to well-being and high performance.
2. Examination of which of these (if any) could be removed or changed.
3. Use of training in how to manage the demands of work that cannot be adjusted.
4. Consideration of best methods to support managers.
5. Consideration of new ways of working to encourage resilience.


Practical Strategies

A number of practical interventions were proposed. To aid the management of physical energy, regular formalised breaks were introduced. Five to 10 minutes in every 90 was recommended, with team members physically leaving their work stations for that period of time. Some team members additionally opted to undertake a lunchtime exercise programme to augment their physical energy. To assist with the renewal of emotional energy, formal debriefs were recommended to provide team members with an opportunity to off-load the issues at the end of each day. Voluntary sessions with a mental health professional or counsellor were also offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. To help staff remain mentally engaged, a rotation system was recommended, whereby team members moved between the tasks needing to be undertaken. In addition to the above, preparedness training was also advised. Training in psychological self-maintenance skills, emotion management and the nature of psychological distress can enable staff to feel equipped and empowered to manage their emotional reaction as it arises, rather than feel overwhelmed or baffled by it.

Training focused on the development of psychological self-maintenance skills. As most practitioners in high risk jobs would probably affirm, training in the skills to do ones job is often comprehensive, but in the skills to look after oneself, non-existent. Based on the principles of emotional detachment, the programme describes the behavioural and psychological process of stressful responding. Attendees generate their own risk profile and then practice methods for managing risky elements and enhancing protective ones. An empirical evaluation of the programme when used with police officers demonstrated significant increases in job satisfaction and reduced absenteeism.

Well-being in critical occupations

Clearly, organisations have a duty of care to their employees to generate working environments that are as safe as possible. Individuals also have a duty of care to themselves to ensure they avail themselves of all opportunities to stay psychological well in the work context. These responsibilities are likely to be most effectively executed where there is a genuine desire to enhance performance and well-being through consultation and collaboration. Organisations that impose support structures from the top down are unlikely to reap the benefits of their intentions. It should not be surprising that many of the interventions included in our Well-being strategy, were also recommended by frontline staff –testament to staff’s wisdom, experience and intuition for what works in enhancing their well-being.

Many thanks to both Dr Jo Clarke and Dr. Michael Carroll for allowing me to publish their article.

"Recession and its Impact" (Garda Review)

Recession and its impact

Published in the Garda Review March 2009

Mark Reddy writes on the impact of recession on our mental welfare.

Ireland has been dealt a blow from which we will not fully recover for many years; it impacts us financially, but to a much greater extent mentally.

Life involved working long hours, spending money and getting on the property ladder. We dialled a phone to have our dinner delivered. Those that delivered our meals drove bigger cars than us. Our TVs are flat, our floors wooden and our homes expensive; we were unconcerned taking loans and banks offered us credit beyond the norm; the most frugal of us living beyond our means, and why not? Sure weren’t we all in the same boat.

But then the unimaginable happened. We have at least one friend on the dole, you can’t pick up a paper without reading of cutbacks, a failing housing market, increased levies and pending strikes and disputes. Everyone has an opinion but few a long term solution.

Faced with decreased salaries and a high cost of living, some invested in a second home and now have this added burden, others involved family in guaranteeing loans, plans for retirement may now be completely halted. The impact of this on our sense of worth and social status brings pressure on ourselves and our families, bringing despair.

We might find ourselves completely exhausted, overrun by stress and in fear for the future. This change in our circumstances impacts on our sense of security to adapt and meet these new challenges. Some are able to cope and adapt but others are not and these are the people we need to support. Failure to adapt will impact on our abilities to see anything positive in life. Blinded by our inability to cope and adapt results in helplessness and this sense of insecurity, worry and stress will, if not treated lead the vulnerable to the onset of other psychiatric illnesses.
We may comfort seek unhealthy behaviours such as alcohol and drug abuse, overeating or other addictive behaviours, all of which will add to our difficulties.

Untreated, the long term negative impacts of anxiety can lead to depression and a sense of hopelessness. Hopelessness can be a predictor to suicide and needs addressing. Depression can impact on health and ability to fend off illness. Hopelessness will increase the risk of those we place most demands on; they risk deterioration in their own health and mental well being. The impact of not addressing our issues will have a greater impact on our loved ones.

When we are aware of the facts we are better able to adapt and change our behaviours and outlooks in order to be better able to deal with the issues at hand. It’s imperative to know that firstly that none of us are alone in this.

If you find yourself in this position seek help. Don’t overcomplicate by imaging others don’t want to know. An ability to express fears and concerns will give the opening to others to do the same. Look to family for support; ask yourself would you give help to someone in need, if so then you can bet that others will do the same for you. Deal first with stresses that are impacting on you and your health.

Deal with the practical worries in a practical way, gardaí have several agencies they can approach, primarily the garda Employee Assistance Service. Outside of this there are many services established to provide professional care and advice.

Don’t be afraid to seek advice and support and believe in yourself that you have the strength to get through this and learn some valuable lesson while doing so. We are at a time when we have to assess what is valuable to us. Some things are more important than others.

Many thanks to Neil Ward Editor of the Garda Review for his kindness and support.

TEARS OF A COP

I have been where you fear to go...
I have seen what you fear to see...
I have done what you fear to do...
All these things I've done for you.

I am the one you lean upon...
The one you cast your scorn upon...
The one you bring your troubles to...
All these people I've been for you.

The one you ask to stand apart...
The one you feel should have no heart...
The one you call the man in blue...
But I am human just like you.

And through the years I've come to see...
That I'm not what you ask of me...
So take this badge and take this gun...
Will you take it? Will anyone?

And when you watch a person die...
And hear a battered baby cry...
Then so you think that you can beA
ll those things you ask of me...?

"Tears Of A Cop" - author unknown

TIME FOR CHANGE IN AN GARDA SIOCHANA

Garda Review in 2006 (UnEdited Version).

An Garda Siochana is the Irish Police Service. The Garda Review is a monthly journal issued to over 20,000 readers on a monthly basis through the Garda Representative Association.

Time for change

The work of An Garda Siochana can be highly stressful at times, and is one of the few jobs where one continually faces the effects of murders, violence, accidents and serious personal injury. Some of the duties of Gardaí can be inherently dangerous and others can suddenly become so. You can witness scenes of great trauma and are exposed to personal danger; routinely – yet it is evident that these incidents are handled and dealt with in a professional manner.

Occasionally a particularly bad episode or incident may linger and present problems for the individual. Even the most ordinary and mundane of jobs can become stressful at times. Members pledge an oath to conduct your duties without fear, favour, malice or ill will towards others. This in itself is both an honour and a burden, and carries with it a responsibility that goes far beyond the typical nine to five working day.

When you look around and ask yourself, does the responsibility of your position equal the level of support you receive? If you believe it does then you might like to stop reading now. It is my belief that An Garda Síochána requires a stand alone comprehensive therapeutic support service designed for members of the force; a service that offers each member and their families if required the opportunity to express any concerns and difficulties they may have. A service that will if possible attend scenes of trauma to provide you with support and information on accessing appropriate support, that will help co-ordinate or offer debriefing sessions along with your peer support service, all with confidentiality that meets strict professional standards.

This proposed service should represent a collection of on-going identified issues and present them to Garda management in order to bring about positive and lasting change for each individual member of the force and the organisation as a whole. I propose that all members who suffer trauma should be mandated to attend such therapy as a matter of course, in this way the stigma that exists within AGS in relation to therapeutic intervention will be lifted completly. I base this belief on research I carried out in October 2004 into The Need for a Confidential Support Service within An Garda Síochána, and on such research as the Health, Safety and Welfare in An Garda Síochána, commissioned by the Garda Representative Association (GRA) in 2003. The latter highlighted many health and safety concerns throughout the force.

I also base this belief on my experience, as I have worked in the caring profession for over twelve years - gaining extensive first hand experience of having to work through crisis and trauma, and over many years as a qualified therapist I have worked voluntarily with and helped people who suffer stress, Anxiety, False Allegation and Isolation in the workplace and life in general. The services that I am recommending are not only important to the overall health and welfare of each member of the force but is also a service that will benefit the organisation, as a healthier workforce makes for a better service all round.

“One way of anticipating risk and providing relief from stress is to offer counselling services”.

Prof. Michael Carroll

The research that I carried out was based on issuing a number of ‘stations questionnaires’, and interviewing a number of officers at a face to face level. I received a 91% response to my questionnaire, it is normally expected that a survey of this type would receive a level of around 5% response, the level of time and energy each of those surveyed took to express their concerns made for alarming reading.

Of those surveyed, 68% said they would use a confidential support service if offered one and 75% of those interviewed said they would also use such a service. Another question asked how you cope with stress? Nobody indicated they would seek support from senior officers, 36% indicated they have ‘a few drinks’, 29% said they would talk things through with their family or partner; while 41% indicated that they just get on with the job and hope it will pass.

All appear to be ways of coping with the stresses of the job - but some will in fact add to and may even compound such issues. This does not reflect the difficulties families may have in helping a member through such times of stress and upset. With 83% of those questioned in the survey said they felt fearful when working, all of those interviewed said they too felt fearful when working. Fear is a natural response to identified potential dangers. Another question asked ‘do you feel isolated from the public?’ and this yielded a 71% response indicating ‘yes’. This in itself directly affects the mission of the Garda as a service for the public.

It is a Garda’s mission to protect the personal dignity and human rights of the community. Surely each member should be respected and have their dignity protected as well?

The study commissioned by the GRA into the Health, Welfare and Safety in An Garda Síochána showed a damming picture of working conditions in ten stations throughout the country. Poor working conditions and environment will add to the level of stress, unhappiness and isolation. The nature of the job is stressful; most would be aware of this before joining and I am sure that it becomes increasingly more obvious as the career progresses. However, this does not take away from the fact that such an obvious stress-filled job should have sufficient and proactive counter measures of support through these times that cause concern. All of those interviewed said the job had become more stressful since they joined the force.

A definition of stress can be seen as “the non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it.”
Dr. Hans Selye

In the case of Gardaí this demand may be the constant and real threat of violence and the changing needs of the working environment. Working time can be perceived as times of quiet boredom through to times of crisis and trauma. It’s the changes in environment that results in the body having to adapt; these changes are immediate and automatic and the resulting stress can help the person to perform and meet the challenges presented - or it can be negative and present in the form of distress which can make someone upset and unwell.

The reaction humans have to stress results in chemical changes in the body, the stimulant hormone adrenaline increases that pours into the blood stream with other hormones producing changes in our bodies designed to protect us, this can be seen as the ‘fight or flight response’ - it provides both the energy and strength needed to either stay and fight or to run away from the perceived danger.

Gardaí can face this response several times throughout each working shift; which I believe can increase the negative affects of stress. To control and help this there have to be changes; change in behaviour, beliefs, ways of thinking, lifestyle and subsequently environment.

When we deal with the causes of stress we can help elevate it, in the case of members of An Garda Síochána, one way of helping is to provide a service that allows the individuals a safe and secure place to work-through their perceptions and difficulties. This in turn can help to relieve the problems and symptoms and also help develop the understanding, awareness and coping skills of the individual, helping them to be more readily able to deal with the everyday and real stressors of the job.

The issues of stress and therapeutic support in police work are considered to be vital in many police forces throughout the world. In the UK they have a number of welfare associations catering for the needs of their officers. In the majority of forces throughout the UK there are internal counseling and therapeutic support services offering confidential support to those officers in specialist roles - and all serving members. These services are supported and funded by management and government alike.

In Sweden the welfare and well-being of rank-and-file police officers is vital to their modernisation process. They realize the high-risks associated with the policing profession. In September 2003, the National Police Board in Sweden outlined the need for psychosocial support for police officers and recognised the immense need for both crisis support and preventive measures in catering for the welfare of its officers. They realized that policing has an inherent risk attached to it that can’t be minimized, but they have increased their efforts and time into developing support services and therefore prevent and minimizing the detrimental effects of such situations.

In An Garda Siochana there is a committed team of only seven welfare officers; one sergeant and one inspector assigned to the welfare needs of over 12,000 members. This level of support is considered by management to be sufficient and consider the welfare needs of those working through such difficult situations to be well served by this complement.

The 2003 report into health, safety and welfare highlighted that even basic health and safety legislation from 1989 was not enforced in the Garda Síochána. The authorities in Sweden have prioritized these issues. Most recently in Northern Ireland, some 5000 claimants of the PSNI are taking legal action against the Chief Constable of the PSNI over the lack of psychological support being offered to those that suffered stress as a result of carrying out their duties. These cases will not centre on the extent of such trauma suffered, but whether the successive Chief Constables and police authority had a duty, in law, to care for their officers to protect them from trauma, or at least, from its consequences. (Quote)“…in Northern Ireland, some 5000 claimants of the PSNI are taking legal action against the Chief Constable of the PSNI over the lack of psychological support being offered to those that suffered stress as a result of carrying out their duties.”


This will highlight the need of both the management and government to take the issue of welfare and therapeutic Support more seriously. Hopefully this will add an incentive to move in line with the many police forces throughout the world - and that this will happen before officers here suffer enough to seek compensation like their colleagues in the North.

My research indicates a belief by some that members are not being respected, understood, appreciated or supported by management. One Garda anonymously stated, “Abused by the public, used by the state and hated by the media; while doing a job that none of them would do.” This embodies a view of a service that is in need.

“The most widespread negative effect of work on mental health is stress”
World Health Organization, Ministerial Conference on Mental Health.

The role of policing appears in general to be tough, strong and insular. Of those surveyed 71% said they would have difficulty sharing the issue of stress with their colleagues. This inability and difficulty for some to ask for support continues to perpetuate the perceived culture that you don’t need support. Sadly this attitude is old and redundant and it is up to you to change it. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”.

Were do you stand? Hoping it will pass, drinking or talking with friends or family. In my survey, 76% said they never feel supported in their jobs. I can tell you that the first line of organisational support should come from those in a position to effect change and offer support, the second line comes from the members themselves and the third line in this case comes from the public - who appear to judge members of the Force on a mixture of newspaper reports, rumour and innuendo; but have a responsibility to support their service and demand change if required.

Now, there has never before been so much written about the Gardaí, all seemingly negative and that must make the life of a Garda even more difficult. The work of Gardaí has also changed drastically over recent years there has been an increase in violent crime, drugs and firearms offences. Members are expected to meet these issues head-on with what appears to be little support. Even in the face of the research there continues to be little change in acknowledging that extra support is required.

Through it all members continue to provide a service that, for the majority of the public, is appreciated and respected. Yet this does not appear to be reflected in the treatment by those who can effect change. It is the firm belief of those who support you that the development of this type of support service is the start of this change. Members have many committed people working on your behalf in the form of welfare officers and the representative associations. Now is the time to work towards the positive and lasting change.

By Mark Reddy

This link is to the list of Executive Members of the GRA: http://www.gra.cc/executive.shtml
This is a link to a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Site:
http://www.trauma-pages.com/trauma.php#SYMP

PLEASE CLICK ON ANY OF THE RELATED ARTICLES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IN CONFIDENCE ON STRESSKILLS@GMAIL.COM

HELP

Stress Reactions in Policing (An Garda Siochana)

Published Garda Review in 2007.

The members of the Grada Representative Association (GRA) and its CEC work tirelessly on behalf of all rank and file members of An Garda Siochana to bring about positive and lasting change in relation to Health, Safety and Welfare within the force. http://www.gra.cc/

INTRO
We need a certain amount of stress to function; but what actually is it?
Stress is experienced regularly. We require a certain amount of it to get through tasks, keep us focused and motivated. The problems occur when our body and mind is subjected to high levels of stress for extended periods of time. This is further heightened if we perceive certain situations to be life threatening, harmful to our health or to our sense of self.

These incidences may lead to distress, a natural defence mechanism designed for our bodies to respond to such perceived times of danger; known as ‘flight or fight’. At such times our body creates high levels of stress hormones such as epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine (noradrenaline) dopamine and cortisol, which has harmful effects; that contribute to increases in blood pressure and blood sugar levels and may cause infertility in women. It suppresses the immune system as well as damaging long term memory.

DEVASTATING

The overall hormonal reaction can wear down both body and subsequently emotions; people under distress can often become emotional, irritable, anxious, have difficulty making decisions and even suffer from symptoms of depression and insomnia. If that weren’t enough, sufferers can also expect biological stress-related illnesses and conditions such as weight loss, lethargy, stomach complaints, high blood pressure and even heart attacks. These issues have devastating effects.

It’s obvious why the World Health Organisation’s experts in health and welfare consider policing to be one of the most stress-inducing professions.
Garda work is challenging; traumatic events such as death from violence, accident or suicide, as well as witnessing, securing and reporting such incidences the job then expects that the member informs family members of the tragedy.

Within policing many different aspects provide extremely stress-inducing incidences and strains that can deeply affect both the life of the Garda and their families. Members involved in routine duties potentially face harrowing, challenging and dangerous situations throughout a shift. Other specialist units dealing with such areas as child abuse and child-related areas are not only challenged by the inherent dangers associated with front line duties but also the challenges they face to their own attitudes, cultural beliefs and personal values.

Criminality and social disorder is a side of society most don’t see.Members can be immersed into aspects of society deemed as depraved and violent yet are then expected to finish a shift and enter back into ‘normal’ society; back to family and friends with little opportunity to address the challenges faced on each shift.

FALSE ALLEGATIONS

The operational aspects of policing can be difficult, but when a policeman or policewoman is investigated for their role in carrying out their jobs they can find themselves to be completely isolated and alone to face endless possibilities that may affect them and their families for the rest of their lives.
I have worked with individuals on the wrong end of false allegations arising directly from stress-filled working environments and the level of damage to all aspects of one’s life is immense and devastating. The area of disciplinary procedures is an area that requires high levels of support, communication, understanding and pro-active research to address the needs of individuals under investigation.

Within an organisation the issues of stress are far reaching and are experienced at every level from the new recruit trying to fit in, to the most senior of management positions charged with the operational duties and the responsibilities to each member.

The culture of police work is insular and strong; issues of stress are still, sadly and naively, considered by some to be issues of weakness that are best not discussed or addressed. The truth is simple: the negative affects of stress are very real and will be a major factor in low morale, health and productivity if they are not addressed effectively.

The most serious problems faced by the Force may have stress-related roots. Serious aspects of stress are often a symptom of poor employment relations and have serious implications for the individual and the organization. Those that may suffer from the negative affects of stress at senior levels may find it hard if not impossible to change with the times, as change can be very difficult for most to accept and requires individuals to leave their safe comfort zones.

OLD RULES

A symptom of such for those in a leadership role maybe to compensate by enforcing ill conceived and old rules to the letter of the law in order to keep an internal sense of achievement, while shying away from making adaptations that will add to the process of change, it's easier at times to not challenge and fight for change in an environment that may be negative towards you for doing so. Such issues can result in a breakdown in communication, a dividing of opinion, frustration, anger and a lack of open transparent communication resulting in many more problems.

Within such environments the right of the individuals to have their own opinions can be lost and censored. The right of people to change their minds can be seen as a weakness and the right to ask for help can be seen as an inability to do ones job. Fear to challenging such issues can also be great as there is a very real openly reported sense within AGS that to challenge such concerns will lead to you being “gotten” in the future, either by impacting on your promotion options or added and undue pressure to conform or leave the service.

This too adds to the overall stress levels, frustration and low moral of the workforce. So for some it’s easier not to make decisions, not to raise your head above that parapet. This way of doing things however understandable not only diminishes an individual’s rights but burdens those prepared to challenge the system for the right reasons to be isolated and ridiculed.

The negative effects of stress affect all levels of the organisation and will continue to do so if not addressed. If addressed properly however with acceptance and openness the benefits will be great.

Another area not discussed in regard to stress both for the individual and the organisation is the damage it has on one’s sense of self or one’s ‘self concept’. This is one’s understanding of who you are or an organization’s understanding of what it is. We form our self concept through introspection (looking inward at oneself) and through feedback back from others (the Force has had considerable negative feedback through the press).
An example of this conflict might be when individuals choose to drink or smoke to excess in order to attempt to cope with such things as stress. They know that this is both unhealthy and does not help, yet tend to justify it in order to try and elevate the sense of inner conflict. This spirals into a cycle of further unhappiness.

POSE A REAL THREAT

The World Health Organisation states that up to half of workers in industrialized countries experience psychological stress. Environmental stressors such as hazardous conditions are one cause, but occupational stress also results from work organization -workload, lack of autonomy and control over work, shift work, wage scales and routine, repetitive work. Stress associated with work has been shown to contribute to cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal problems and other conditions.”

The International Labour Committee reviewed a study of potential sources of stress among Scottish police officers which indicated that the stressors stemming from organizational aspects, such as perceived staff shortages, inadequate resources, time pressures and lack of communication were more significant than those relating to police work. It found that “officers under stress could pose a real threat to their own safety and that of others”.
Coping mechanisms to avoid thinking or dealing with such conditions include over working, using alcohol, self medicating or ‘just getting on with it’. This in part I believe extends from the culture of police work which covertly dictates that signs of genuine stress and difficulty are considered to be signs of weakness, yet for someone to acknowledge their sense of stress and difficulty is a sign of great strength and personal awareness.

The role of a Garda requires emotional health and well being. People with good emotional health are in control of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. They feel good about themselves and have good relationships. They can keep problems in perspective and act with clarity and insight. Good mental health is a key piece of equipment, the one ‘dependent variable’ that you rely on daily. Stability of thought allows you to make quick, appropriate decisions and deal with difficulties as they arise. Without this stability the frustrations and stressors of the job may make the decision process difficult and may result in doing things based on stress and frustration arising from the day to day duties associated with the job.

STRONG MIND

The management of stress and providing counselling is a key issue for emergency services workers. Many can be seriously psychologically affected by incidents of trauma specifically related to death, injury, contracting diseases and life-threatening situations. For those who have survived and got through such incidents there can be often times of avoidance and difficulty accepting that they may have been affected, followed by periods of stress or even acute and post-traumatic stress disorders. A study carried out on emergency service workers in New South Wales reported that about “30% of respondents had experienced stress severe enough to seek help, but 39% of these did not seek help for various reasons. Only 9% reported that the information on the availability of such help was given to them during initial training.

There are many things that cannot be done to make the job of policing easier but there are the basics that can be in place; more professionally-trained support officers by way of a better supported EAP Service, proper and up to date equipment, more pro-active training in the areas of stress management and communications and proper working conditions. For An Garda Siochana there is an essential requirement and need for an Internal Garda Specific Unit of Trained non member Psychologists/Therapists providing individual Confidential Therapeutic Support designed to care for Police Officers and their families in complete confidence, to attend where possibly scenes of trauma and crisis to support members and to advise on policy in order to support the future requirements of all members in need.

Employers have a duty of care to their staff to assess the risk of stress related ill health and to control that risk, this requires the identification of risk at source which has been raised in research carried out by myself, health and safety research carried out by Dr Garavan of Limerick University and other work such as research carried out Prof. Cary Cooper in which he confirms that “stress at work does exist” and that one in five people are stressed at work.

It is important to note that a Garda Specif Confidential Therapeutic Support Service for which I support will not counteract the full extent of problems faced, but it will go a long way to establishing change and supporting those that need it. However, the focus should never be removed from the responsibilities of the organisation to deal with their duty of care and the fundamental issues of the emotional health and welfare of their employees. Although, if in place it should be madatory for members who experience trauma during their working shift to have to attend therapy as a matter of course, in this regard the stigma of seeing a therapist is removed completly.

The areas of unhappiness, workplace stress and the need of people to seek support should not be seen as an individual problem but as an area that needs to be addressed as an organisational issue. These are not disciplinary issues or issues to be ignored, it takes a strong mind to know when to ask for support and it takes a committed and caring organisation to embrace change and offer the most effective support possible knowing that it will continue to enhance the overall and exceptional service offered.

By Mark Reddy

Editor: Neil Ward Garda Review

http://www.worklifebalance.ie/

This is a link to an article on Debriefing and PTSD that should be reviewed by all involved in the Emergency Services LINK

Please see the related articles in regard to Stress and Policing and Stress and the Emergency Services by either clicking here or looking under November. Contact me or leave your comments in regard to any issues raised.

HELP

Confidential Support Services for An Garda Siochana

Irish Indopendent Article By Sarah Murphy
Garda therapy service 'could help avert stress claim fiasco

Gardai hold the line against protesters in Dublin last month. A survey found 68pc of gardai want official counselling and support services to deal with stress.
A CONFIDENTIAL THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT and counselling service for stressed gardai is needed to avoid legal action by officers, it was warned last night.

Dermot O'Donnell, president of the Garda Representative Association (GRA), said that unless some "real intervention" is taken by the Government or some special mechanism put in place, gardai could follow the example of officers in the North who are suing the Chief Constable of the PSNI.

Some 5,000 claimants against the PSNI are taking legal action over the lack of psychological support being offered to those suffering stress in the course of duty. Horrendous

Mr O'Donnell said much stress suffered by the country's 12,000 officers is due to bullying in part in the workplace. "Bullying is the greatest single source of stress for gardai in the workplace. It is horrendous and hideous in nature. Policies and procedures need to be put in place at every rank level to stop this," he said. He noted anecdotal evidence that at least one officer has taken his life due to work stress, centred around bullying.

He referred to research carried out by Mark Reddy, a counsellor for 13 years, who since 2002 has run a voluntary support service for gardai. His research showed that 68pc of officers questioned in a survey indicated they wanted an official support service. Alongside having to deal with murders, other violence, accidents and serious personal injury, the survey found workplace bullying to be a serious issue.

The survey, 'The Need for a Confidential Support Service within An Garda Siochana', shows that a staggering 76pc of officers questioned at several stations in Dublin do not feel they are supported in their jobs.
A further 71pc said they would have difficulty sharing problems of stress with colleagues. One question asked how officers cope with stress in their jobs. None of the respondents indicated they would seek support from senior officers, 36pc indicated they would have a few drinks, 29pc said they would talk things through with family or a partner, and 41pc said they just get on with the job and hope the problem will pass.

A further 83pc of those questioned in the survey said they felt fearful at some point when working, and some 71pc said they felt isolated from the public.

Confidence
"This in itself directly affects the mission of the Garda as a service for the public. An Garda Siochana requires a comprehensive therapeutic support service; a service that offers each member, and their families if required, the opportunity to express any concerns and difficulties they may have, in safety and in confidence," Mr Reddy said.

A service that would bring about positive and lasting change on the issue was needed, he insisted. This would not just be individually important to gardai but would benefit the organisation as a whole, he continued. "Such a service would not be a huge strain on the Government's financial purse."

Mr Reddy said the issues of stress and therapeutic support are considered vital in many police forces throughout the world. In the UK there are a number of welfare associations catering for the needs of officers. The Gardai as a unique service require a unique solution which intails the establishment of a stand alone government confidential therapeutic support service specifically designed for the Gardai Mr Reddy stated.

In the majority of UK forces there are internal counselling and therapeutic support services offering confidential backing to those officers in specialist roles, or anyone who needs it. The services are supported and funded by management and the British government.

In Sweden, the welfare and wellbeing of rank-and-file police officers is vital to their modernisation process.

The research highlights the need to take the matter seriously, Mr Reddy said. "Hopefully this will add an incentive to move in line with the many police forces throughout the world - and this will happen before officers here suffer enough to seek compensation like their colleagues in the North," Mr Reddy added. "The results indicate a belief by some that members are not being respected, understood, appreciated or supported by management."

Published 2005
Author: Sarah Murphy Sunday Indopendent.
Researcher: Mark Reddy

Garda Support Proposal

By Mark Reddy

Garda Review 2008

Background 

Policing is considered to be one of the most stressful and at times challenging careers to be undertaken. It is estimated by the World Health Organisation that within any work environment approximately 12% of the workforce can be affected negatively by the adverse effects of stress, of this 12% it is expected that 4% will require intervention of a therapeutic nature. Further studies of minor psychiatric disorders in working populations indicate a prevalence of between 270 and 370 per 1,000 employees. Most of these disorders are believed to arise as a result of excessive stress either in personal life or at work.  These conditions are an important determinant of sickness and absence, and are the second most common cause of absences lasting more than 21 days. Work effectiveness and staff turnover are also affected and the economic cost to industry is enormous.

It is safe to say that within Policing these figures can be estimated comfortably as being higher at times. It is impossible to ascertain how many members of An Garda Siochana actually go sick from the job due to the adverse affects of stress and trauma. This in part is as a result of the culture within Policing in general. that sees such issues as either weak, the simple fact is stress and trauma are not discussed, it has recently been indicated that within the training environment of Templemore Members are encouraged to support one and other and to consider the effects of stress, however, sadly it would seem that on the ground and within stations that sense of openness and acceptance is lost.

Policing as a profession goes beyond the typical nine to five working day and involves the most extreme forms of human contact; violence, murder, suicide, road carnage, conflict and serious personal injury. The culture within Policing is considered insular in nature and in my experience this directly impacts and adversely affects the way members seek support and deal with issues of a traumatic nature. The impact of trauma and stress on members of An Garda Siochana is pervasive and damaging to the individual members themselves and their families; impacting on morale and the service quality. There is no doubt that a healthy work environment is one in which staff have made health and health promotion a priority and part of their working lives. Having an effective Confidential Occupational Support service ensures this provision is supplied on the ground to all that need it.

Independent research carried out by myself clearly demonstrates that members feel isolated from the public, in fear, and are neither understood nor supported by the authorities. Of those questioned, 71% said they could not discuss stress with their colleagues, no respondent would seek support from their senior officers, 76% said they were not supported in their jobs. 

Encouragingly, 68% said that they would use a confidential support service if it were provided. 


Current Thinking 

Distress and trauma are being dealt with through a culture of non-acceptance and avoidance which can lead to worsening depression, abuse of alcohol and drugs and dependence in the most tragic of cases. Privately members will themselves discuss this openly; it was at one time discussed in online forums were members could conceal their identities however even this appears to have reached the stage were this form of confidential discussion is becoming more covert through the use of confidential private messaging.

Over the years I have heard and supported members strictly voluntarily who are left a drift in a sea of upset and trauma stemming from having no confidence in the support that is on offer within the service and their utter sense of upset, frustration and resentment at how such issues are apparently looked upon with the organisation as a whole. It would be common for members in need to consider that the politics of the organisation, their difficulty in accepting change and fear of being considered liable in someway are the contributing factors to the lack of open discussion and debate in regard to changing policy and developing an appropriate confidential support service for all members and their families..  
  
The one constant defining factor in every member’s arsenal is their mental health and without this members are prone to make mistakes, become unwell and not carry out their duties to the best of their abilities. Members go from scenes of stress and trauma on a routine basis in each shift and are expected to remain un-phased, professional and alert at all times. I can confidently say that without proper supports many members’ health and ability to carry out their duties effectively will never be achieved fully, resulting in a less professional and proactive service for the public for whom they serve.   

Solution 

All possible avenues of support have been examined, researched and discussed in regard to the unique needs of those within this organisation. There is an immediate requirement for a Confidential Therapeutic Support Service for all Gardaí and their families. Studies have shown that confidentiality above all else is the corner stone to success in any such services. Considering this and the current research in regard to the need for therapeutic support and in order to encourage usage of such a service I propose that any such service is a standalone confidential, with effective powers to influence policy change and advise in regards to issues of a welfare nature within the force. 

A service that provides therapeutic support in strictest confidence manned by qualified and experienced therapists of the highest calibre. A service that can when possible attend scenes of trauma to offer members on the ground immediate and proactive support. It should be noted that it is widely accepted and supported by published research that any monies spent on effective staff support provisions results in a return and increase of such funds through worker productivity and a lack of absences through sicknesses. 

I also propose that all members who experience trauma are required to attend such therapeutic support. By removing choice after experiencing trauma it elevates the stigma that most consider to be present if they seek support without it being a routine part of Garda Policy, this begins the process of change in culture and understanding of such processes.   

Trauma and distress have a very narrow window of time in which appropriate supports should be accessed. This is widely accepted in police forces throughout the democratic world. The most effective policing service needs officers to feel supported at the time when they need it most. The solution is cost-effective; strengthening productivity and worker morale leading to a more proactive and efficient service.

This service would be distinctly separate to the current employee assistance scheme in regard to its remit to help officers and there families with issues of a mental health nature and to maintain absolute confidentiality and confidence of the clients.  

About the Author 

I am a qualified psychologist and psychotherapist with fifteen years experience in the caring profession. In 2002 I established a voluntary support service for those suffering Stress, Trauma, Depression, PTSD, Bullying and False Allegations in the workplace. Through this service I worked with members and their families in need as a result of the trauma experienced in the job and its impact on family members.


I have carried out independent research into the area of having a more proactive confidential support service for AGS, the difficulties faced by Gay and Lesbian members of the force, and wrote my thesis into the area of Therapeutic Support for the Gardai for my Primary Degree in Psychotherapy.

Minister McDowell Shows Signs of Stress

23/03/2006

Published Irish Independent

By Mark Reddy  

Mr Mc Dowell’s recent public outburst appeared to show the signs of a man under stress. .“Work related stress affects about one third of the workforce in the EU”. (World Health Organisation 2004) and although clearly he is a very strong, intelligent and clearly committed professional it showed that not even a man in his position is safe from the possible adverse affects that can come from carrying out a difficult and challenging career. Labour leader Pat Rabbitte referred to this as an “intolerable tantrum”, this outburst arose from a difference of opinion in regard to Garda numbers on the streets of Dublin.  

Workplace Stress has arisen as a key cause of absence from work and it is suggested that it now replaces back pain as the most commonly cited problem on medical certificates. Stress can lead to many issues such as a disruption in sleep patterns, mood swings, outbursts difficulty in making decisions and faulty decision making to name but a few.  The World Federation for Mental Health has predicted that by 2020, the primary cause of lost working time will be due to stress.

Having continued to campaign since 2002 for an internal support service made up of professional therapists to be established to support members of An Garda Siochana in dealing with such issues as workplace stress it continues to be my belief that a service like the one I am proposing will help to counter act any adverse affects caused by the very difficult and challenging duties carried out by our police force on a daily basis. I establishing a voluntary support service helping people who suffer stress, false allegation, isolation and illness in the workplace and have continued to keep the Minister and Commissioner aware of my findings and results raised as to the need for such a service to be established to support the Gardai, clearly the Ministers Job is a highly stressful one however so to is the work of the Gardai. Police work in general is considered the most challenging and dangerous professions one can work in, currently the Garda are serviced by a committed and hard working team of seven welfare officers, one sergeant and one inspector catering for the care needs of some twelve thousand officers. 

Routinely Gardaí face the very real threat of violence, trauma and crisis on a daily basis the resulting stress or more appropriately distress may cause some to suffer from stress related symptoms. Symptoms that maybe similar to the possible stress the Minister might be under at present, the constant and real threat that is faced by members of the Gardai on a daily basis can prove to be very difficult. The work of the Gardai can be perceived as times of quiet boredom through to times of crisis and trauma. It’s the changes in environment that results in the body having to adapt in order to meet these changes, these changes in the demand on the body can be immediate and automatic and the resulting stress can help the person experiencing them to perform and meet the challenges presented - or it can be negative and present in the form of distress which can make someone upset and unwell, symptoms that the Minister may well of felt on Monday night.

‘The most widespread negative effect of work on mental health is stress’ World health Organisation.

  

The reaction humans have to stress results in chemical changes in the body, the stimulant hormone adrenaline increases that pours into the blood stream with other hormones producing changes in our bodies designed to protect us, this can be seen as the ‘fight or flight response’ - it provides both the energy and strength needed to either stay and fight or to run away from the perceived danger, in all fairness the Minister stayed and fought his corner but he had that choice and could of walked away if he wished, this is not a choice the Gardai have when dealing with such stress inducing incidences.

Gardaí can face these reactions several times throughout each working shift; which I believe can increase the negative affects of stress. When we deal with the causes of stress we can help elevate it, in the case of members of An Garda Síochána, one way of helping is to provide a service that allows the individuals a safe and secure place to work-through their perceptions and difficulties. This in turn can help to relieve some of the problems and symptoms and also help develop the understanding, awareness and coping skills of the individual, helping them to be more readily able to deal with the everyday and real stressors of the job. This is but one aspect of supporting the members of the force the others are very clearly stated,, documented and requested at every turn and they are simply increased numbers of qualified Gardai to tackle the increasing level of crime resulting in members feeling more secure and less vulnerable and hopefully reducing the effects of distress, we need to provide them with proper working conditions and up to date equipment this will allow them to carry out their duties of protecting life and property with more effect and will allow for officers to feel appreciated by those they are employed by thus increasing self esteem and job satisfaction, we need to provide them with an internal support service like the one I am recommending so that when a traumatic experience is dealt with or when assaulted or experiencing difficulty they can seek help and support in confidence. 

It makes sense to have a healthy workforce, these seem like the basic requirements  and all will have only positive benefits for the Gardai on the Beat, the organisation as a whole and society who requires a supported, healthy and pro-active police service it will also elevate the types of symptoms suffered by Minister McDowell.

(IMPORTANT POINT)

I would hope that this could be considered by the Minister when he next reviews how best to support the Gardai, his outburst was reported to be a meltdown and a tantrum and all of which was visible to all and arose from a disagreement of words and numbers, how must it be to be in the centre of a riot or to attend a scene of a violent murder, rape or accident the likes of which the committed member of An Garda Siochana deal with professionally everyday. 

Hopefully the lesson can now be learned before others have to continue to experience such difficulties as a result of doing their jobs.