Transfers, stressful part of a police officer’s life

Umesh said that stress is a regular part of a police officer’s life. “If the officer cannot handle stress, he should move to non-managerial positions where there is no stress. The moment a person applies for a police job, he should think of all these things. The job of a police officer is the most stressful as there are no fixed working hours and weekly holidays. To combat stress, police officers need to be mentally healthy and this is possible only if they take out time for physical exercise,” Umesh stressed.

STRESS FACTORS

A police officer working at a police station in Bengaluru says that the lack of fixed weekly leave and the difficulty in getting leave contribute greatly to stress levels. “Though there are guidelines that weekly leave should be given, that does not happen at the workplace as our work depends on daily developments – be it a crime, law and order situation, visit of a VVIP or festival bandobust duty. While the work itself is stressful, no leave or weekly leave and longer working hours add to the stress as we rarely get time to spend with our families,” he says.

Health experts support this by stating that persistent and uncontrolled stress can lead to thoughts of self-harm, including suicidal tendencies in some people.

Dr Virupaksha HS, Consultant – Psychiatry, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, said, “In today’s fast-paced world, the pressures of work and personal responsibilities can lead to significant stress, which in turn affects both mental and physical health. Constant demands, tight deadlines and high expectations at work lead to a work-life imbalance. This chronic stress affects the body and mind in a profound way.”

“Sometimes this can also lead to serious psychiatric disorders such as mood disorders and psychosis, and some may have thoughts of self-harm and pose a risk of suicide. The constant state of worry and anxiety can lead to burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, reduced performance and detachment from work,” he added.