14 DAY TRIAL // Apparently, cops tend to suffer a lot at the hand of stress, which, according to researchers at the University of Buffalo, causes several major health risks, including insomnia, high blood pressure, increased level of hormones, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and even suicide.
John M. Violanti, Ph.D., research associate professor in UB's Department of Social and Preventive Medicine in the School of Public Health and Health Professions, says that stress is most likely associated with psychological risk factors, which can cause severe medical conditions, including cardio-vascular disease.
Numerically speaking, police officers have a much higher chance of developing coronary deficiencies after the age of 40, as opposed to the average American standards. Some say that this could be a consequence of the extremely harsh environment in which they work, where they are exposed to misery, human depravity, poverty and death.
These factors can take their toll on anyone's mind and it seems that whether they work during the day or on the night shift makes no difference when it comes to statistics. Surprisingly enough, both men and women working in morning shifts tend to suffer from depression and have considered suicide, while both categories tend to develop PTSD after weeks of night shifts.
The main reason why stress appears has been linked to the natural response the body has when in imminent danger. While “normal” people have a tendency to flee when they are threatened, it's a police officer's job to stay and fight the attacker and/or defend the others. This causes the body to generate large amounts of adrenaline, which is then distributed to all the major organs and muscles, forcing them to work overtime.
If this happens several times a day, their body may become weak, as it is not built to withstand that kind of pressure. After years and years of service, retired officers say that policing is the most psychically stressful thing there is. And it seems that scientists agree with them on that.