What is Stress?
Stress is how we react when we feel under pressure or threatened. Within policing it is common to feel stress because you are expected to work and perform well under high pressure situations which may also leave you feeling threatened.
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Stress often happens when we are in a situation we feel that we cannot manage or control.
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Examples of stress can be:
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If you have a lot of responsibilities that you struggle to manage you could feel stress.
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if you are going through a tough time such as loss of job, bereavement or facing financial problems.
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responding to a high pressure incident where you feel out of your depth
When is Stress a problem?
The feelings of stress can be a normal part of life and you may find it strange to know that small amounts of stress may help us complete tasks and feel more motivated and energised.
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Too much stress can become a problem. If it lasts for a long time or is very intense stress can then have a negative impact on our physical and metal health.
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You may of heard of the two types of stress which are 'acute' or 'chronic'
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Acute stress happens within a few minutes or hours following an event. It will last for just a short time usually less than a few weeks. it is very intense and can be upsetting or unexpected. this can be caused by a sudden bereavement or assault.
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Chronic stress lasts for a long time and keeps coming back. You may experience this if you are under a lot of pressure a lot of the time. It will make you feel like your daily life is difficult.​