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RAWALPINDI, Oct 26 (APP):Police officers are facing huge mental health struggles amid their professional endeavors including safeguarding the lives and properties of the citizens as well as the state. Cops staying super alert all the time running against the time which wears them down, leaving them tired and numb inside, need regular counseling to deal with the in-bound psychological issues.
This was said by Dr. Sajida Naz, a scholar with a PhD, and a HoD of Behavioral Sciences department at Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), during her address in a seminar held in the University here Sunday.
In the backdrop of a sad suicide incident in Islamabad Police by a top ranked official, Dr. Sajida pointed out the heavy emotional pain these officers carry while keeping everyone safe. She highlighted how constant danger, too much office work and long times away from family lead to ongoing worry, sadness, and feeling cut off from others.
“Many officers live in a constant state of a hyper-vigilance, a survival response that, over time, leads to exhaustion and emotional fatigue,” Dr. Sajida explained.
She observed that there was no real counseling setup, people still think asking for help would be considered as a weak point.
“The mind that keeps others safe needs safety too”, she added.
Dr. Sajida stressed that the police officers deserve more than respect for their services.
“They deserve support systems that help them heal from what that service costs them,” she urged and underlined the dire need to immediately implement a systematic counseling set-up.
She suggested big changes in this regard like special help for trauma, training for bosses to spot early signs of trouble and regular quick check-ins on how everyone’s feeling at work.
The seminar was attended by a large number of students and faculty.