LESSON PLAN

TITLE: Stress Management

COURSE: Criminal Investigation Course

MODULE: 1

LESSON PLAN NUMBER: 3

TARGET AUDIENCE: Investigators and personnel assigned in

Investigation Offices/Units. Preferably with the

rank of Pat- PSSg

DATE AND VENUE: As scheduled

TIME ALLOTED: 2 hours

LEARNING AIDS REQUIRED: Multi-media projector and laptop

PARTICIPANT EQUIPMENT REQUIRED: notebook, ballpen, handouts

TRAINING REFERENCE USED: Managing Stress: A Guide for College

Students – Offers a total wellness lifestyle plan

for managing, reducing, and coping with stress.

(University Health Center, University of

Georgia)

INTRODUCTION:

According to Hans Selye, the foremost expert on stress, said that police work is

“the most stressful occupation in America even surpassing the formidable stresses of air

traffic control.” “Police Officer’s face job stress in the line of duty 24 hours a day. Even

the toughest officer can eventually can eventually feel it. We want to change the

operational climate of silence about problems and the stigma toward seeking help,” said

U.S. trainer Army Lt. Col. (retired) Mark Chapin.

Police stress is not always unique nor obvious. Almost all stressors in police

work can be found in investigation. They encounter stressors in call after call which

expose them to chronic stress. Debilitation from this daily stress accumulates, making
police officers more vulnerable to traumatic incidents.

Neither we can stop nor prevent stress in police work, but police investigator

himself/herself and the police force need to recognize it and provide assistance in three

areas: personal, family and organization.

LEARNING GOAL:

This module aims to teach investigators how to recognize and to identify

sources of stress, and manage stress by taking charge of the way they deal with their

problems with an ultimate goal of a balanced life with resilience to hold up under

pressure and meet challenges head on.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

By the end of this module, the participants shall have:

1. Understood what “stress” and “stress management” means;

2. Known the causes of stress;

3. Known the effects of stress to our body; and

4. Identified strategies in coping with stress.

SESSIONS:

1. Definition of terms:

Stress is a response produced by the body when a person is subjected to

different types of demand, whether physical, mental, or emotional.

Stress management refers to the early identification of operational stress

increases the likelihood of positive outcomes in police-citizen interaction.

2. Causes of stress

While police officers often recognized as heroes, many people are unaware of

the magnitude of stress that police officers face. Every one faces stress on the job, yet

police stress is truly unlike other type of job stress.

a. Human indecency and pain- This refers to the putting aside personal feelings

and dealings with criminals and their victims which is very challenging.

b. internal and personal stressor- Police officers often work different shifts,
sometimes on a daily rotation. Continual body rhythm alterations, such as, changing

from a day shift to graveyard shift or being on call 24/7 requires biological adjustment.

Changes in work shifts can upset the routines and relationships.

c. Criminal Justice System- Working with the different agencies within the CJS

can cause stress. Having to appear in court may interfere with an officer’s sleep,

personal time, and current work assignment.

d. Safety- Police work is a dangerous job . Maintaining to control their emotions

and protect the lives of others even when their safety is threatened is a big challenge.

e. Administrative stressors- In addition to working out in the public, a lot goes

on inside a police office. Dealing with admin issues, paper work and internal job can

cause stress. Lack of training and recognition can also contribute to police stress.

Female police officers may feel even more stress as they feel challenged to constantly

be proving themselves to male officers.

3. Effects of stress to our body

The following are the effects of stress:

inefficiency on the job

absenteeism

interpersonal relationship problems

high anxiety

alcoholism

marital problems

anger and irritability

depression

fears

sleep problems

chronic fatigue

headaches and migraines

high blood pressures

poor motivation
effects on cognitive process like memory, decision making, etc

4. Strategies in coping or managing stress

Managing stress is all about taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your

schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems.

Since everyone has a unique response to stress, there is no “one size fits all” solution

to managing it.

Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. Sure,

you may know that you’re constantly worried about work deadlines. But maybe it’s your

procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that leads to deadline stress.

To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and

excuses:

Do you explain away stress as temporary (“I just have a million things going on

right now”) even though you can’t remember the last time you took a breather?

Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life (“Things are

always crazy around here”) or as a part of your personality (“I have a lot of

nervous energy, that’s all”).

Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely

normal and unexceptional?

Activity:

Identifying the regular stressors in your life and the way you deal with them could

help. Each student will be given five minutes to answer the following:

What caused your stress (make a guess if you’re unsure).

How you felt, both physically and emotionally.

How you acted in response.

What you did to make yourself feel better. Think about the ways you currently

manage and cope with stress in your life.

Let the students present their reflections and process their answers.

Unhealthy ways of coping with stress may temporarily reduce stress, but they

cause more damage in the long run.

Stress management strategy

#1: Avoid unnecessary stress- Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to

avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the

number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate.

Learn how to say “no”

Avoid people who stress you out

Take control of your environment.

Avoid hot-button topics

Pare down your to-do list

#2: Alter the situation- If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out

what you can do to change things so the problem doesn’t present itself in the future.

Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life.

Express your feelings instead of bottling them up.

Be willing to compromise.

Be more assertive.

Manage your time better.

#3: Adapt to the stressor- If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can

adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your

expectations and attitude.

Reframe problems.

Look at the big picture

Adjust your standards.

Focus on the positive.

Adjusting Your Attitude

#4: Accept the things you can’t change- Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You

can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or

a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things

as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing

against a situation you can’t change.

Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our

control.

Look for the upside. As the saying goes,

Share your feelings.

Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that

people make mistakes.

#5: Make time for fun and relaxation- Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive

attitude, you can reduce stress in your life by nurturing yourself. If you regularly make

time for fun and relaxation, you’ll be in a better place to handle life’s stressors when

they inevitably come.

Healthy ways to relax and recharge

Go for a walk.

Spend time in nature.

Call a good friend.

Sweat out tension with a good workout.

Write in your journal.

Take a long bath.

Light scented candles

Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea.

Play with a pet.

Work in your garden.

Get a massage.

Curl up with a good book.

Listen to music.

Watch a comedy

Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your

own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.

Set aside relaxation time..

Connect with others.

Do something you enjoy every day.

Keep your sense of humor.

#6: Adopt a healthy lifestyle- You can increase your resistance to stress by

strengthening your physical health. 

Exercise regularly.

Eat a healthy diet..

Reduce caffeine and sugar..

Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide

an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary

Get enough sleep.

Dealing with Stressful Situations: The Four A’s

Change the situation:

Avoid the stressor.

Alter the stressor.    

Change your reaction:

Adapt to the stressor.

Accept the stressor.

SUMMARY:

Stress management is the early identification of operational response produced

by the body when a person is subjected to different types of demand, whether physical,

mental, or emotional which increases the likelihood of positive outcomes in police-

citizen interaction.

Long-term police stress can result to high blood pressure, heart diseases, ulcers,

headaches, digestive disorders and it can even impair an officer’s mental health.

Managing stress is all about taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your

schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems with an ultimate goal

of a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun coupled with

resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on.

Everyone has a unique response to stress and no single method works for

everyone or in every situation, so experiment with different techniques and strategies.

Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. There are

many healthy ways to manage and cope with stress, but they all require changing the

situation you are in or changing your reaction. When deciding which option to choose,

it’s helpful to think of the four A’s: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.