LESSON PLAN

TITLE: Stress Management

COURSE: Criminal Investigation Course

MODULE: 1

LESSON PLAN NUMBER: 5

TARGET AUDIENCE: Investigators and personnel assigned in

Investigation Offices/Units. Preferably with the
rank of PO1-PO3

DATE AND VENUE: As scheduled

TIME ALLOTED: 2 hours

LEARNING AIDS REQUIRED: Multi-media projector and laptap

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 Officers’ 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.  Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea.
 Spend time in nature.  Play with a pet.
 Call a good friend.  Work in your garden.
 Sweat out tension with a good  Get a massage.
workout.  Curl up with a good book.
 Write in your journal.  Listen to music.
 Take a long bath.  Watch a comedy
 Light scented candles

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: Change your reaction:

Avoid the stressor. Adapt to the stressor.

Alter 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 As: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.