Security Officers & Mental Health
There is an undeniable connection between the way that a security officer feels and the way that they perform. There are many mental health issues that can be hurtful to the career of a security officer. This is one of the main reasons why it is so important to be on the lookout for any issues. You have to ensure that each officer within your organization is experiencing no serious mental distress.
Problems at home are a common cause of performance issues in security staff
A security office is not a robot that is able to shut down feelings and emotions. This means that many issues that they face at home could end up causing them distress. Problems with their spouse, with their children, or even something like financial problems can be a heavy burden.
This is one of the main reasons why you always need to ensure that you talk to you staff. Provide counseling by having a professional available for your staff. Let them know that anytime they feel the need to talk, there is someone at the office that is there to listen.
Anxiety or depression caused by the job
People who are involved in security are very likely to experience anxiety at some point in their career. It can be stressful to know that you are involved in a job that could involve injury and even death.
This can lead a person to experience a constant feeling of stress that is associated with fight or flight. When this happens, there is a perpetual level of tension happening in your body. This leads to mental issues as you are constantly struggling to stay calm.
The situation is extremely common for police offers and security offices in the private sector as well. It all depends on the level of danger that the security professional experiences on a daily basis.
The biggest problem with this constant anxiety is that it can start to wear a person down mentally. This can lead to depression and that is a slippery slope that can lead to more serious mental and physical issues.
How to ensure that security staff can maintain optimal mental health
When someone faces many stressful situations on a daily basis, they need to find good ways to reset their minds and relax after work. Some people do this by working out after they get home from the job. On other cases, people will start doing yoga or they will spend time doing something they find relaxing.
Hobbies are always a great idea and they help a person get rid of tension. This is not particularly ideal when people have very little time after work. The main thing to remember is that a security professional needs to find a way to unwind from work.
A good diet is also an important part of this process. A security officer on a balanced diet is more likely to get proper sleep at night and experience less mental and physical fatigue. This is not the easiest thing to do when someone is in a constant hurry and junk food seems like the only option available.
Taking the time to create a proper and healthy diet is not easy, but anyone can do it if they learn to organize their time and cook meals for the whole week. This is a great way to ensure that you will have a good meal for lunch and dinner.
Many people seem to be unable to see the huge connection between physical and mental health and their diet. If you need to hire a nutritionist to help you in this process, that is also a great idea.
Investing in your general health is never a bad thing and you will find that it can make things easier for you. This is why a nutritionist and a personal trainer are always a good investment.
Psychological evaluations are a must for any company
There are some cases when performing psychological evaluations is going to be a great way to handle this process. You have to evaluate the mental health of all employees at least twice a year.
This is a good way to ensure that any issues that could be happening inside the mind of a security professional can be handled before they turn into a serious problem. This is a very important part of any security company or firm.
A professional that is able to evaluate any situation is always going to be worth considering. You are going to be able to spot many issues before they get out of hand. This is always a great way to handle this type of situation.
Violent or dangerous events can alter the mental state of an individual
There are some kinds of things that can be very difficult to handle in security. For example, a rough encounter that leads to physical violence can alter he mental state of an individual. This can happen regardless of the level of training that they have.
It is very important to handle the situations as quickly as possible. A security officer may be dealing with PTSD and this can be a very serious mental issue. Being able to keep things under control is very important. There ae many ways in which a security professional can be affected by a confrontation that escalates to violence.
Understanding that these kinds of situations can happen at any time in this profession is essential. There are many instances when there could be a serious aftermath for anyone that is involved in a violent altercation.
Final thoughts on security officers and mental health
There is no question that mental health plays a major role in the performance of a security professional. This is the reason why any issues related to mental health should be carefully considered and monitored.
Mental health is essential for any professional in this field. This is the reason why detecting any issues before they affect an employee is essential for any security company.
By Joseph Sordi, SVP
Strategic Security Corp.
