World Mental Health Day: Members urged to look after their wellbeing

9 October 2023

“As police officers and staff, we must care for ourselves. We must look after our brains and our minds, as we do with the rest of our bodies. We might be the helpers - but sometimes the helpers need help too.”

Ahead of World Mental Health Day (Tuesday 10 October) we caught up with Hertfordshire Police Federation member and wellbeing champion Emily Martin, who is on a mission to stop the stigma surrounding mental health while providing cops with the vital support they need.

“I have never known this many police officers take their own lives. Please don’t wait until you’re broken to seek help,” detective constable Emily urges, adding: “Leaving it might lead to you being diagnosed with complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or worse.”

According to a recent survey, one in five police have consistent symptoms of PTSD (or complex PTSD), compared to five per cent of people in normal society.

“The thing is, police officers, police staff, Police Federation reps - these people are all helpers. But who’s helping the helpers?” continued Emily.

“As police officers and staff, we are exposed to a significant amount of trauma during our careers - for that reason alone, we need to be looking after our brains. People in policing are often empaths, which means we give so much of ourselves to others - in fact, the more we help, the more we give.

“It’s ridiculous to think that we don’t look after our minds like we look after the rest of our bodies. But there seems to be a real stigma around mental health which prevents us from treating it as we do our physical health.

“Remember, our brain is a physical part of our body too. And whatsmore, our brains have a huge job, it’s not surprising that it doesn’t always feel 100 per cent.”

Emily is urging members to seek support, reach out and ask for help when they feel they are struggling.

She added: “It isn’t embarrassing to ask for help. In fact, not seeking that support will mean you’ll continue to carry it with you because it won’t go away.

“And don’t be afraid to share your own experiences and vulnerabilities with others. Talk about the challenges you’ve felt - because you talking about it, might just make somebody else open up.”

Emily, who joined the Force in 2006 having served as a police community support officer, has also trained as a life coach outside of work.

“It’s a difficult time for policing - demand is high and the pressures are huge. We’re being asked to attend jobs on our own, which means dealing with serious issues solo, which can be emotionally exhausting and also quite lonely,” she said.

“But it’s not just issues in policing which are having an impact on the mental health of officers and staff, it’s things that go on outside of work and society’s relationship with policing. We are constantly getting bashed by the public, yet our cops and their families are sacrificing so much to protect those same people, each and every day.”

As part of World Mental Health Day Emily is highlighting the five steps members can take to improve their wellbeing:

Connect with other people
Be physically active
Learn new skills
Give to others
Pay attention to the present moment

“I lost a mate, a colleague, to suicide last year. I am determined to do what I can to stop that from happening again,” added Emily, who is one of three full-time wellbeing champions in Hertfordshire Force.

“If we don’t start talking about mental health and supporting others, my deep worry is that officers, staff - my friends, my colleagues - will live miserably. They will end up giving more to the job than they should ever have to.”

If you are interested in becoming a wellbeing champion, alongside your role, then email wellbeingchampions@herts.police.uk. Training for the role includes a two-day course, specifically designed to ensure wellbeing champions can support police officers and staff with their mental health.

The wellbeing team provides a confidential service and can be contacted by any Hertfordshire police officer or staff member who needs support via the same email address wellbeingchampions@herts.police.uk