A career in law enforcement is an exciting and risky vocation. It's a career that's difficult not only mentally and physically but also spiritually. The regular exposure to evil has a toxic and corrosive effect in the spirit of anyone who does not have a means of neutralizing it. It's easy to allow the challenges that accompany a career in law enforcement to overshadow its rewards. The challenges are varied and numerous; some are common to all personnel, others are unique to specific individuals for one reason or another. One thing is certain - unless the challenges are dealt with correctly, they will result in problems. Following are some causes, signs, and remedies for depression.

There are three main areas where challenges and setbacks come that can lead to depression. First, there is the area of the law enforcement officer's private life. His time is not his own. There are the demands of shift work, training, emergencies, unsolved cases and unexpected telephone calls. Any officer who takes his task seriously can soon become physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted. With the great demand of staying alert and "on top of the situation" both at work and at home, he may neglect to take care of himself spiritually and emotionally, soon feeling empty and numb inside. There are the personal life conflicts that need to be dealt with: exhaustion, cynicism, anger, racism, affairs, substance abuse and domestic relationships. Within the agency are more stressors. If peers receive commendations and promotions, and he does not, the officer can easily become cynical, bitter or feel his career has been put on the back burner.

Second is the area of the officer's immediate family. Financial needs are frequently a pressure that cause him to struggle just to pay the bills. He may find he needs to seek outside employment, which takes away a great amount of time from his friends, spouse and children. He must also provide support and presence to his family. Raising his children is a major concern. He cannot bear to think that while he's out fighting lawlessness, his own children fall to peer pressure. And, because of the overwhelming nature of his career, his wife can become detached emotionally, and distant.

Thirdly, there is the agency, his peers and superiors. A friend getting transferred, another leaving the agency disillusioned, a line of duty death, budgetary limitations, divorces, cynicism, apathy among colleagues - maybe departmental division due to internal politics, substance abuse among colleagues, fellow officers with an "I don't care" attitude, lenient judges, crooked lawyers, cases he's worked for months on being dismissed - things like this can easily cause an officer to become dispirited - which can lead to depression.

There are also pressures and stressors that come from the community where he serves. He may or may not be comfortable with the kind of people he is working among. He may be afraid much of the time during his beat. The people in the community may have an anti-police attitude and be antagonistic in their dealings with him. He may get little or no cooperation from witnesses or even victims in the cases he is working on.

With all of these factors, even the best among us can fall into mild and even severe depression. What are some of the most common indicators of depression? Here are a few:

1. Loss of physical energy and stamina.
2. Loss of enthusiasm towards the job, does the minimum ONLY.
3. Loss of a sense of connectedness to the rest of the officers and agency.
4. "It's just a job" attitude. Not worth getting mad or upset over.
5. Envy and jealousy of the lifestyles of the criminal element - almost an admiration of it.
6. "Us vs Them" mentality starts being acted out and talked about seriously.
7. Serious doubts about the wisdom of uniting with the agency in the first place.
8. Verbal expression of such doubts.
9. Rapid and frequent mood changes.
10. Feelings of failure or uselessness
11. Risky behavior: substance abuse, affairs, failing to call for back-up, "heroics."

These danger signals are like the "check engine" light on the dash of one's car. Any of them mean that action MUST be taken. Here are tips that we offer for taking action against depression:

1. Learn when you are most likely to feel frustrated. After a big bust or successful court case? Is there a letdown as the adrenaline subsides? Is it when you work a particular shift? Are there times of the year you feel like throwing in the towel? Does it come when you've been drinking? By being aware of the outer circumstances, you can at least prepare yourself for facing discouragement before it hits.

2. Let somebody else know. You don't have to admit weakness or come off as a cry baby. Just say something like, "I'm feeling a little lousy right now - I'll get over it. Just wanted to tell you." Having someone know you're going through challenges, so they can be pulling for you, can be a help.

3. Take care of yourself. Depression hits easiest when you're doing shift work, or when you're tired, sick or going through personal pressures. So, eat right, exercise, sleep eight hours, and lay off the alcohol - it's a depressant.

4. Read. Not just "Soldier of Fortune," or gun magazines, but something totally different than your regular reading. Find something worth reading and read it. Many in law enforcement find they get a real uplift and boost from reading the Bible.

5. Get a hobby. Find a hobby and get good enough at it that you get a sense of accomplishment away from the job. Golf, photography, exercise, bicycling, canoeing, working on cars, fishing, woodworking, even cooking can give you the boost that you need.

6. Get away! Leave town overnight. Book a hotel room an hour or so away and go be just a regular citizen for 24 hours. You can do this for a little over a hundred dollars - cheaper than an hour with a therapist, and more fun.

7. Get on the internet with other law enforcement personnel. There are hundreds of law enforcement sites and newsgroups. You'll not only find other people out there who are going through the same things you are, but you'll probably be able to help someone else deal with their situation and realize you're better off than you thought you were. Plus, you can end up making lifelong friendships this way.

8. If feeling lousy worsens or continues, get a medical checkup. It might be a physical problem. A sluggish thyroid can wreak havoc on your emotions. So can a hyperactive one. Diabetes can cause sluggishness and depressed feelings. Anemia can make a person edgy and moody. A chemical imbalance may need to be corrected. With most of these, you can be feeling like yourself again quicker than you thought.

9. Find a place of worship and get involved. There are so many varieties nowadays that you might want to try several before settling into one. Odds are, you'll find one nearby that you really enjoy and connect with. One benefit to this is simply to be around people who are at least attempting to live their lives right, and by a higher standard. This can be a refreshing neutralizer to the ones you are dealing with on a daily (or nightly) basis.

These are some of the causes, signs, and helps for depression. None who are exposed to evil on a regular basis can escape without some effects. Fortunately, there are indicators and neutralizers that can keep the evil we confront from being toxic to us personally or professionally.