Emotional Survival PresentationWORK / LIFE BALANCE
EMOTIONAL SURVIVAL FOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT
BY KEVIN M. GILMARTIN, PH.D.
•DR. GILMARTIN’S THEORY AND THEME OF THE BOOK FOCUSES ON
WHAT HE REFERS TO AS THE “HYPERVIGILANCE BIOLOGICAL
ROLLERCOASTER.”
•ON DUTY –UPPER END OF THE ROLLERCOASTER, TEND TO FEEL
ALERT, ENERGETIC, INVOLVED AND HUMOROUS
•OFF DUTY –DIP INTO THE LOWER END OF THE ROLLERCOASTER,
BECOME TIRED, DETACHED, ISOLATED, APATHETIC, FALL BEHIND IN
MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS AND FRIENDSHIPS, HOBBIES AND
PERSONAL INTERESTS
THE EFFECTS OF HYPERVIGILANCE DIMINISH AFTER 18-24 HOURS AND THEN RETURN TO NORMAL
PHASES OF SOCIAL INTERACTION, EMOTION AND PERCEPTION. THE RECOVERY TIME, HOWEVER, IS
OFTEN INTERRUPTED AND THE CYCLE REPEATS WHEN WE START BACK ON DUTY.
SYMPTOMS OF LOWER END
OF THE ROLLERCOASTER:
•SOCIAL ISOLATION
•WITHDRAWAL FROM NON-POLICE
RELATED CONVERSATIONS OR
ACTIVITIES
•REDUCED INTERACTIONS WITH NON-
POLICE FRIENDS
•DESIRE NOT TO MAKE DECISIONS AT
HOME
•STRAINED OR FAILED RELATIONSHIPS
•DETERIORATION IN INVOLVEMENT WITH
CHILDREN’S NEEDS AND ACTIVITIES
RECOGIZE SYMPTOMS
& OVERCOME THEM !!
•BE AGGRESSIVE IN TIME MANAGEMENT
AND GOAL SETTINGS BY PRACTICING
PHYSICAL FITNESS AND BY
CONTROLLING THE FINANCIAL WELL
BEING
•FIND TIME FOR YOURSELF
•MAKE PLANS AND SET GOALS IN THE
PERSONAL LIFE AND FOLLOW
THROUGH
THE TRANSITIONS WE FEEL BETWEEN HIGHS AND
LOWS ARE OUR BODIES’ ATTEMPTS TO FIND
BALANCE AND RECALIBRATE.
•PHYSICAL FITNESS SPEEDS UP THE RECOVERY FROM THE LOW END TO MOVE YOU
TOWARD NORMAL RANGES OF EMOTIONS AND SOCIAL INTERACTIONS.
•BEING FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE REDUCES UNNECESSARY ADDED STRESS.
DR. GILMARTIN’S BEST ADVISE:
•“LEARNING THE SKILLS TO BALANCE
ON INVESTMENT IN THE POLICE ROLE
WITH THE INVESTMENT IN PERSONAL LIFE
ROLES IS WHAT DEFINES A SURVIVOR.”
•FIND WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT TO
YOU, CHERISH IT AND MAKE SURE YOU DO
EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO NOT
ALLOW IT TO BE LESS