When the Party's Over
By Paul Quinnett, Ph.D.

After the smoke clears, the sirens stop, and the crime scene is left to the second unit, what's next? Shaky legs? Instant replays when you're trying to get to sleep? Trouble finding the groove again? After being flooded by waves of adrenaline, the brain seems to shout to the body, "Hey! We're having waaaay too much fun here! How about a break?"

Healthcare professionals agree that the emotional and physical let down, slow down and sometimes shut down that can follow periods of intense stress is nature's way of saying, "Chill baby, and I mean now!"

If the stress is both acute and chronic, and if danger is constantly present, this slow down in functioning may represent the body's way of trying to protect itself from injury or death. An emerging theory among some behavioral health experts is that this self-preservation phenomenon is more commonly known as the "D" word (as in depression). We all know cops don't get depressed, but then again....

Intense stress produces floods of neurotransmitters needed for fight or flight that, in turn, can deplete certain brain chemicals, the persistent loss of which may be expressed in what we call symptoms, e.g., insomnia, fatigue, poor concentration, a downturn in mood. According a recent report by the US Preventive Task Force, answering yes to either of the following two questions may indicate the warning signs of depression: "Over the past two weeks, have you felt down, depressed or hopeless?" and "Over the past two weeks, have you felt little interest or pleasure in doing things?"

If you answered yes to either of these questions, the task forcerecommends that you see a doc, talk to a behavioral health specialist, or at least complete a depression screening (a free and confidential one can be found at www.mentalhealthscreening.org.

Or, even quicker, if you've had 5 or more of the following symptoms for more than two weeks, maybe you could use some R&R and a professional consult:

• depressed mood m most of day, nearly every day
• diminished interest in food, fun and sex
• unplanned weight loss or weight gain
• trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• feeling slowed up or hyper
• tired, worn out and low on energy
• feeling worthless or guilty
• poor concentration
• recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

It's this last symptom (thinking about suicide) we're most concerned about. More police officers die by suicide than are killed in the line of duty. If you've got a touch of gray at the temples, then you probably already know a cop who died by suicide. The number one cause of suicide is untreated clinical (read "serious") depression, often complicated by heavy drinking. Yet depression is highly treatable, usually without losing a day of work. Take home message: suicide is preventable.

If any of the usual suspects for depression have been shadowing you, you'd be doing yourself, your partner, and your family a big favor if you got a checkup right away. I know, I know, it takes courage to ask for help, but what are cops known for anyway?

Paul Quinnett, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and the president of the QPR Institute, a multidisciplinary team of law enforcement and behavioral health professionals devoted to suicide prevention training and education. The e-version of his best-selling book, Suicide: the Forever Decision: for Those Thinking about Suicide and those Who Know, Love and Counsel Them is available as a FREE download from his web site at www.qprinstitute.com. He can be reached at pquinnett@mindspring.com or at his web site.