From Fight-or-Flight to Calm Control: And 4 Evidence-Based Skills for Managing Critical Incident Trauma

Behind every badge, there's a story.

A story of courage, sacrifice, and relentless pursuit of justice.

But there's also a story that often goes untold.

A story of the mental and emotional toll that policing takes on those who answer the call.

Welcome to Police Speak, the podcast that delves into the raw realities of police work and explores the path to resilience.

Each week, we'll unpack harrowing police encounters, dissect their psychological impact, and equip you with the tools to safeguard your mental well being.

So turn up the volume and prepare for our next journey.

Welcome back to Police Speak.

This is episode three in our series on the predictive six factor resilience model.

In our last episode, we talked about vision having a clear sense of purpose and meaning.

Today we're going to tackle the second composure.

Composure is about emotional regulation.

It's about your ability to manage your emotions, especially in high stress situations.

It's about staying calm under pressure, processing difficult emotions in healthy ways, and preventing chronic stress from damaging your mental health.

And here's why this matters so much for law enforcement.

Your ability to regulate your emotions can literally be the difference between developing PTSD after a critical incident or processing the trauma and moving forward.

So today we're going to explore the neuroscience of stress and emotion.

Understand what happens in your brain during critical incidents, and learn practical skills for building composure that will protect your mental health throughout your career.

Let's start by understanding what's happening in your brain when you're under stress.

Your brain has two key systems we need to talk about the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex.

The limbic system, which includes structures like the amygdala, hippocampus, and hypothalamus, is your brain's emotional center.

It's responsible for detecting threats, triggering your stress response, and generating emotions like fear, anger, and anxiety.

The prefrontal cortex, on the other hand, is responsible for rational thinking, decision making, planning, and emotional regulation.

It's the part of your brain that can override emotional impulses and make thoughtful choices.

Here's how these systems interact.

When you encounter a threat, your amygdala immediately activates.

It triggers what we call the fight or flight response.

Your body floods with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

Your heart rate spikes, your muscles tense, your attention narrows.

All of this happens in milliseconds, before you're even consciously aware of it.

This is your limbic system taking over.

And in that moment, it's doing exactly what it's supposed to do, preparing your body to respond to a Life threatening situation.

But here's the problem.

When your limbic system is highly activated, your prefrontal cortex goes offline.

You literally cannot think as clearly.

Your ability to regulate your emotions is impaired.

You're operating on instinct and training, not rational thought.

For officers in critical incidents, the this is necessary.

You need that immediate threat response to survive.

The problem comes when your limbic system stays activated after the threat is gone, or when it gets activated too easily by non threatening situations.

This is what we call limbic brain reactivity, or lbr.

And research shows that chronic LBR is directly linked to the development of ptsd, anxiety, depression and and other mental health problems.

Let me explain what often happens after officers experience a critical incident.

In the moment your limbic system is fully activated, you're in pure survival mode.

That's appropriate.

But after the incident is over, your limbic system often stays activated for hours, days, sometimes weeks or months afterward.

Your your amygdala remains hypervigilant.

It's scanning for threats even when there aren't any.

It's triggering stress responses to things that aren't actually dangerous.

This is what causes a lot of the classic PTSD symptoms.

Hypervigilance, being easily startled, having intrusive memories or flashbacks.

Avoiding reminders of the incident.

Your limbic system got stuck in threat detection mode and can't turn off.

Meanwhile, your prefrontal cortex, which should be helping you process the experience, put it in context and down regulate that limbic activation, is struggling to do its job.

Why?

Because chronic stress actually impairs prefrontal cortex function.

Research shows that officers with PTSD have reduced activity in their medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, the very regions that are responsible for emotional regulation.

It's a vicious cycle.

Trauma activates your limbic system, which impairs your prefrontal cortex, which makes it harder to regulate your emotions, which keeps your limbic system activated.

So how do you break this cycle?

That's what composure skills are all about.

One of the most powerful composure skills is something we call high adversity reappraisal.

This is a technique specifically adapted for law enforcement and other first responders.

Rather, reappraisal is the process of changing how you interpret a situation.

Research shows that how you appraise or interpret an event has a huge impact on how it affects you emotionally.

For example, research on firefighters found that those who engage in negative appraisals, interpreting events in the worst possible light, are at higher risk of developing ptsd.

On the other hand, officers who use positive reappraisal strategies experience lower distress.

Here's how reappraisal works.

Something happens, your brain automatically interprets it and generates an emotional response based on that interpretation.

But here's the your initial interpretation isn't necessarily accurate or helpful.

It's just automatic reappraisal involves consciously examining your interpretation and asking, is there another way to look at this?

Is there a more realistic, more.

More helpful way to interpret what happened?

Let me give you an example.

An officer responds to a critical incident.

The officer arrives and secures the scene and later learns that the the Victim had called 911 about an hour earlier but then canceled the call, saying it was a mistake.

The officer might automatically think, I should have responded to that canceled call.

If I had gone, I might have saved them.

This is my fault.

That's a negative appraisal.

And if the officer holds onto that interpretation, it's going to generate intense feelings of guilt, shame, and distress.

High adversity.

Reappraisal involves stepping back and examining that interpretation.

Is it actually true that responding to the canceled call would have changed the outcome?

We don't know that.

Did the officer violate any policy or procedure by not responding to a canceled call?

No.

Were there other calls demanding attention at that time?

Probably.

Is the officer responsible for this teenager's decision?

No.

The officer didn't cause the underlying issues that led to this tragedy.

A more realistic reappraisal might be this is a terrible tragedy.

I wish I could have helped, but I responded according to policy, and I have no way of knowing if responding to that canceled call would have changed anything.

I am not responsible for this person's death.

The best thing I can do now is honor their memory by continuing to serve others.

Notice that this reappraisal doesn't deny the tragedy or minimize the officer's feelings.

It's not about forcing positive thinking.

It's about finding a more realistic, more helpful interpretation that doesn't generate unnecessary guilt and shame.

Another critical composure skill is using breathing techniques to down regulate your limbic system.

Here's why this There's a structure in your brainstem called the prebotzinger complex that controls breathing.

Research has shown that this structure is directly connected to your emotional regulation systems.

When you change your breathing pattern, you literally change your brain's emotional state.

Slow, deep breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, the rest and digest system that calms you down.

It reduces activity in your amygdala and helps your prefrontal cortex regain control.

Here's a simple technique.

You can box breathing breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four.

Hold your breath for a count of four.

Breathe out slowly through your mouth for a count of four.

Hold your breath for a count of four.

Repeat for at least four cycles.

This technique is used by military special operations forces and has been proven to reduce stress and improve focus and help regulate emotions in high pressure situations.

The key is to practice this regularly, not just when you're stressed.

If you practice box breathing when you're calm, it becomes easier to use it when you really need it.

Another technique is what we call 4, 7, 8 breathing.

Breathe in through your nose for a count of four.

Hold for a count of seven.

Breathe out through your mouth for a count of eight.

Repeat for four cycles.

This technique is particularly effective for reducing anxiety and helping you fall asleep.

The important thing is to find a breathing technique that works for you and practice it regularly.

Make it part of your daily routine.

Use it after difficult calls.

Use it before bed.

The more you practice, the more effective it becomes.

Another key aspect of composure is developing emotional awareness, the ability to recognize and name your emotions as they're happening.

Research shows that simply naming your emotions, a process called affect labeling, reduces activity in your amygdala and increases activity in your prefrontal cortex.

Just by saying to yourself, I'm feeling anxious right now or I'm feeling angry, you're beginning the process of emotional regulation.

This is where mindfulness practices come in.

Mindfulness is about paying attention to your present moment experience without judgment.

It's about noticing your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations as they arise.

For officers, a simple mindfulness practice might look like this.

Take a few minutes each day, maybe at the start or end of your shift, to check in with yourself.

What am I feeling right now?

Where do I feel it in my body?

What thoughts are running through my mind?

What do I need right now?

Just notice.

Don't judge, don't try to fix anything, just observe.

Research on first responders has shown that mindfulness training reduces symptoms of ptsd, reduces stress, and improves emotional regulation.

It literally changes your brain, strengthening the prefrontal cortex regions that are responsible for emotional control.

You don't have to become a meditation expert.

Even five minutes a day of mindful awareness can make a significant difference over time.

An effective strategy officers use often without realizing it, is called compartmentalization.

Compartmentalization is the ability to set aside certain thoughts or emotions temporarily so you can focus on what needs to be done.

You can't process your emotions about a difficult call when you're still on duty, and another Call comes in, you need to be able to set it aside and focus on the next thing.

The problem is that compartmentalization can become unhealthy.

Some officers never open those compartments back up and process the emotions.

They just keep shoving things into mental boxes and hoping they stay there.

But they don't stay there.

They leak out in the form of irritability, nightmares, relationship problems, and eventually mental health crises.

Here's how healthy compartmentalization works.

First, recognize that compartmentalization is a useful short term strategy.

It's okay to set things aside when you need to focus on something else.

Second, make a plan for opening that compartment back up.

Tell yourself, I'm setting this aside right now and I'm going to process it later.

Maybe that's at the end of your shift or on your day off or in a conversation with your spouse or a counselor.

Third, actually follow through.

Don't just leave everything compartmentalized forever.

Set aside specific times to open those compartments and process what's in them.

Fourth, use healthy processing techniques.

That might be talking to someone, journaling, using reappraisal techniques, or working with the counselor.

Fifth, communicate with your support system.

Let your spouse or close friends know, I had a difficult call today.

I need to compartmentalize it right now, but I'm going to need to talk about it later.

This helps prevent the isolation that often happens when officers compartmentalize everything.

Sustainable compartmentalization is about using this natural coping strategy in a healthy way as a temporary measure, not a permanent solution.

There was an officer, we'll call him David, who responded to a particularly horrific crime scene, a double homicide.

Exceptionally violent victims were people David knew from the community in the moment.

David did his job.

He secured the scene, called for backup, started the investigation.

His training kicked in.

But afterward, David was struggling.

He couldn't get the images out of his head.

He was having trouble sleeping.

He was snapping at his family.

David had been through resilience training and had learned some composure techniques.

So he started using them every time the intrusive images came up.

Instead of trying to push them away, he would acknowledge them.

I'm having intrusive thoughts about that scene.

That's a normal trauma response.

It doesn't mean something's wrong with me.

He practiced box breathing multiple times a day, especially when he felt his stress level rising.

He used reappraisal on his guilty thoughts.

He'd been thinking, I should have gotten there sooner.

Maybe I could have prevented this.

He reframed it.

I responded as quickly as I could.

I did everything by the book.

I am not responsible for what that suspect did.

The best thing I can do now is work this case thoroughly and support the victim's families.

He didn't try to compartmentalize it forever.

He opened up those compartments in a safe space and processed what was in them over time.

And it did take time.

This wasn't an overnight fix.

David's symptoms improved.

The intrusive images became less frequent and less intense.

His sleep improved.

He was able to be present with his family again.

David said later that the composure techniques didn't make the trauma disappear, but they gave him tools to manage his response to it.

He felt like he had some control over his recovery rather than just being at the mercy of his symptoms.

That's what composure skills do.

They give you agency.

They give you control.

They help you regulate your emotional response so trauma doesn't control you.

Let me show you how composure connects to the other PR6 domains.

Composure and vision.

When you have a strong sense of purpose, it provides context for difficult emotions.

Research shows that being able to connect traumatic experiences to your larger purpose and helps you process emotions more effectively.

Your vision gives you a reason to do the hard work of emotional regulation.

Composure and reasoning.

The cognitive reappraisal techniques we talked about today are essentially using your reasoning skills to support your composure.

When you can think flexibly and realistically about situations, it's easier to regulate your emotional response.

Composure and tenacity.

Emotional regulation gives you the energy and motivation to persevere through difficulties.

When you're overwhelmed by emotions, it's hard to keep going.

When you can regulate those emotions, you free up mental resources for persistence and problem solving.

Composure and collaboration.

When you can regulate your own emotions, it's easier to connect with others, to be empathetic, to respond thoughtfully rather than reactively.

Strong composure skills make you a better teammate, a better friend, a better spouse.

Composure and health.

This connection is huge when you're chronically stressed.

When your limbic system is constantly activated, it affects your sleep, your eating habits, your motivation to exercise.

On the flip side, when you take care of your physical health, it improves your ability to regulate emotions.

These two domains support each other.

So what can you do today to start building your composure?

First, pick one breathing technique box breathing or 4, 7, 8 breathing and practice it every day for the next week, just five minutes a day.

Do it when you're calm so it becomes automatic and you can use it when you really need it.

Second, start practicing effect labeling.

When you notice yourself having an emotional reaction.

Name it.

I'm feeling frustrated.

I'm feeling anxious, I'm feeling angry.

Just that simple act of naming begins the regulation process.

Third, after a difficult call, try using reappraisal.

Ask how am I interpreting this situation?

Is that interpretation accurate and helpful?

Is there another way to look at it that's more realistic?

Fourth, develop a plan for sustainable compartmentalization.

If you're going to set aside difficult emotions to focus on the job, make a plan for when and how you're going to process them later and then follow through.

Fifth, consider learning more formal mindfulness practices.

There are lots of apps and resources available.

Even five minutes a day of mindfulness practice can significantly improve your emotional regulation over time.

Remember, composure is a skill.

Like any skill, it requires practice.

You're not going to master it overnight, but every time you practice these techniques, you're strengthening the neural pathways in your prefrontal cortex that allow you to regulate your emotions.

You're literally changing your brain.

So here's what I want you to take away from today's Composure.

The ability to regulate your emotions is critical for preventing ptsd, managing stress, and maintaining your mental health throughout a law enforcement career.

Emotional regulation isn't about suppressing your emotions or pretending you're fine.

It's about having conscious techniques you can use to manage your stress response and process difficult emotions in healthy ways.

The key techniques we covered today breathing exercises, reappraisal effect labeling, mindfulness and sustainable compartmentalization are all evidence based strategies that change your brain and improve your resilience.

And remember, practicing these skills when you're calm makes them available to you when you're under stress.

Don't wait for a crisis to start building your composure skills in our next episode, we're going to talk about reasoning, the third domain of the PR6 model.

We're going to explore how your thinking patterns affect your resilience, learn about concrete versus abstract processing, and discuss how to avoid the cognitive traps that can lead to depression and anxiety.

Thank you for listening to Police Speak.

Stay safe out there.

Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Police Speak.

We hope you found today's story and insights valuable.

We aim to inform, educate and inspire through the stories we share.

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Together, we can build a stronger, healthier law enforcement community.

Sam.