When Police Officers Are On the Job…and On Drugs

A police officer who is using opioids illegally is breaking the very laws that he or she has sworn to uphold. This makes it even more difficult to reach out and get help for an addiction that may be spinning out of control.

No one ever said being a police officer was easy. The job alternates between crushing boredom, bizarre situations, and unimaginable danger.

When you’re a cop, much of the population that you’re paid to protect is afraid of you. You’re always being judged, whether it’s in the media or when you go to the corner store. Your hours are usually pretty awful, which means you don’t get to spend as much time with loved ones as you want to. You see things, horrible things, that mess up your head. If you talk to your peers about how traumatized you are, you’re seen as weak. The pressure can be intense.

Police officers are human, so they seek ways to cope with the stress. Sometimes they find relief in opioids. And sometimes they become addicted.

Two recent deaths of police officers due to drug overdose are stark reminders that no one is immune to addiction. In fact, police officers may be more at risk than others.

Under Pressure and Self-Medicating

Dr. Michael Genovese, a clinical psychiatrist and chief medical officer at Acadia Healthcare, told The Fix:

Not only are law enforcement officers not immune to addiction, but they are also more susceptible to addiction because the stress of their jobs renders them so. Police officers to whom I have spoken, who suffer from addiction, are not generally using drugs to get high or have fun; they are using them to numb emotions they find painful. Every day, police officers witness things that are outside the scope of normal human experience, and the frequency and intensity of traumatic events are overwhelming to the officer’s brain, even if he or she thinks they’re not.

While outsiders don’t think of Lewiston, Maine, as a hotbed of crime and drug use, locals know the old mill town has long been a place where heroin and crack are bought and sold. Officer Nicholas Meserve was attempting to stop the flow of drugs into this small Maine city, until he died of an accidental overdose.

When announcing Meserve’s death by fentanyl overdose, Lewiston’s police chief Brian O’Malley said,“I hope it’s a reminder that the opioid epidemic touches the lives of many in the community, regardless of their wealth, race, religion or profession.”

In Baltimore, Officer Joseph Banks Jr. died at a local motel after overdosing on heroin. His girlfriend, who was with him when he died, told police the two had been hanging out at the motel, using drugs throughout the day. Banks was suspended from the police force at his time of death. A police spokesman refused to state the reason for his suspension.

Vernon Herron, who runs safety and wellness programs for the Baltimore Police Department, said, “Like a lot of police officers, sometimes we are so hyper-vigilant that we medicate ourselves. I’m not talking specifically about him [Banks], but I see officers over-medicate themselves to deal with the stresses of police work.”

Michael Koch was a police officer for 15 years, 10 of them as an undercover narcotics detective. Over time, he started using heroin and became addicted, eventually to such a degree that he was arrested after taking heroin from an evidence room.

Finding Relief in Opioids

Koch told The Fix, “Drinking was always a part of my life. It was an unhealthy coping mechanism, but it’s what I did. At one point, I hurt my knee badly and I got a scrip for Vicodin. As soon as I took that drug the reaction in my body was amazing, like it was sent from heaven. So then my drinking dropped off and I got more into the pills. I was part of the SWAT team and evidence team, and kept getting injured at work and when I did I would go to the doctor and get more pills. So then I started using it recreationally; instead of drinking, I took pills.”

Koch’s addiction continued to progress. As he told me, “I was dealing with immense pressure at work. We would see things the average person wouldn’t see. Bodies cut open, heads on the ground, all of that stuff just stacks up. I might have looked like I had it together at some of these scenes but inside I was dying. So I started using more and more pills and became dependent on them.”

Koch kept sinking deeper into his addiction and he felt like he had no place to turn. Letting your fellow officers know that you might have a problem is just not how it’s done. A police officer never wants to appear weak amongst his or her peers.

It got worse…

Find out what Katrina did with that really, truly sober reality in the original article On the Job and on Drugs: Police Officers Who Struggle with Addiction at The Fix.

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How Teens and Young Adults with ADHD Can Thrive

When Grace Friedman was diagnosed with ADHD at 12 years old, she didn’t know much about it. What she did know was that it was hard to make friends, her emotions seemed to be “on steroids,” and focusing on homework and in class felt impossible.

It also was difficult to accept that her brain and body worked differently than the average student’s. It was frustrating that she had to work harder on every assignment, staying up later and later just to finish a few math problems.

Friedman was convinced that because of these differences, she wouldn’t be able to succeed. She feared she’d “never be good enough, smart enough, quick witted enough to be successful in school” and beyond.

“It is hard to get used to the idea that my ADHD won’t be going away and I have to actively manage [it] for the rest of my life,” Friedman said.

Friedman, of course, isn’t alone. Many, many teens and young adults with ADHD feel the same way and have the same fears. Many have a shattered self-esteem and believe their ADHD is insurmountable.

Instead of denying, dismissing, or despising her ADHD, Friedman chose to accept it. “I decided early on I want to be the best version of myself because of my ADHD, not despite it.”

Friedman wants others to know that even though living with ADHD can be difficult, it is an issue you can work on—and it can even be a gift: “Those with ADHD often think outside the box, are creative, and can think big picture.”

Today, Friedman is an ADHD advocate, speaker, and founder of ADDYTeen.com. She also has her BA in psychology, and is co-author of the new book Winning with ADHD: A Playbook for Teens and Young Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder with pediatric neurologist Dr. Sarah Cheyette, M.D.

Successful Strategies

Friedman noted that managing ADHD is an active process. But it does get easier over time. Over the years, she’s acknowledged the unique ways that her brain works and identified tools and strategies that help her stay on track. Below, Friedman shared what helps her to thrive with ADHD, which might help you, too:

Running her own race at her own pace. “I always remind myself that I work a little differently than everyone else, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t suit up to win.”

Regulating emotions. Friedman, like many people with ADHD, can feel a rush of different emotions all at once. When this happens, she pauses, and labels what she’s feeling, along with identifying the situation she’s in. This helps her understand what’s contributing to and underlying her emotions.

Instead of bottling up her feelings, she channels that energy into a healthy outlet, such as exercising or painting. She also finds it powerful to talk to a loved one. “Talking to others can help you to take a different perspective on the situation or even help you identify the root of your strongest emotion.”

For instance, she used to yell at her parents when she was doing her homework. “After talking to them about why I was so upset, I understood I wasn’t mad at them per se, but I was fearful I wouldn’t pass the exam. Who can help you break your emotions down?”

Managing medication. Friedman has learned when she needs (and doesn’t need) to take medication and how to cope with unwanted side effects. For example, because high school was very structured—7 hours of school, soccer practice, homework—Friedman took her medication daily. However, in college, she reserved her medication for studying and class. She didn’t take it while speaking at conferences, working at her university, or doing her internship at a local hospital.

“I started to recognize that even though academic and non-academic activities required my attention, medication didn’t always have to be in the equation.”

Friedman encouraged readers to “talk to your doctor, check in with yourself, and find out when and in what situations taking medication is right for you.”

Concerning side effects, Friedman’s medication significantly decreased her appetite—and she’d work without eating or drinking anything. So, she started eating a protein-packed breakfast before taking her medication, and having snacks throughout the day. “This is especially important for ADDYTeens playing sports or doing rigorous after-school activities. Don’t run out of fuel!”

When Friedman first started taking medication, she felt ashamed. “I didn’t want anyone to know, let alone talk to my doctor about how I was feeling. As far as I was concerned, if I didn’t talk about it, I didn’t have to worry about it.”

However, she now views medication as soccer cleats: “Just like soccer cleats give a player more traction on the field than regular shoes, ADHD medication gives an ADDYTeen more traction in their everyday life.” ADHD medication gives you “a better grip on tuning out distractions, focusing, and making progress on important work.”

“People with asthma use their inhaler to breathe with more ease, why would medication to help an ADDYTeen focus be any different?”

Having a supportive, encouraging community. “I have family members, friends, and mentors with and without ADHD who have taught me skills that help me manage myself and what life throws at me.” Friedman stressed the importance of surrounding yourself with individuals “who care for your well-being and personal success.”

Being self-compassionate. Friedman noted that it’s vital to take care of yourself—which can include anything from engaging in hobbies to finding healthy ways to cope with stress.

Navigating a Common Challenge

According to Cheyette, the biggest challenge that teens and young adults with ADHD face is balancing getting help with being independent. When they aren’t doing well in school—because of challenges with focusing, and then achieving—parents and other well-meaning adults try to swoop in. For instance, Cheyette said, they might organize their teen’s things or keep track of their schedule.

This is absolutely understandable because you want to help your child to succeed—and to stop feeling bad about themselves.

Teens and young adults with ADHD can get into a cycle of failure, said Cheyette: Having a hard time focusing leads to not completing an assignment, which leads to thinking “I’m not good at that,” which leads to a bad grade, which substantiates their poor self-image, boosts anxiety, and sinks motivation, which leads them to stop trying.

“However, at this age, teens and young adults…should be able to do things on their own. They resent the adults in their lives telling them what to do, and the adults, by and large, resent doing it.”

To navigate this challenge, the key is to get into a cycle of success, where the teen or young adult—and not the parent—achieves something. Cheyette described the cycle of success as: focusing, getting things done, feeling good about yourself, and believing you’re capable. And because of that belief, “if you mess something up, it doesn’t stop you—because you are a person who gets things done, that’s what you do. You find a way to keep going.”

Cheyette shared this example: A teen has 20 missing homework assignments, and their grades are awful. Their parent helps them set an achievable goal, and break it down: complete 10 missing homework assignments, “no more than two missing homework assignments in 2 weeks.” The parent also encourages them to brainstorm how to achieve this goal. If that plan doesn’t end up working, they encourage the teen to come up with a better plan. “Soon the teen turns into a problem solver, rather than someone defined by their problems.”

Sometimes, it’s better to have someone other than a parent be the coach, such as a professional coach who specializes in ADHD, an older sibling, an athletic coach, a clergy member, or another adult they trust, Cheyette said.

It’s also critical for teens to learn how to ask for help. Cheyette stressed the importance of parents encouraging their teens to talk to adults. From a young age, kids can order at a restaurant, talk to family over the phone, and talk to their friends’ parents. Then, as they get older and when problems arise in school, they can talk to their teachers. 

Cheyette also stressed the importance of caring for yourself physically and psychologically, such as sleeping well, moving your body, and managing worries. She noted that finding a good environment to work in is crucial, as well. This includes managing your electronics. “Try to work ‘on’ or ‘off’—but avoid that in-between.”

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Psychology Around the Net: July 6, 2019

We hope you’re ready for the dark side of impulse online shopping, how people are meeting mental health needs on Instagram, and why thinking about the multiple roles they play can boost kids’ performances because this week’s Psychology Around the Net has all that and more!

Why People Are Turning to Instagram for Therapy and Mental Health Needs: Psychotherapist Dr. Tiffanie Davis Henry says “Insta-therapy isn’t providing adequate care” and that “the advice and quotes are for a short-term kind of issue,” which is true. On the flip side, Lisa A. Olivera, a therapist in the Bay area who launched her Instagram in 2017, points out that while she isn’t providing therapy to her followers, she believes the tools she does provide (resources, support, community) “is maybe just as important as therapy because it is something they can access all the time on their own time and based on whatever they are going through.”

Justifying Regrettable Actions in Self and Others: A Human Tendency? Self-justification is a defense comprised of convincing ourselves that we did the best we could do so we don’t feel badly about ourselves. Suzanne Phillips weighs in on the nitty gritty of why we feel the need to self-justify and what would happen if we stopped.

3 Ways to Avoid Impulse Purchases According to Psychology Experts: Psychologist Erika Martinez says loading up our online shopping carts and hitting that “buy” button gives our brains’ reward centers a hit of dopamine — something we’re most likely to do impulsively when we’re experiencing unsettling and negative emotions. The bad news is, Martinez says that like most habit-forming behaviors, over time you’ll need to buy more and more and more to get the same emotional relief.

Sister, Neighbor, Friend: Thinking About Multiple Roles Boosts Kids’ Performance: New research from Duke University finds that reminding children of the multiple roles they play — such as son or daughter, brother or sister, friend, and neighbor — can lead to better problem-solving skills and more flexible thinking. Says lead author Sarah Gaither, an assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke: “We have this tendency in our society to only think about ourselves in connection with one important group at a time. When we remind kids that they have various identities, they think beyond our society’s default categories, and remember that there are many other groups in addition to race and gender.”

How Narcissists Pretend to Impress, Manipulate, and Use You: Although it seems contradictory, people with narcissistic tendencies typically have low, unstable self-esteem, causing them to feel insecure and to constantly compare themselves to others. Dive into the emotional and behavioral reactions this psychological mechanism elicits like entitlement, paranoia, projection, superiority complex, and pretending.

How One Museum Is Giving a Voice to Former Mental Health Patients: Since 2015, staffers and help at the Indiana Medical History Museum have been working hard at digging through the medical charts, autopsy reports, admission papers, and even newspaper clippings and city directories to better understand the stories behind the specimens left behind at the former Pathological Department of Central State Hospital — specimens like past patients’ brains. The project is aptly called “Rehumanizing the Specimens” and the goal is, according to the museum’s executive director Sarah Halter, “to give people back a voice that they no longer have.”

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