In law enforcement, people are often praised for staying strong, keeping it together and not letting things get to them. Whether you work patrol, custody, dispatch, records, investigations or another unit, you are surrounded by other people’s worst moments on a regular basis. Over time, it can start to feel like the only way to keep going is to shut your feelings off.
This shutdown feeling is called emotional numbing. It is not a sign of weakness. It is actually a very common way the brain tries to protect you from too much pain at once.
WHAT IS EMOTIONAL NUMBING?
Emotional numbing is when you feel turned down, blah or disconnected from your own emotions. Instead of feeling sad, scared, angry or even happy, you might feel flat, blank or like you are watching your life from the outside. Recent studies on first responders show they are especially likely to report this cluster of dysphoric symptoms — diminished interest, avoidance, emotional numbing, feeling disconnected and social detachment — compared to other trauma-exposed groups. That means this experience is not just in your head; it shows up repeatedly in the research on police and other frontline workers.
WHY DOES IT HAPPEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT?
Think about how much you see and hear in a typical week: critical incidents, violent crime, unpredictable inmates, distressed family members, desperate 9-1-1 calls, graphic reports, photos or videos. Even if you are not physically on scene, such as in dispatch, records or administrative roles, you may be exposed to these events continually through calls, reports, body-worn camera footage, evidence review or even just hearing about them from other colleagues.
The brain can only hold so much. When it becomes overwhelmed, one of its natural survival strategies is to turn the emotional volume down.
HOW TO START RECONNECTING
Notice your emotional dial, not just your calls. Start by simply checking in once or twice a day: What am I feeling right now, if anything? You might not have a word at first. That is OK. Even noticing, “I feel blank,” is a start. Over time, you can begin to name more specific feelings like tired, annoyed, sad, relieved or grateful.
Make a small, safe space for feelings. For many in law enforcement, the idea of “feeling more” sounds risky. You do not have to open the floodgates. Instead, set aside a small window, maybe five or 10 minutes to write in a journal, sit quietly or talk with a trusted person about one experience from your week. When you are done, do something grounding, like taking a walk, stretching or focusing on your breathing.
Rebuild interest, even if you don’t feel like it. Numbing can make everything seem pointless, so waiting until you feel motivated usually does not work. Pick one or two activities you used to enjoy, such as working out, fishing, reading, music, faith practices and time with friends, and schedule them in even if your emotions have not caught up yet. Oftentimes, the feelings return after the behavior restarts.
Strengthen connection with safe people. Emotional numbing likes isolation, but try to gently push back against that. This might mean doing things like sitting at the dinner table instead of in front of the TV, saying yes to a coffee break with a co-worker or calling a friend or family member on your commute home.
Pay attention to unhelpful coping. Some people try to numb even further with alcohol, drugs, gambling, social media or workaholism. Recent work on high-pressure professions, including law enforcement, shows that these strategies may give short-term relief but tend to make long-term stress and emotional problems worse. If you notice yourself leaning heavily on these, it is a sign you deserve more support — not shame.
Use professional and peer resources. Talking with a licensed mental health professional, such as our in-house psychologists, and/or with peer supporters or chaplains, who understand trauma and first responder culture can help you sort through numbness, burnout and trauma reactions at your own pace.
If you need help with this or would like to speak more about anything mentioned here, feel free to reach out to the Psychological Services Bureau (PSB) at (213) 738-3500 to schedule a free, confidential appointment or to connect with a peer support member or chaplain. PSB provides support to all members of the Department.
To obtain additional information, you may also visit our intranet site lasd.sharepoint.com/sites/lasd_intranet/SitePages/psb.aspx.