What should officers do when feeling overwhelmed by stress?

• A. Ignore the feelings and keep working longer hours
• B. Isolate themselves from colleagues
• C. Self-diagnose and avoid professional help
• D. Reach out to peers or mental health professionals for support

Answer: (D)

When stress feels overwhelming, the responsible move is to seek support from trusted peers and mental health professionals. In corrections, stress comes from exposure to incidents, safety pressures, and heavy workloads, so reaching out helps you cope effectively and stay functional on the job. Peers can provide understanding, practical coping ideas, and connections to workplace resources, while mental health professionals offer confidential evaluation and treatment, helping you develop skills to manage anxiety, sleep, mood, and reactions so decisions remain clear and safety isn’t compromised. Turning to support also sets a positive example for colleagues and aligns with taking care of your own well-being so you can continue serving ethically and effectively. Ignoring feelings, pushing through longer hours, isolating yourself, or self-diagnosing without professional input tends to worsen stress and can miss underlying issues that need proper care.