Police work can be stressful on a regular basis.
While continual stress will take it's toll, Critical Incident stress is different in that it directly relates to a dramatic event or events in the life of an officer that results in a number of debilitating symptoms. Roger Soloman, Ph.D Any Situation faced by emergency service personnel that causes them to experience unusually strong emotional reactions which have the potential to interfere with their ability to function either at the scene or later. Jeff Mitchell, Ph.D. A life experience or series of experiences that so seriously upsets the balance of the individual that it creates changes in the person's emotional, cognitive or behavioral functioning. A normal reaction to an abnormal event. The police subculture holds many myths that can lessen the officer's ability to deal with the situation.