Police 'Psychotic Disorder' Hits Some Young Cops Who've Experienced Trauma, Study Says

By Dennis Romero Wed., Feb. 27 2013 at 8:10 AM

It would appear to most of us Christopher Dorner lost it, blew a fuse, and went on a psychotic rampage unjustified by whatever workplace wrongs he faced.

But, alarmingly, a new study suggests that "psychotic disorder" for cops and other first responders who face traumatic experiences on the job might not be that unusual.

The most interesting thing about this new study out of the Bloomberg School's Department of Mental Health?

This kind of disorder is more likely to affect those newer to the badge. Dorner was on and off the job for a few years when he was fired in 2009, allegedly for lying about his training officer's use of force.

Christopher N. Kaufmann, lead author of research being published in this month's journal Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, says:

When we examined the relationship of exposure to common traumas with the development of mood, anxiety and alcohol use disorders among protective-services workers, we found that these workers were at greater risk for developing a mood or alcohol use disorder. Interestingly, this relationship was not seen in those who had been in these jobs for a longer period, but was strong and statistically significant in workers who recently joined the profession.

The study also looked at firefighters and measured the prevalence of mental disorders among emergency workers. Here were the key traumatic elements, according to a summary:

... Seeing someone badly injured or killed; unexpectedly seeing a dead body; having someone close die unexpectedly and having someone close experience a serious or life-threatening illness, accident or injury.

Of course, it didn't appear that Dorner faced any of those things as a young cop (though it's possible).

Ramin Mojtabai, senior author of the study, says coping skills among emergency workers need to be examined and perhaps fostered with "support programs:"

Future research should examine the coping skills of protective-services workers who have been in these jobs for many years, which might make them less likely to develop psychiatric complications in the face of various potentially traumatic experiences.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Tags:

dorner, lapd, psychotic disorder, PTSD, research, study

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citmom

I don't know how you vet the stories you print here, but the terminology used in this article is misleading. Police and other first responders are susceptible to mood and substance use disorders, not psychotic disorders. Those with bona-fide psychotic disorders are weeded out through psychological testing prior to being hired.

Police and other first responders have the potential to be exposed to traumatic events much more often than those in civilian life. No one is immune to the symptoms that can occur after a traumatic event. Some of these events would test the coping mechanisms of anyone - such as taking a dead baby out of a car, multiple fatalities, etc. The symptoms are a normal response to an abnormal event. Most are very resilient in the face of the constant onslaught of stress that can accumulate over the years. Everyone, whether you are a cop or not, will have a physiological response to traumatic events. Others, just like civilians, can have a hard time coping and may need help. They may self medicate in attempts to feel better, and may suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. However, they are not psychotic. Look up psychosis in the DSM-IV before you attempt to write another article related to mental health.

discarted

It's been documented that along with other professions, law enforcement attracts the most individuals with varying degrees of psychopathy.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/11/10/081110fa_fact_seabrook

abramsrl

1 Like

It is very likely that the problem is not seen among long term employees is that those new cops who experience the problem, quit. It's the Fight or Flight response. When you cannot Fight something like recurrence of trauma, you flee.

BTW, none of the quoted sections of the Bloomberg study called the people psychotic. The words which Romero quote4d were:

When we examined the relationship of exposure to common traumas with the development of mood, anxiety and alcohol use disorders among protective services workers, we found that these workers were at greater risk for developing a mood or alcohol use disorder.

Mood and alcohol disorders and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD] are NOT psychosis.

It seems that Romero is the loose canon at LA Weekly shooting from the hip without bothering to investigate his subject matter. The very least Romero could have done is consult the DSM IV-R or ask a clinical psychologist about the classifications.