Filtering Out The Adreneline Dump

[kingpervis]

I hope I'm spelling "Adreneline" right.

Anyways, the other night I pull in behind a car to stop it when suddenly he pulls over before I even hit my lights. I then activate my reds and the driver's door opens and this punk-lookin' kid starts getting out. Right away I'm thinking he's going to bail and the fight is on. I call for another car and I yell at him to get back in the car and he complies. Wonderful! I love it when people comply, it makes my job so much easier.

The only thing is that since I thought I was going to be chasing after him, my body has released all this adreneline into my body, ready for action. And now I don't need it. I talk to the kid about the importance of staying in your car during a traffic stop and go back to the car to write his speeding ticket. And I started wondering: How in the world can you filter out all that adreneline that gets dumped into your system when you no longer need it? I've had a few incidents here and there where I think the fight is on and then suddenly everything is fine. No adreneline needed.

I suppose it can't be healthy to have those rushes as frequently as we do.

[parcellspost]

The big thing is to practice breathing techniques that will help calm you down. The dumps are going to happen whether you want them to or not. I used to get them a lot also, especially when the station tone would go off for an alert. Try driving an ARFF truck when your leg is bouncing from the dump.

After time they stopped happening and I have only had one in the last year and that was for an eluding stop. After I had got back in the car and started writing my cites, I started to calm down. Breathe in through the nose and out the mouth.

Hope this helps.

[Group 9]

They stop in a while, and in a way, it is worse when they do. The time when you realize your body and mental and emotional system has become so used to doing dangerous things, that it has quit reacting to them, is an interesting milepost and a not altogether good thing.

[USSS1811]

group9 is right on the money. you will notice that after awhile, nothing much gets you going. and that can be good and bad. it is nice in that you have the steady hand and clear vision, you can hear whats going on and make decisions. but it can also signal that you are getting complacent or worse you think you are indestructible...

in the meantime, the breathing suggestions above are good. also, just take a couple seconds before recontacting the subject to cool off and let it go.

try this:

inhale slowly (4 count)
hold for a 4 count
exhale slowly (4 count)
dont inhale immediately (wait 4 count)

this will slow your heart rate and thus reduce the effects of the dump. plus it gets your mind off the fact that you want to put you boot in the kid's a$$ for being a dummy. it is sometimes called autogenic breathing or square breathing. it works.

good luck, stay safe...

[kingpervis]

Thanks for the advice, everyone! I'll have to try those breathing techniques. It'll take some getting used to. I've only been a cop for a little over a year, so I'm still a green-horn. Thanks again!

[skyblue_123]

They stop in a while, and in a way, it is worse when they do. The time when you realize your body and mental and emotional system has become so used to doing dangerous things, that it has quit reacting to them, is an interesting milepost and a not altogether good thing.

My doc today told me I am an "adrenaline junkie" - common to cops, agents, spooks, firemen, those who are regularly placed in life threatening, dangerous situations, and get the rush, then come down - and those who get used to doing just what you said, dangerous things. You get to where subconsciously you crave it, and you become addicted to it. It is NOT healthy or normal. So I'm working on replacing it with something else. Time to get that pilots license I've been saying I would get for five years....

[tacguy]

I hope I'm spelling "Adreneline" right.

Anyways, the other night I pull in behind a car to stop it when suddenly he pulls over before I even hit my lights. I then activate my reds and the driver's door opens and this punk-lookin' kid starts getting out. Right away I'm thinking he's going to bail and the fight is on. I call for another car and I yell at him to get back in the car and he complies. Wonderful! I love it when people comply, it makes my job so much easier.

The only thing is that since I thought I was going to be chasing after him, my body has released all this adreneline into my body, ready for action. And now I don't need it. I talk to the kid about the importance of staying in your car during a traffic stop and go back to the car to write his speeding ticket. And I started wondering: How in the world can you filter out all that adreneline that gets dumped into your system when you no longer need it? I've had a few incidents here and there where I think the fight is on and then suddenly everything is fine. No adreneline needed.

I suppose it can't be healthy to have those rushes as frequently as we do.

USSS is right on with Combat Breathing.

Stay safe.