Night terrors, flashbacks and panic attacks - former police reveal trauma
Summary
Three retired police officers in England have spoken about the serious mental health issues they experienced due to trauma during their careers. The Home Office is funding new mental health support services for officers, including a crisis helpline that has received hundreds of calls.Key Facts
- Richard, Nick, and Neil served a total of 83 years as police officers and now speak out about trauma and mental health struggles.
- Richard was medically retired with complex PTSD after 26 years in service and experienced panic attacks triggered by police-related stress.
- Nick worked on difficult cases such as the search for Sarah Everard and also retired with complex PTSD, describing the ongoing impact of trauma.
- Many officers face high workloads and constant exposure to traumatic events, which affects their mental well-being.
- The Police Federation highlights the need for more funding and mental health support for officers to protect their welfare.
- There were 145,886 full-time police officers in England and Wales as of March 2026, up 7.8% since 2021.
- The charity Service Dogs UK has seen an increase in police officer referrals for PTSD support, now making up over half of their clients.
- Neil described symptoms like night terrors and feeling overwhelmed, which he only fully recognized later as related to his job trauma.
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