Patience: What It Means and Why You Need It as a CO
Patience is one of the many important personality traits that are necessary to develop during treatment and recovery. Because frustrations, challenges, and difficult people are very often cited as triggers for relapse, it is important to learn how to handle these issues calmly and to develop patience in all things in recovery, especially as a correctional officer.
Here’s what you need to know:
· Anger can be addictive. Even if you genuinely want to remain calm when faced with an inmate who is combative or verbally abusive, if it feels good to give into anger, it may be a sign that anger has developed into an addiction, especially if you often feel that managing it is beyond your control.
· Impatience is often a coping mechanism to avoid uncomfortable emotions. It is not easy to live with grief, embarrassment, confusion, and other emotional responses to unwanted or unexpected situations. If impatience is your go-to response for those emotions, it can signify the need for healthier coping mechanisms that allow you to handle the problem at hand rather than avoid it.
· You may have physical cues that indicate impatience is rising. Some people experience an elevated heartbeat or breathing rate, a warm face, or an intense feeling of agitation. Some may clench their fists, bite their lip or the inside of their mouth, or begin to tap their foot or move rhythmically. Noticing how your body responds when you are beginning to feel impatient gives you indicators that it is time to use coping mechanisms rather than allow the situation to continue.
· You can choose to drop the story. If you find you are often impatient when dealing with a certain person or scenario, instead of fixating on the rights you believe to be violated, you can choose instead to drop the negative story or experience and reframe it to one that is tolerable. For example, you may have a family member who is constantly talking to you about your recovery and you find their concerns irritating. Instead of thinking, “They are so intrusive with their interrogations,” choose instead to think, “They love me so much they are willing to give up a huge amount of their time to help me stay sober.”
Make a Fresh Start
Too often, an inability to manage impatience is a trigger for relapse. If you are ready to improve your ability to remain calm in stressful situations, increase your levels of patience, and make a fresh start in recovery, contact American Addiction Centers today. Our First Responder Lifeline Program is designed to help correctional officers in crisis due to substance use disorders and co-occurring trauma disorders at locations across the country, including:
- Desert Hope Treatment Center in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Greenhouse Treatment Center in Dallas, Texas
- Sunrise House Treatment Center in Sussex County, New Jersey
- Clinical Services of Rhode Island in Greenville/Portsmouth/South Kingstown, Rhode Island
- Laguna Treatment Hospital in Aliso Viejo, California
- Recovery First in West Palm Beach/Hollywood, Florida
To get started in your process in recovery and find the best location for your needs, contact (844) 646–4COS(267) now.
