The Hidden Battle: Understanding Depression in Alberta's Correctional Workers

Correctional facilities are a vital part of Canada’s justice system, and in Alberta, they present unique challenges. While the public often thinks about the individuals in jail, it’s also essential to consider the mental health of those who work there: the correctional workers. This article looks at depression among correctional workers in Alberta and Canada, exploring what causes it, how it shows up, and how to find help.

A History of Ignoring Mental Health

For a long time, people didn’t prioritize the mental health of correctional workers. Instead, the focus was on problems like substance abuse, because those issues directly affected how someone did their job. Conditions like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and burnout were often ignored. This wasn’t because people didn’t care, but because they didn’t fully understand.

Over time, our understanding of mental health therapy for correctional workers has improved. The ways we diagnose these conditions have become more detailed, reflecting the many stresses correctional workers face every day. It’s now clear that the problems go beyond simple stress. They are deeply connected to the job’s challenges, from dealing with potential violence to the constant strain of managing a difficult population.

How Depression Looks in Correctional Workers

Depression in correctional workers isn’t always the classic picture of sadness. While those feelings exist, the high-pressure, “tough” environment shapes how depression appears. This can make it harder to spot, and even harder for those affected to admit they need help. The signs show up in both the mind and body, impacting overall well-being.

The Mind Under Pressure: Psychological Symptoms

The mental impact is severe. Correctional workers report experiencing high levels of psychological distress. High rates of depression and anxiety are common, often happening together. Significant levels of PTSD in correctional workers are also common, resulting from exposure to traumatic events at work. Other symptoms include:

• Anhedonia: This is a key sign of depression. It means losing interest in things you once enjoyed. It’s a feeling of emotional emptiness, where nothing feels good.
• Hopelessness: A constant feeling that things are bad and won’t improve. This can lead to despair and a lack of motivation to get help.
• Cognitive Impairments: Depression affects thinking. Workers might have trouble concentrating, remembering things, or making decisions. This can directly impact job performance and safety.

The Body’s Response: Physical Symptoms

The mind and body are connected, and depression shows this clearly. The mental strain appears in physical ways, worsening the overall feeling of distress. These physical signs include:

• Emotional Exhaustion: This is a state of feeling drained and empty, beyond just being tired. It’s a constant feeling of being emotionally “used up”.
• Sleep Disturbances: Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or having restless sleep is very common. This can worsen fatigue and thinking problems, making addressing sleep problems in correctional officers a key concern.
• Appetite Changes: Some people lose their appetite and lose weight, while others overeat and gain weight.
• Depersonalization: Can be present.
• Fatigue: Constant, overwhelming tiredness that doesn’t go away with rest. This can be both a symptom of depression and a result of sleep problems.

Hidden Struggles: Unique Signs

It’s important to remember that the “tough-guy” culture in many correctional settings can hide signs of vulnerability. Feelings of sadness or weakness might be seen as unacceptable, leading workers to hide their true emotions. This doesn’t mean the depression isn’t there; it just means it’s showing up differently. Instead of sadness, you might see:

• Irritability and Anger: These can become the main emotions, easily triggered and out of proportion to the situation.
• Emotional Numbness: A feeling of detachment, as if emotions are dulled or absent. This can be a way of coping with too much stress and contribute to emotional shutdown in correctional workers.
• Increased Anxiety: Extra alertness needed on the job can make anxiety much worse.

The Pressure Cooker: What Causes Depression

Depression in correctional workers usually isn’t caused by just one thing. It’s often a mix of work-related stress, individual vulnerabilities, and the overall workplace culture. These factors create a “perfect storm” for mental health problems.

Daily Stress: Work-Related Factors

The job itself is naturally stressful. Correctional workers face unique challenges not found in most other jobs. These include:

• Exposure to Trauma: Seeing violence, threats, and other traumatic events is a regular part of the job. This can lead to PTSD, anxiety, and depression, making PTSD treatment for correctional workers a priority.
• Shift Work: Odd hours and changing shifts disrupt the body’s natural sleep cycle, causing sleep problems and fatigue. This increases the risk of depression.
• Understaffing: Not having enough staff means workers often have to work overtime and handle too much work. This leads to burnout and more stress.
• Bureaucracy: Feeling limited by rules and regulations, and lacking control over one’s work, can be frustrating.
• Inmate Interactions: Dealing with inmate manipulation, difficult behaviors, and conflicts is a constant source of stress.
• Role Difficulties: Sometimes, the job’s expectations can clash with a worker’s personal values. This internal conflict can cause significant distress.
• Safety Concerns: Feeling unsafe, whether the danger is real or perceived, can cause anxiety and constant alertness.

Personal Factors: Individual Risks

While the work environment is a major factor, individual factors also affect a person’s risk of depression. These include:

• Prior Mental Health: People with a history of mental health conditions, like anxiety or depression, are more likely to develop depression when stressed.
• Coping Skills: Those who use unhealthy coping methods, like substance use or avoidance, are at higher risk.
• Personality: Certain personality traits, like negative thinking or low resilience, can increase vulnerability.
• Social Factors: Things like age, gender, and social support networks can also play a role.

The System’s Impact: Workplace Culture and Support

The culture within a correctional facility, and the support available (or not available), can significantly affect worker well-being. A negative or unsupportive culture can worsen existing problems and create new ones. Key factors include:

• Lack of Support: Without enough mental health support for correctional workers, like counseling or peer support programs, workers feel isolated and unsupported.
• Stigma: The stigma around mental health prevents many workers from getting help. They worry about being judged, labeled, or even losing their jobs.
• Hierarchy: Strict, top-down structures can discourage open communication about mental health. Workers may be afraid to speak up to their bosses.
• Poor Leadership: Bad leadership and management can create a stressful and toxic work environment.
• Limited Advancement: Feeling stuck in a dead-end job with few chances for growth can lead to hopelessness and frustration.

A Serious Comparison: Depression Rates in Corrections

Depression rates among correctional workers are alarmingly high, much higher than in the general population and even in other high-stress jobs. The numbers clearly show the mental health crisis in this profession.

Studies show that depression rates among prison officers can reach 31%, compared to just 9% in other jobs. This is a huge difference, highlighting the serious impact of correctional work on mental health. Even more worrying is the increased risk of suicide. Correctional workers have a 39% higher risk of suicide compared to people in other jobs. These numbers are a clear call for action, demanding immediate attention and solutions.

Finding Solutions: Treatment and Prevention

Addressing the high rates of depression requires a combined approach. This includes both individual treatments and system-wide changes to create a more supportive and healthier work environment.

Individual-Level Treatments

• Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): These programs offer confidential counseling and support. While helpful, their effectiveness is often limited by stigma and lack of awareness.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This therapy helps people identify and change negative thinking and behaviors that contribute to depression. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Correctional Workers and depression has shown some success in correctional workers.
• Mindfulness-Based Interventions: These practices, which focus on being aware of the present moment, can help reduce stress and anxiety. They have shown promise in improving well-being.

Workplace Strategies: Creating a Culture of Support

Dealing with the systemic issues that contribute to depression is essential for long-term change. This requires a commitment from leadership to create a culture that prioritizes mental health. Key strategies include:

• Stress Management Training: Offering training on how to manage stress, cope with difficult situations, and build resilience.
• Peer Support Programs: Creating programs where workers can connect with and support each other, sharing experiences and coping strategies.
• Staffing Improvements: Addressing understaffing is crucial to reduce workload and overtime, which are major causes of burnout and stress.
• Better Communication: Encouraging open communication between management and staff, creating a safe space for workers to voice concerns without fear of punishment.
• Promoting Mental Health: Actively working to reduce the stigma around mental health, encouraging workers to seek help, and providing easily accessible resources.

Barriers to Help: Why Workers Don’t Get Support

Even when resources are available, many correctional workers don’t seek help for their mental health struggles. Several significant barriers prevent them from getting the care they need.

• Stigma: This is perhaps the biggest obstacle. The “tough-guy” culture often sees seeking help as weakness, leading workers to suffer in silence.
• Fear of Consequences: Workers may worry that seeking help will negatively affect their careers. They might fear losing their jobs, being overlooked for promotions, or being seen as unfit for duty.
• Confidentiality Issues: Some workers don’t trust the confidentiality of mental health services within the correctional system. They may worry that their personal information will be shared with supervisors or colleagues.
• Lack of Access: Even when workers want help, they may face practical barriers, like limited availability of mental health professionals, long wait times, or not enough insurance coverage.
• Organizational Structures: Top down systems can still discourage open discussions.

Ethical Considerations: Protecting Workers’ Rights

Research and treatments related to mental health therapy for correctional workers must be done ethically, focusing on protecting the rights and well-being of participants.

• Informed Consent: It’s crucial to ensure that correctional workers voluntarily participate in any research or treatment, without any pressure. They must be fully informed about the purpose, procedures, and potential risks and benefits.
• Confidentiality: Protecting the privacy of participants’ mental health information is essential. Researchers and clinicians must safeguard this information, while also being aware of any legal or institutional reporting requirements.
• Mandatory Reporting: There are situations where mental health professionals must report potential harm to self or others. This can create ethical dilemmas, requiring careful consideration of the individual’s rights and the safety of others.
• Power Imbalances: It’s important to recognize the power difference between researchers or clinicians and correctional workers. Steps must be taken to ensure this doesn’t lead to exploitation or harm.

Resources in Canada and Alberta

While the challenges faced by correctional workers are similar everywhere, the specific resources and support systems vary by location. In Canada, and specifically in Alberta, there are initiatives aimed at addressing mental health in corrections.

• Alberta Health Services (AHS): AHS provides mental health and substance use services within correctional facilities in Alberta. This includes access to mental health professionals, assessment, and treatment (MHC Website).
• Recovery Alberta: Is a large provider offering recovery-focused services.

These resources are a start, but more needs to be done to ensure that all correctional workers in Canada and Alberta have access to the mental health support they need. This includes addressing the systemic barriers mentioned earlier and creating a culture that truly values the well-being of those who work in this demanding profession.

If you or your partner is an Alberta correctional worker struggling with mental health, reach out to Responders First. We can provide confidential support, resources, and guidance to help you navigate these challenges and find the path to recovery.

Don Davis

15+ years of emergency response experience. Passionate about connecting our first responder communities with critical resources. Author of hundreds of articles and guides on First Responders mental health care. When not responding to emergencies, you can find me playing with my dogs, hiking, or enjoying a good book.