Key takeaways
- The same courage it takes to run toward danger is the courage it takes to ask for help.
- Addiction in policing doesn’t end with treatment — recovery starts when families begin healing together.
- Boundaries aren’t signs of failure; they’re acts of love that can save both the officer and the family.
- Real strength in this job isn’t hiding the pain — it’s facing it before it costs you everything.
- Healing isn’t about getting back to who you were, but discovering who you can be beyond the badge.
By Warriors Heart
For many, living with an addicted partner becomes a source of chaos, negativity, emotional upheaval and even violence. For families of law enforcement officers and other first responders, that pain comes with an added weight — the unspoken pressure to remain composed and diplomatic in times of extreme stress and disorder.
“Law enforcement is a career far more complex than most people understand. It’s a job that mandates you to serve in the center of other people’s crises — fights, domestic violence, shootings, fatal car accidents,” said Robert Greer, admissions advocate for Warriors Heart and a retired law enforcement officer. “We don’t get to turn it off at the end of the shift either — from taking your patrol car home or going through the drive-through, everyone knows you’re a cop.”
There are more than 900,000 sworn law enforcement officers now serving in the United States. Approximately 34% suffer symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD).
Warriors Heart, a private treatment facility for active military, veterans, law enforcement and first responders, recognizes the unique demands of the profession and helps clients navigate healing in the company of peers who truly understand their experiences.
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When trauma becomes personal
While officers may come home to friends and family, many begin to feel their work’s emotional toll becoming a lingering shadow. PTSD among officers can be triggered by single traumatic incidents or the accumulation of stress from repeated exposure to violence and tragedy.
“I worked the Internet Task Force, role-playing to find and capture child sex offenders,” recalls Greer. “I didn’t realize how deeply that character shift on a daily basis was causing my mental deterioration.”
Like many others, Greer protected his family from the darkness he saw each day. That instinct, though well-intentioned, can backfire. When officers don’t process trauma in healthy ways, they may turn to alcohol or other coping mechanisms.
Eventually, the pressure of compartmentalizing became too much. Greer began taking his stress out on his family.
“Home was no longer my safe space — because I was pouring everything I held on to during the day, out on my family. My attitude when I walked in the door dictated how everyone else had to act around me.”
The guilt of that behavior led to more drinking — a cycle of pain, remorse and avoidance.
As his addiction deepened, it began affecting his work. He was written up for how he handled calls, skirting the line between sobriety and fogginess. “It cost me everything eventually — my house, my job, my family — it was all gone.”
When love and addiction collide
Living with addiction can seem like an impossible battle. Loving someone who’s battling addiction is its own kind of fight. You suffer alongside them, worry constantly and hope for change that may not come.
Families often face painful decisions — whether to issue ultimatums, stay or walk away. Carrying the empty promises of “this is the last time,” keeping the secret of a broken relationship and balancing the cost of leaving versus staying is never an easy road.
For Warriors Heart Co-Founder Lisa Lannon, whose husband ran nightclubs, that road lasted six years.
“When we were good, we were GOOD, and that’s what I held on to,” said Lannon, a former law enforcement officer.
Coming home sometimes felt worse than her shift. “I also never knew if tonight was going to be the night I would be booking him into jail, get a call from a hospital or the morgue. Addiction not only hurts the one using, it affects the whole family.”
“There were many nights that I would pack and want to leave — I would get in the car and start driving…and then I would turn around and walk back in the door,” she said. “I did that many times — and he would never know, because he would be out drinking or passed out already.”
Drawing the line and finding recovery
The fear of failing your loved one when you set a boundary is one of the main reasons families stay in the cycle of addiction. The thought of ending a marriage — of losing the person they know still exists inside — can become an anchor holding them to chaos.
“Setting a boundary for your self-preservation is hard…until it’s not,” Lannon said. “It took me years to realize that no matter how much I loved my husband, he had to be the one to admit he needed help.”
Eventually, she drew a line. “I was grateful that he accepted rehab; it could have gone either way, and I had to prepare myself for either outcome.”
For many families, that moment — the line in the sand — becomes the turning point.
“I needed someone to give me the option of proving myself, or losing everything,” Greer said. “I didn’t know how much wrong I was doing — I was so exhausted keeping up a front, that I backed down and accepted what needed to be done.”
“Boundaries don’t have to be an ultimatum — in our case though, that is what my husband and I needed,” Lannon said. “The smaller boundaries never lasted long.”
Every person and relationship is different. For some, small boundaries work. For others, real change requires a harder push.
While the decision to reclaim a life rests with the person living with addiction, healing doesn’t end when rehab begins. Every person involved — spouse, children, extended family — has their own recovery to manage.
A support system doesn’t end when the patient checks in; the aftercare is where real progress happens.
“We had to establish the non-negotiables,” said Lannon. “I cleared the house of all paraphernalia, alcohol and temptation for when my husband arrived back home. Our home became a supportive environment, his safe haven, our sanctuary. We also had to learn how to communicate with one another — building a newfound trust is the only way you can grow together.”
The cost of carrying the weight
Law enforcement officers train for everything — from combat readiness to crisis negotiation — but few learn how to protect themselves from their own emotional fallout.
Today’s police officers face more stress than they did 30 years ago. Public scrutiny has intensified, team camaraderie has weakened and political pressure has grown. The demands of the job, combined with exposure to trauma, contribute to rising cases of substance use and PTSD.
Treatment is a viable option for officers experiencing addiction and PTSD. Centers like Warriors Heart offer comprehensive care tailored to law enforcement, with inpatient and outpatient programs and support groups designed for those who serve.
“I just wanted to get back to the guy I used to be. I had no idea that I could be so much better than that,” said Greer. “The badge was my identity — but at the end of the day, your job will be posted long before your obituary. If you aren’t taking care of yourself, you are not fit for duty and can be of service to no one.”
“The person you love is in there,” said Lannon. “They exist still — they just need help coming to the surface.”
Healing the warrior family
The team at Warriors Heart understands the unique demands of law enforcement families. Their goal is to help warriors — in uniform or at home — heal without fear of stigma or weakness.
At Warriors Heart, clients receive treatment for PTSD, mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) and chemical dependency in a peer-driven environment. For those who have fought battles to defend their communities and their country, fighting addiction, depression and reintegration doesn’t have to be done alone.
If you or a warrior need help with drug or alcohol addiction, PTSD or co-occurring issues, call Warriors Heart’s 24-hour hotline at 866-955-4035, answered by warriors, or visit https://warriorsheart.com/connect.
Discussion points
- How can agencies better identify when officers are struggling with addiction or trauma?
- What programs or partnerships can departments form to support family members of officers in crisis?
- How can peer support programs break the stigma of seeking treatment?
- What role should leadership play in modeling recovery and self-care?
Tactical takeaway
Every call you answer changes you — some more than others. Make taking care of yourself and your family part of the job, not what’s left after it.
What would it take for your department to treat wellness and recovery with the same urgency as officer safety?
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