Anxiety and methods of overcoming it in the activities of employees of the internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation

This article examines anxiety as the most common negative emotional state faced by employees of the internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as the Department of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation) in their professional activities. The professional activities of police officers are accompanied by various stressful factors: risk to life and health; high physical and psycho-emotional stress; daily readiness to perform official duties in special conditions; encountering aggression, violence and human tragedies, etc., which in turn can lead to the emergence of stable negative emotional states among police officers. Problem statement: the thesis is formulated that anxiety is a natural reaction of the body to uncertainty and threat, however, an excessively high level of anxiety can affect not only a decrease in the quality of work, deterioration of relationships in the staff, increase the likelihood of making erroneous decisions, but also lead to irreversible consequences for the health of such an employee. The purpose of the study: to study the peculiarities of anxiety among police officers in their professional activities, as well as to identify their preferred methods of overcoming this emotional state. Research methods: study and analysis of scientific sources on the research problem, questionnaires, systematization and generalization of the results obtained. The study involved 70 respondents from among the current employees of the Department of Internal Affairs. Results and key conclusions: it was found that an average of 30% of police officers face anxiety. At the same time, despite the tension caused by the high workload, the emotional burden associated with the performance of official duties, and the difficulties in interacting with others, burdened by the specifics of their professional activities, police officers demonstrate the ability to effectively cope with these difficulties. The practical significance of the research lies in the fact that the results obtained can be used by psychologists and managers in the context of moral and psychological support for the activities of the Department of Internal Affairs.