Mental Health in High-Pressure Careers – Reducing Suicide Risk
Written by: Zafra Aswar Ali
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In the present urbanised world, high-pressure jobs such as careers in the fields of finance and healthcare are rising in number. These jobs consist of various challenges like working for long hours, increased workload, and high expectations from employees employed in similar demanding fields. As a result, these challenges can negatively impact their mental health and lead to anxiety, depression, burnout, and most dangerously, suicidal thoughts. Therefore, if you are someone engaged in a high-pressure job, it is crucial to address these mental health issues and reduce the suicide risk to create a safe working environment.
Factors that contribute to the suicide risk in demanding jobs
One reason why some employees in high-pressure careers may consider suicide is because they feel overwhelmed by their workload, or that their situation will not improve. Regardless of the reason, when such thoughts arise, the situation must be attended to immediately. Additionally, many other factors can instigate suicidal thoughts in terms of demanding jobs. Here are some factors that one must be aware of to overcome struggles at work by taking the right precautions.
1. Work-life imbalance
Being part of a high-pressure job, employees are often expected to work for long hours, exceeding their working hours. Consequently, this leaves little time for self-care or to spend time with their loved ones. This causes a lack of balance between work life and personal life, leading to feelings of loneliness and a reduced sense of purpose over time. Therefore, more focus is given to work with no proper support or connections outside work, which may lead to suicidal ideation if left unaddressed.
2. High expectations
Typically, in high-pressure jobs, there are high expectations from the employer’s end with increased workload. Due to this reason, the workers can develop a fear of failure and be afraid of making mistakes despite the success they may have acquired in other aspects of their lives. Hence, this feeling of worthlessness could result in suicidal thoughts.
3. Trauma
Careers that involve frequent exposure to trauma and emergencies – such as doctors and nurses in healthcare and police officers in law enforcement – may feel emotionally exhausted over time and develop conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As a result, it can increase the risk of suicide if there is no appropriate mental health support.
4. Stigma
Some professions may expect the employees to overcome the struggles that affect their mental health, whether or not they get proper support. Specifically, the mental health of doctors in the medical field has been stigmatised, and doctors may feel that they must keep their feelings to themselves without reaching out for assistance. This creates a feeling of hopelessness in them, making their struggles more challenging, which could lead to suicidal ideation due to lack of support (Greiner & Arensman, 2022).
Ways to reduce suicide risk in demanding jobs
1. Promoting work-life balance
Maintaining a proper work-life balance is crucial for better mental health. This can be achieved by implementing flexible working hours or working remotely. Apart from that, clear boundaries must be set, granting proper breaks and time off for the employees.
2. Create awareness of mental health
To break the stigma surrounding mental health, employers – especially those in high-pressure jobs – must consider taking steps to discuss the importance of mental health at workplaces with their employees. This can be done by arranging relevant workshops or allowing employees to share the experiences that affect their mental health negatively. This would encourage the employees to seek assistance without any hesitation.
3. Addressing trauma
For those in professions that are exposed to traumatic experiences frequently, appropriate support must be provided to reduce the risk of developing PTSD. This can be done by granting them access to trauma-related support and allocating mental health days to recover from those experiences.
Conclusion
The mental health of individuals in professions that have high risk or pressure is as important as their physical health. Therefore, it must be prioritised by addressing their mental health challenges and spreading awareness on mental health, while providing the right form of support in workplaces to reduce suicide ideation among them. As a result, it can save lives while building healthy working environments.
References
Mental Health in the Workplace – HelpGuide.org
The Harmful Impact of Job Stress on Mental and Physical Health
Greiner, B. A., & Arensman, E. (2022). The role of work in suicidal behavior – uncovering priorities for research and prevention. Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health, 48(6), 419–424. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.4051