Truckers are tough, hard-working, self-reliant and pragmatic by nature. They traditionally aren’t the types to acknowledge mental issues like depression, anxiety, loneliness or stress.
It’s an unfortunate truth because trucking is stressful work and the demands of the job and lifestyle make it one of the hardest professions on mental health. A stark indicator of this is that the suicide rate among truckers is fifteen times higher than the general population, according to CDC statistics.
If you’ve ever felt stressed, lonely, depressed, it’s not just you.
May is mental health month and the perfect occasion for truckers to consider an issue that’s directly linked to their well-being, driving performance, relationships and livelihood.
The long hours, isolation, frequent stress, exposure to traumatic traffic accidents, sleep deprivation, lack of exercise and poor diet that come with being a trucker take a toll. Truckers reported having significant mental health issues including depression (26.9%),loneliness (27.9%) and anxiety (14.5%) in one often-cited study.
Mental health issues are common in trucking; ways of preventing them, treating them, and keeping them in check should be as well. Truckers are practical people. So what are some best practices that could help truckers when they feel their mental health is being strained?
Develop Tricks for Protecting Mental Health
• Stress – Chronic stress has a strong link to depressive disorders. For truckers, stress is everywhere and just part of everyday life on the road. Traffic, blind spots, delays, delivery appointments and other people’s moods come with the job. It’s important to have stress relief tricks. Will you practice deep breathing, listen to a great podcast, list the things you’re grateful for, recite a mantra, say a prayer, sing a song or simply force yourself to smile?
• Depression – The conditions that can contribute to a depressive spiral include lack of sleep, lack of exercise, negative talk radio, depressants like alcohol, and poor diet. If you’re conscious of a downward mood trend, it’s possible to redirect toward things that lift you: happy music, a phone call with a friend, just focusing on happy memories.
• Anxiety – It happens to experienced drivers as well as new drivers. Irrational fear, hesitation or worry can be triggered by a bad experience – or nothing at all. Feelings of anxiety seem irrational, but they’re not to be ignored when they’re job related. The first step is acknowledgment, i.e. just accepting it’s an issue you’re going to have to work your way through. The second is addressing the issue – sometimes getting outside help is the most efficient way.
• Loneliness – Long haul drivers who spend days or weeks away from partners, children and friends know a very real form of pain. Prolonged isolation can take a toll on health – mental and physical. Develop tricks for nipping it in the bud. Have check in calls or texts with loved ones. Combat isolation by forcing yourself to say hello or strike up a conversation at truck stops.
Check in with Yourself – Do a Mental Pre-Trip
Processes and best practices help truckers in other areas like doing pre-trip checks and adhering to routing guides, why not in assessing their mental health as well?
Dr. Ronald C. Kessler developed a 10-point questionnaire for rating mental distress. Truckers could use it as a quick reality check. He published the K10 survey while a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School. K10 asks questions about anxiety and depressive symptoms experienced in preceding weeks. The score points to a level of psychological distress and whether a psychological disorder exists that should be addressed.
Know the Resources for Getting Help
Don’t hesitate to get help. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, dial 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for 24/7 support and crisis intervention. Trained professionals are there to talk.
Experts say the sooner you receive appropriate treatment for mental health issues the better both for the quality and speed of recovery. Counseling is easier and more accessible than ever for truckers on the road, thanks to telehealth providers who can administer counseling by video or phone.
The number of companies like BetterHelp and Teladoc providing virtual counseling has increased as telemedicine has become more common. And health insurance policies often cover it. Some fleets offer their own counseling options to drivers or provide financial help through employee assistance programs (EAPs).
Truckers can also turn to Facebook groups like Truckers For Truckers (Fight Against Depression And Suicide). With over 3,000 members, this group has been around for seven years.
It’s a Hard Job – Go Easy on Yourself
Mental health awareness month is a chance for truckers experiencing loneliness, stress, depression or anxiety to learn “it’s not just you” and that the harder it gets in there, the more important it is to reach out for help.
