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Is working in the mental health field mentally taxing?
how mentally taxing is working in the mental health field.
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Daniela Silva
Freelance Writer in Mental Health and Education
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Daniela’s Answer
Hi Jackson!
I loved your question!
I'm a mental health writer and what I can tell you is that the difficulty in working with mental disorders can be proportional to the gains you get from it. The mental health of a human being is what moves him/her into life, challenges, and relationships. Thus, working with clinical management in this area is to provide changes in the person's life that will help in their decision-making and management of emotions. It's the health of the mind that moves our body to life, and that's priceless!
However, working with emotions can be too exhausting if you are not able to emotionally separate what is yours and what belongs to the other person. It is therefore crucial that the mental health professional also undergo therapy to work through their psychological issues and conflicts. It's like the guidance we receive from the flight attendant: before helping the other to put on the oxygen mask, we first need to put on ours!
Hope this helps!
Success!
I loved your question!
I'm a mental health writer and what I can tell you is that the difficulty in working with mental disorders can be proportional to the gains you get from it. The mental health of a human being is what moves him/her into life, challenges, and relationships. Thus, working with clinical management in this area is to provide changes in the person's life that will help in their decision-making and management of emotions. It's the health of the mind that moves our body to life, and that's priceless!
However, working with emotions can be too exhausting if you are not able to emotionally separate what is yours and what belongs to the other person. It is therefore crucial that the mental health professional also undergo therapy to work through their psychological issues and conflicts. It's like the guidance we receive from the flight attendant: before helping the other to put on the oxygen mask, we first need to put on ours!
Hope this helps!
Success!
Updated
Martin’s Answer
Working in the mental health field can be challenging mentally; however, if you are a person that has a knack for helping others naturally, then it can be a rewarding job. The mental health field requires someone to have strong empathy and somehow relate to patients in order to build that rapport. Building that connection with the patients can help with the treatment process in the long run. Hope this helps!
Updated
Anastacia’s Answer
Hi love! Any health related field is taxing. I suggest you go for what you’re truly passionate about! That makes all of the tough times easier. You’re doing what you want to learn about and are constantly evolving. I work with children with disabilities both mentally and physically. I LOVE what I do. My son is a RN in the PEDS unit at a hospital. He loves it, yet we all have tough days, again emotionally and physically. That is with any career you go into! Yet for me, it’s so satisfying helping others. I hope this helps! Peace and love always! ☮️❤️
Updated
Dean’s Answer
Compassion fatigue is a real thing. You can do a lot of good but you can't help anyone if you do not also take care of your own mental health.
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Lauren’s Answer
Hey there!
I feel as any job can be mentally taxing! With working in the mental health field, while it can be so exciting to learn new coping skills and treatment modalities to help your clients, it’s also important to put yourself first as a clinician. You can’t best serve your clients if you aren’t serving your best self! I’m a huge advocate for self care in my professional and personal life. I make sure to not overload my workday, take little breaks throughout the day, and focus on the things that bring me joy when I get home, such as making dinner or playing with a pet. Working in the field of mental health is great but it certainly has its days and challenges. Constantly checking in with yourself, asking questions and saying “hey, I need a mental health day today” is so important, especially to prevent burnout!
I feel as any job can be mentally taxing! With working in the mental health field, while it can be so exciting to learn new coping skills and treatment modalities to help your clients, it’s also important to put yourself first as a clinician. You can’t best serve your clients if you aren’t serving your best self! I’m a huge advocate for self care in my professional and personal life. I make sure to not overload my workday, take little breaks throughout the day, and focus on the things that bring me joy when I get home, such as making dinner or playing with a pet. Working in the field of mental health is great but it certainly has its days and challenges. Constantly checking in with yourself, asking questions and saying “hey, I need a mental health day today” is so important, especially to prevent burnout!
Updated
Cindy’s Answer
Hi Jackson, I've been in the mental health field for the last 25 years and have loved the work. There is always incredible value in the work, being able to meet another human being where they're at and helping them connect to who they are at their highest level. There's so much pain in the world and unfortunately, don't see that changing anytime soon. One thing I will say if intending to become a therapist is to give yourself plenty of opportunities to work with different population groups but to also think about specializing in trainings/interventions which will allow you to comfortably and confidently work with individuals struggling with similar challenges. Although rewarding working in community mental health, one of the bigger challenges that I faced was feeling stretched beyond capacity as there were so many different types of clinical needs. Some would describe this as being a generalist practitioner.
In doing continuing education which is required for licensure, I found that the different areas of clinical training helped me more easily sort out who I've loved to work with and being able to learn a few specific counseling approaches helped me feel much more confident in approaching clinical work. It's much less stressful to no longer feel that I needed to be the jack of all trades but not feeling like an expert in any. I'd still recommend taking the time while in school or in those first few years afterwards to learn who you like to work with most and what clinical issues you find most intriguing prior to declaring an area of specialty. Hope this helps and best wishes as you select what path feels right for you:)
In doing continuing education which is required for licensure, I found that the different areas of clinical training helped me more easily sort out who I've loved to work with and being able to learn a few specific counseling approaches helped me feel much more confident in approaching clinical work. It's much less stressful to no longer feel that I needed to be the jack of all trades but not feeling like an expert in any. I'd still recommend taking the time while in school or in those first few years afterwards to learn who you like to work with most and what clinical issues you find most intriguing prior to declaring an area of specialty. Hope this helps and best wishes as you select what path feels right for you:)
Updated
Kaci’s Answer
Working in the mental health field can be mentally taxing. It helps to have a passion for the field/the people you work with/help and to continue learning through professional development. I recently heard that professional development can be a form of self-care, and I agree! It gives you time to speak with others in the field who may be going through similar situations. Other forms of self-care are also important to help prevent burnout. Taking short breaks throughout the day, if possible, helps too. Try not to skip a lunch/lunch break. If needed, I also recommend getting mental health support yourself. Best of luck, mental health can be a very rewarding field!
Updated
Kaylyn’s Answer
Hi Jackson!
I think that working in the mental health field can definitely be considered taxing and draining. With that being said, it is important to prioritize self-care and set firm boundaries in order to make sure you are providing yourself with the proper care that you need. I have noticed that a lot of mental health professionals struggle with wanting to work and be available as much as possible, but that is not sustainable in the long run. Making sure you are doing things that you enjoy and separating yourself from your career is incredibly important in taking care of your own personal mental health, which is just as important! Hope this helps.
I think that working in the mental health field can definitely be considered taxing and draining. With that being said, it is important to prioritize self-care and set firm boundaries in order to make sure you are providing yourself with the proper care that you need. I have noticed that a lot of mental health professionals struggle with wanting to work and be available as much as possible, but that is not sustainable in the long run. Making sure you are doing things that you enjoy and separating yourself from your career is incredibly important in taking care of your own personal mental health, which is just as important! Hope this helps.