When people describe trucking as a ‘dangerous job’, they are typically referring to the countless hours on the road, putting them at significant risk for an accident. Though accidents do pose a threat to truckers, they are dwarfed by the real danger of trucking: Poor mental health.
The life expectancy of a trucker is 16 years less than the national average, capping out at 61 years old. Tragically, suicide agitates life expectancy, with trucking representing the fourth-highest occupational group at risk for suicide. This begs a question.
Are you okay?
Though England Carrier Services is profoundly grateful for your service as a trucker, we are first concerned with your health and safety. You matter.
Here’s what makes mental health in trucking so complicated, and what you can do to help ease the burden.
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The Statistics of Mental Health in Trucking
The data concerning mental health in trucking is sobering:
- 27 – 28% of truckers report suffering from loneliness
- 26 – 27% experience symptoms of depression
- 21% suffer from chronic sleep disturbances
- 14.5% report anxiety disorders
- 13% experience other emotional difficulties
These numbers are astronomically high, far exceeding many national averages. Even worse, the data is likely underreported, with some truckers not divulging their difficulties for fear of appearing “weak.”
When the nature of the trucking profession is examined, it isn’t difficult to see why the risk of poor mental health is so high.
Why Truckers Struggle with Mental Health
Trucking is a perfect storm of conditions for poor mental health.
Think about it: Good mental health is comprised of healthy social connections, a healthy diet, exercise, and adequate sleep. Trucking challenges every one of these categories:
- Truckers often travel for extended periods in solitude
- Truckers have difficulty accessing healthy food and lack the time to prepare it
- Truckers often work long hours with an inconsistent sleep schedule, fostering long-term fatigue
- Truckers rarely have time for exercise, often using the time between shifts to sleep
When all these elements are compounded with the stress of increasingly hostile market conditions and acute stress, it’s no wonder that depression is common.
Even with such a potent cocktail of difficulties, many truckers often suffer in silence, falling prey to the stigma that seeking help is a sign of weakness.
Tips for Better Mental Health in Trucking
Against the backdrop of suffering and social stigma, one truth remains:
You can’t haul, help, and heal if you aren’t here.
Taking care of your mental health should be viewed as essential as regular maintenance. Without a truck, you can’t drive. Without a driver, you can’t move.
Treat these habits like a necessary checklist. Like your career, good mental health requires work, but the benefits are essential.
Stay Socially Connected
When you’re on the road, thousands of miles from home, staying socially connected requires deliberate planning. Before you embark, schedule video calls with loved ones. Make accommodations to have meals with other truckers.
Like lifting weights, each small social interaction is a lift, strengthening your mental health and promoting a greater satisfaction with life.
Prioritize Sleep
Once you finish a shift, it can be tempting to grab your phone and decompress; however, sleep should be prioritized as a vital resource for good mental health.
Invest in your sleeping arrangement to be as comfortable as possible. Guard your sleeping time. Do not allow other circumstances to interfere with good rest.
Exercise
Long, thorough exercise sessions are not always possible for truckers. Instead, try breaking exercise into small sessions. For example, exercising three times a day for 10 minutes at a time is still highly beneficial.
When you exercise, choose aerobic activities like running or brisk walking to maximize your mental health benefits.
Plan to Eat Smart
Before leaving for your route, plan where and what you will eat. Greasy, easy, fast food is much more enticing when you don’t have a plan.
Additionally, bring healthy snacks before departure to ensure success.
Seek Help
Asking for help is not a weakness. Asking for help is a strength.
If you are feeling hopeless, consider virtual therapy. If that feels like a significant step, tell a friend what you are feeling. Even at the risk of feeling embarrassed, it is worth your life.
Mental health in trucking is one of the most significant risks to trucker safety. Like maintenance or bookkeeping, good mental health hygiene should be treated as equally essential.
If you are struggling, reach out to someone you trust. Professionally, you are essential to the supply chain. Personally, you are irreplaceable.
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The England Carrier Services (ECS) division offers various services for carriers ranging from maintenance to support. As ECS members, carriers have access to nationwide discounts on fuel and tires from dedicated team members committed to finding the best price. ECS also provides factoring services with benefits such as same-day funding to a bank account or fuel card. These options allow carriers the freedom to focus on growing their business while saving time and money.