Truckers have enough on their plate. It’s easy to overlook something as important as mental health. Almost 28% of truckers surveyed in a 2012 research study were found to be suffering from loneliness, 27% from depression, 21% from chronic sleep disturbances, 14.5% from anxiety, and 13% from other emotional problems.
Winter months are especially hard on mental health, but particularly in this profession, struggles with mental health can happen at any time. Here are some signs that you may be struggling and some tips to combat the blues. Remember:
- Having a mental health condition does not make you “crazy.”
- Mental health conditions are completely treatable.
- There is help.
Keeping yourself in good mental health is good for business and most importantly, your quality of life.
The mental and emotional impact of driving
The dirty little secret about driving a truck is that it puts drivers in a set of circumstances where mental health challenges can evolve easily. For example:
- Isolation: Driving a truck requires hours upon hours of time alone in your cab. But as human beings, we depend on other people for support and connection. When we don’t get it, we’re generally sadder and sicker. As mentioned in the study above, more than a quarter of surveyed truckers reported feeling loneliness.
- Exercise: Lots of clinical studies say exercise isn’t just for our physical selves. Many say exercise is also mandatory for strong mental health (among other health benefits). But how much exercise can you really get when sitting is part of your job?
- Diet: With due respect to the eating establishments in truck stops and next to off-ramps across North America, burgers and fries don’t provide quite the right level of nutrition to support strong mental health.
Irregular sleep patterns and the need to stay awake for extended periods can disrupt the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, leading to tiredness, mood swings, and trouble focusing.
A study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) found that long-haul truck drivers in the U.S. average only 4.78 hours of sleep each day.
This sleep deprivation can have serious effects, with the FMCSA identifying fatigue as a factor in 13% of truck accidents.
Not getting enough sleep not only reduces mental sharpness but also raises the likelihood of accidents on the road. Here’s our own Dean Croke on the importance of sleep in your profession.
What to do if you’re struggling
Firstly, substances aren’t a sustainable source of relief. A study by the American Addiction Centers revealed that 91% of truck drivers admitted to consuming alcohol on the job, while 82.5% reported using amphetamines. These statistics point to widespread substance abuse within the trucking industry, likely tied to the unique pressures and demands of the profession.
Data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse highlights the severity of the issue, with 69,668 drug violations recorded among commercial truck drivers in 2022—an 18% increase over the previous year. Marijuana violations, in particular, rose by 31.6% during this period.
The high rates of substance abuse may also be linked to mental health challenges like depression and anxiety, which are commonly found among truck drivers due to their demanding work conditions. Additionally, research published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that 51% of long-haul truck drivers were smokers, compared to 19% of the general U.S. workforce.
There is no glory in suffering. And it goes without saying that leaving mental health concerns untreated puts us at risk for even more debilitating conditions, including suicidality. Here’s what you can do:
Talk to a pro: a therapist, psychologist, or even your primary care doctor can talk to you about what you’re feeling (many of them conduct sessions via Zoom or other online platforms) and help to get you back on track. There is also a growing number of online therapy and psychiatry providers, like Talkspace, Cerebral, and Better Health. Virtually all therapy providers (in person or online) are legally mandated to keep your information strictly confidential.
Take care of your brain: Adjust your lifestyle in small ways that can improve your mental health. Eat more spinach, more salmon, more blueberries. Go for a brisk walk. Make a point to go out and eat with friends once or twice a week. Make a list of the people and things for which you are grateful. Make a playlist of the music that speaks to you.
Get out of your head: While it may sound frightening to openly talk to others about what was once a taboo topic, consider this: medications that treat mental health conditions (e.g., anxiety, depression) are among the most regularly prescribed meds in the United States—right up there with the drugs that treat heart disease and diabetes. The point? You are not alone. Talk about it. Join a support group. You’ll be amazed at how healing it can be to talk to others who know how you feel.
Ed. Note: None of the information above is intended to diagnose mental health challenges. If you are concerned about your mental health, contact your physician immediately.
If you are struggling and feel that you are a danger to yourself or others, dial the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
