While not being generally recognized or often addressed, drivers might experience depression.
You Never Would Know
I used to work with a man named Doug many years ago.
He was a wonderful man. He always appeared to be having fun. He brought the celebration to life. His grin never left his face.
One weekend, he traveled alone to Jasper, Alberta, where he shot himself.
I found it hard to believe. I would never have thought that he suffered from depression.
1.5% of people in America experience depression. In contrast to the rest of the population, only 13.6% of truck drivers experience depression to some degree.
As professional drivers, we need to be aware of the indicators of depression and pay attention to them.
Why Is Depression So Common Among Truckers?
Although males make up the majority of truck drivers, studies suggest that men are more likely than women to experience depression at work.
Guys, being males, often will not bring up the subject or ask for assistance.
Guys often believe that talking about depression implies weakness. People often feel ashamed about the situation.
Truck drivers could think they have depressive symptoms. Yet, they decide not to talk about it, ride the wave, and refuse to get assistance.
This does not address the problem.
5 Typical Causes Truck Drivers Get Depression
While many other factors might contribute to depression, these are the ones that are unique to a vocation as a truck driver.
- A lot of alone time. Most of the time, truck drivers are by themselves. They have a lot of alone time, which allows them to reflect and sometimes overthink situations.
This is not a good idea. It may bring anxiety which in turn can be associated with depression.
When on the road, drivers miss their families. Even family time spent at home might feel hurried and condensed.
The driver often arrives home, passes out from tiredness, packs up, and then departs again. There is not enough time spent spending quality time with the family, which is much required.
- Issues With the Employer. The dispatcher and the trucking business may not be going so well.
- Money issues. A professional driver may struggle greatly with financial concerns. Maybe the driver’s income is not enough to cover his expenses. Concerns about providing for the family may be quite stressful.
- Absence of sleep. Depression has been linked to sleep deprivation. Truck drivers undoubtedly work in a field where this occurs often.
Hurried schedules, reversed driving patterns, nighttime driving, and sleeping during the day may disrupt regular organic sleep cycles. The cycle of things spinning out of control and not getting better appears to repeat itself.
The factors above may all or some of them to depression in a professional driver.
5 Best Practices For Truck Drivers in the Profession
- Make more frequent calls to your home and friends. It is wise to do this once per day.
- After a long day of traveling, take some time to unwind alternatively, if your schedule enables it, during the whole driving day. While traveling, I prefer to wash my vehicle or read a nice book in the evening.
- Bring a pet along with you when you travel by truck. It is not uncommon to see truck drivers strolling their pets during truck stops. It is excellent to have a travel partner with you for companionship.
- Choose a hobby. Something that you like. Including paying attention to your health by taking brisk walks and eating well.
- Make a sincere attempt to obtain enough good sleep. The finest sleep is that which is obtained at night. Avoid traveling at night if you can. This may not work out well for the dispatcher or the ELD. Yet you must make an effort to return to a routine.
5 Symptoms of Moderate Depression in Truck Drivers
- Short circuit. Rapid anger.
- Extremely tired. Want more sleep than usual.
- Restless.
- Not interested in activities you formerly found enjoyable.
- Having trouble focusing.
What to Do If You Suspect Depressive Symptoms
It is a good idea to seek expert assistance if you have any of the symptoms above, even if you believe they are minor.
There is no shame in seeking the finest symptom management help.
It could even be essential to quit your work as a truck driver. The greatest answer may be to find a job that allows you to maintain a more regular work/sleep routine while not being away from home.
Professional drivers must maintain both their physical and emotional wellness.
Professional truck drivers need to focus on both.
It promotes safety for drivers.
I hope you never have a problem in this area, but if you do, it is your responsibility as a professional driver to seek help.
This is a service called Crisis Text Line for instant support.
To text the crisis line and connect with a certified crisis counselor, you may do so from anywhere in the contiguous United States. Do not be hesitant to use it.
