Being a journalist inherently comes with stress. Sometimes it’s good stress, like the short-term kind that can drive you to meet a deadline or ask an uncomfortable question. But when it’s prolonged stress, like a constant low-level dread about the state of the industry or world, it’s not often productive — and can even be destructive.
“When stress is not resolved, it can get in the yellow and red zone, and that’s where we get to overwhelm and burnout,” Naseem Miller, senior editor for health at The Journalist’s Resource, said during November’s Lunch and Learn that focused on freelancers’ mental health.
In some ways, freelance journalists face stressors that staff writers don’t. Lunch and Learn participants said the fact that they don’t get paid until after they write a story — and sometimes long after — weighs heavy. Others noted sexism in a field where editors seem to assume female freelancers have a higher-earning spouse at home. And another writer said the current environment, where it’s harder and harder to even get a response from an editor or source, is a demoralizing shift from decades’ past.
“To make ends meet, you have to be working on so many different things at the same time, and no matter what you’re doing, there’s something else you should be doing,” one freelancer said. “You start to panic in bed about everything you should do.”
Plus, as freelancer-turned-doctor-of-social-work Henrick Karoliszyn found in his capstone project, freelancers are taking on more traumatic breaking news coverage as staff positions continue to wane. And they do so without the important emotional and financial support of a newsroom environment.
The encouraging news, Miller said, is that we’re talking about mental health more openly now.
“This whole concept that our jobs could affect our mental health — 10 years ago, no one was talking about this,” she said. She became interested in the topic after covering the Pulse nightclub mass shooting in 2016. Her team at the Orlando Sentinel was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist for the coverage.
The other promising news is that there are tools, strategies and resources journalists can turn to to take care of their mental health and, in turn, strengthen their work. Here are the top tips that came up during AHCJ’s monthly Zoom gathering for freelancers:
Know — and notice — the signs of burnout and vicarious trauma
We use and hear terms like “I’m so stressed” or “I’m burnt out” so often, it’s easy to think we know just what tanking mental health feels like. But sometimes, signs of potentially serious issues are more insidious, manifesting as apathy, a lack of motivation, substance misuse or just a general feeling of being “off.”
You don’t need to have faced an outwardly traumatic event to experience these issues, either, freelancers said. Covering someone else’s tragedy can lead to vicarious trauma or compassion fatigue, for instance, which can precede depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The sooner you recognize these issues could keep getting worse — burnout, for one, can progress to depression and even suicidal thoughts — the sooner you can do something about it.
Seek therapy
Unfortunately, not everyone can access or afford therapy. But if you’re noticing signs of chronic overwhelm or the like, even just a few sessions can help equip you with the tools to get back to a healthier baseline. Miller recommended checking out The Journalist Trauma Support Network, which specifically trains therapists to work with journalists.
One AHCJ member said her regular therapy sessions are worth the cost by warding off more disruptive mental health issues. “Therapy can be prophylactic,” she said.
Assemble a team
Freelancers often need to be more proactive than staff journalists when it comes to recruiting a team of people who understand their work and the toll it can take. But as Miller wrote about recently, peer support is critically important for journalists — though far more often overlooked compared to high-stress professions like emergency medicine. (For loads of advice on finding freelance friends, check out my last tip sheet.)
You can look outside of journalism for “teammates,” too. One Lunch and Learn participant said it wasn’t until she talked to her spouse, friends, a career coach and a doctor that she was able to figure out why she didn’t feel right, and get the right support — as well as an actual prescription to go on weekly hikes — to help.
Another attendee said she knew someone who assigned their dad to be a “burnout monitor.” As soon as they started getting irritable or otherwise unhealthily consumed with work, their dad would say: “It’s time to take a break.”
Calling on other people can also help buffer the sting of cruel comments on stories or nasty emails from readers. Instead of subjecting yourself to the pain, ask someone you trust to scan comments and emails, and only share necessary responses with you. Unnecessary emails can go straight to the garbage.
Limit notifications
While reporters and editors can’t shut down all news, they can be deliberate about when and how they access information, Miller said. For instance, maybe you don’t watch news but only read it. Maybe you set aside a certain time of day to catch up on one trusted outlet, rather than being at the mercy of multiple notifications. Even reading through a difficult transcript might be less emotional to process than listening to it. “Be more mindful of scrolling,” Miller added.
Focus on what you can control
Likewise, managing what is in your control (where you get news, how you begin a story you’re writing) and releasing your grip on what’s not (policy decisions, whether a source responds) can help combat overwhelm.
One way to reclaim some sense of control is to write down one thing each day you want to, and solely can, accomplish. For things that are out of your control, try jotting your worries down in a journal before bed. You can also try scheduling worrying or rumination time — just 10 minutes a day can do. That way, when the negative spiral starts, you can say, “not now,” but not neglect the concerns either.
Take breaks
According to Miller, Bruce Shapiro, the founder of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma (now the Global Center for Journalism and Trauma), frequently says, “A resilient journalist is a well-rested journalist.”
Indeed, it’s important to prioritize sleep and breaks to do your best work and protect your mental health. Miller recommended taking walks and putting a blanket over your computer when you’re done for the day. “‘Self-care’ is overused, but really it’s intentionally caring for yourself the same way you write stories or take care of your children — your other responsibility is taking care of yourself,” she said. “Think of it as a job responsibility.”
For more resources and further reading on this topic, check out Miller’s post featuring practical self-care tips for journalists and my interview with psychologists about how freelancers can care for their mental health under the current presidential administration.
