Truck driving has often been described as a lonely profession.
While that description is more stereotypical than factual, it points to potential struggles that many truckers grapple with in the course of their duty.
We’ve prepared a collection of the most common challenges that plague truck drivers, with a focus on mental health issues.
Detachment From Current Affairs
Many truck drivers are detached from the current happenings both in their immediate surroundings and globally. That’s perfectly understandable, considering that truckers spend most of their time on the roads.
Truckers simply cannot watch television or check into social media while driving. And whenever they turn on the stereo, they’re probably catching up on Kathy Mattea’s “Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses,” Bobby Bare’s “Miles Away from Home,” or other favourite classics.
Fortunately, there are several news truck driver websites that truckers can invest in to stay in the loop on topical events, particularly emerging trends in the trucking industry.
Some of these sites aggregate reports from various resources and condense them into bite-sized chunks for easy consumption.
Safety Anxieties
Truck drivers grapple with the same safety concerns as regular motorists. They must remain vigilant 24-7 to avoid causing accidents.
Truckers must also drive defensively, sometimes forced to second guess other drivers to stay even further from danger. And they need to, because according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), large trucks cause around 500,000 accidents annually.
While vigilance can help avert crashes, it can also take a toll on a trucker’s mental health.
Being ultra-vigilant requires you to think extra hard. And the harder your brain concentrates on a task, the higher the rate of neuronal metabolism.
Excess metabolism in the brain can lead to neurodegeneration, a major cause of cognitive decline and mental health issues.
Navigational Fears
Navigational challenges can take just as heavy a toll on truck drivers’ mental health as safety concerns.
Truckers must be familiar with speed, time, and distance. They must also understand the relationship between the three variables. That knowledge is particularly useful when computing fuel consumption and estimating the duration between load pick-up and drop-off.
Truckers must also possess chart reading and interpretation skills. Whether it’s a manual sketch or a detailed Google Map, the driver should be able to interpret it accurately when mapping out their routes.
Other navigational challenges pertain to the prevailing weather. A truck driver must understand how wind and precipitation impact vehicular performance.
You’re probably wondering if they have a spare brain for all these. They sadly don’t, which probably explains the high prevalence of mental health disorders in this industry.
Loneliness and Isolation
Right off the bat, it’s important to challenge the baseless generalization that all truck drivers are lonely and isolated.
Many truckers have families that look up to them. That said, trucking is undeniably one of the loneliest industries.
Truckers aren’t like normal employees who must return home at the end of each workday. Most truck drivers only reconnect with their families once a fortnight or monthly. Depending on their current assignments, some can be gone worryingly longer.
One way to address loneliness and isolation is to keep in touch with your dear ones.
Phone back home at least once every other day. The soothing voice of your spouse or the innocent giggles of your two-year-old child might be all it takes to fend off loneliness.
Depression From Constant Frustrations
The trucking industry isn’t for the fainthearted. There are daily frustrations to contend with, which could eventually lead to depression. These disappointments come in many forms, such as traffic snarl-ups.
When a trucker drives into a traffic gridlock that takes hours to clear, the wasted hours can have far-reaching implications. Notably, there will be delayed shipment and the driver’s circadian rhythms will be disrupted.
The constant backlash due to late shipment, coupled with poor sleep habits, can lead to depression over time. Common symptoms to watch out for include short fuse, restlessness, appetite changes, unexplained fatigue, and sleep deprivation.
Besides being slowed down by heavy traffic, truckers may also develop depression from unforeseen vehicular breakdowns and even run-ins with the law. Investing in predictive maintenance apps and staying updated on regulatory requirements might help minimize these conveniences.
Poor Work-Life Balance
Most employed folks struggle to maintain a healthy work-life equilibrium. So, you can only imagine how much more serious the problem is for truckers who work longer hours.
In most cases, poor work-life balance occurs when you prioritize work over family and personal happiness. Therefore, the most effective way to correct the imbalance is to forget about your professional engagements.
You could ask for days off to visit with your family. Twenty-four hours spent in the presence of your loved ones can cure weeks of absence and loneliness.
You could also achieve a proper work-life balance by practicing several self-care habits during work hours. Examples include napping occasionally, eating healthy meals, and socializing.
Wrap Up
Mental health issues may be convenient to ignore. But without urgent interventions, these problems can degenerate into full-blown anxiety disorders.
Whether you’re a truck driver or know someone who works in this important sector of the economy, it’s prudent to take your/their mental health seriously by encouraging healthy habits like socialization.
Scheduling occasional trips to a therapist might also help to nip mental health conditions in the bud.
