Editor’s note: This article discusses topics related to suicide and mental health crises that may be triggering for some readers.
I was shocked recently during a monthly online meeting for massage therapists when the facilitator shared a statistic: The suicide rate for female massage therapists in the US is three times the national average suicide rate for females. Among women, massage therapists are one of the top five occupational groups for suicide rates out of 492 occupations recently tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These statistics can be a reminder for us to connect, open up, and seek support when we need it.
While no one may know exactly why someone chooses to end their life, contributing factors can include isolation, occupational stress and burnout, compassion fatigue, financial instability, lack of access to education or occupation, and lack of access to support networks.1 The CDC also states that suicide risk is most often associated with low-skilled jobs, lower education, lower income, job insecurity, and job stress.2
We bodyworkers often work in isolation. Even when working in environments with other therapists, we spend our working hours in a room alone with clients who are often in pain and depending on us. Many clients also share their personal problems with us, and we may have to work extra hard not to take that on. Doing so can result in the “compassion fatigue” mentioned earlier.
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We may also experience a low income, especially when getting started in our own practice or first job. Many therapists work part-time and supplement their income with other jobs out of economic necessity, while others work in environments where pay isn’t very high and benefits such as health insurance are lacking or costly. Even among those who are financially doing well, things can happen: like COVID, a hurricane, or another natural disaster that drastically affects business and income.
We’re human. We may feel overwhelmed, like anyone else in any job. We suffer through our own crises, such as health problems (our own or a loved one’s), death in the family, divorce, or other traumatic events. We’re not immune to stress, even though we specialize in relieving our clients’ stress.
If you are suffering from depression and/or suicidal thoughts, don’t go through it alone. Seek professional help from a licensed counselor. Ask your physician for a referral. Join a peer group or start one to connect with others who may feel they are also at their breaking point. Sometimes, having people to talk to who understand the same challenges you are going through can help. Some professional support groups chip in to pay for a clinical supervisor trained in psychology who can talk with the whole group.
Admitting to ourselves we need help can make us feel weak. But seeking help is a sign of strength. It takes courage to share your innermost thoughts and feelings with others, but it can make the burden feel lighter.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, free 24-7 help is available. Call or text 988 or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988lifeline.org.
