Let’s get real for a second. Mental health in life, and especially in the cybersecurity industry, is a topic most people love to tiptoe around. Sure, people will slap a hashtag on it during awareness months, or drop a few platitudes about “self-care,” but the truth? Most of it is performative crap. Let’s cut the BS and talk about what’s actually going on here.
The Industry’s Pressure Cooker
Cybersecurity is a brutal gig. We’re fighting an uphill battle against attackers who have unlimited time, resources, and motivation. Meanwhile, the rest of the world barely notices unless something explodes, and even then, we’re only as good as our last crisis.
What does that do to us? It burns us out. It isolates us. It makes us feel like we’re constantly on the verge of failure. Add in the macho culture—you know, the one that glorifies 80-hour workweeks, adrenaline-fueled incident responses, and “saving the day” at the expense of our own well-being—and it’s no wonder so many of us are silently drowning.
Breaking Down the Stigmas
Mental health struggles don’t make you weak. Let me say that again: mental health struggles don’t make you weak. Anxiety, depression, ADHD (hello, that’s me), PTSD—these aren’t signs that you’re failing at life. They’re signs that you’re human.
But here’s the rub: Our industry thrives on perfectionism and fear. Admit to struggling, and suddenly you’re worried about how it’ll affect your reputation. Will people think you’re unreliable? Will it cost you a promotion? Will they talk behind your back? These fears feed the stigma, and the stigma keeps us suffering in silence.
Calling Out the Corporate BS
Let’s not forget the organizations that love to tout their mental health programs while working their teams to the bone. A “mindfulness webinar” isn’t going to fix your burnout when you’re on call 24/7 and dealing with a toxic manager. Offering an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is great, but how many people actually feel safe using it without fear of judgment or reprisal?
If companies really cared about mental health, they’d start by addressing the root causes of stress: unreasonable workloads, lack of resources, toxic cultures, and leadership that prioritizes metrics over people.
Real Talk: What We Can Do
So what’s the answer? I don’t have all of it, but here’s what I know:
- Talk About It: Silence is the enemy. Share your struggles with trusted colleagues, friends, or professionals. Normalize the conversation. The more we talk, the more we chip away at the stigma.
- Set Boundaries: No, you don’t have to be available 24/7. No, you don’t have to say yes to every project. Learn to say no. Protect your time and energy like your life depends on it—because it does.
- Seek Help: Therapy isn’t just for “crazy” people (another bullshit stigma). It’s for anyone who wants to understand themselves better and build tools to cope with life’s challenges. Find a therapist who gets you. It’s a game-changer.
- Call Out Toxicity: If your workplace culture is killing you, speak up. If that doesn’t work, leave. I know, easier said than done. But no job is worth sacrificing your sanity for.
- Look Out for Each Other: Check in with your peers. Notice when someone’s behavior changes—they’re quieter, edgier, or seem off. Don’t be afraid to ask, “Are you okay?” Sometimes, that’s all it takes to make a difference.
- Be Kind to Yourself: Cybersecurity isn’t just a job; for many of us, it’s a calling. But you are more than your career. Take time to do things that make you happy, even if they have nothing to do with “being productive.”
Final Thoughts
We’re not robots. We’re human beings doing an incredibly hard job in an increasingly hostile world. Pretending we’re invincible only makes things worse.
So let’s stop the bullshit. Let’s have the hard conversations. Let’s demand better from ourselves, our peers, and our industry. Because at the end of the day, our mental health isn’t just important—it’s everything.
Keep it real.
-Evan
This article just came in a time where I feel mentally exhausted from a job where I actually don’t do much but the reason for reaching a certain toll is that my career has been nothing but jobs that are unfulfilling, working on mundane tasks or not working at all and having to pretend to work (before pandemic in office) and being surrounded by colleagues who are enemies and instead of allies, and having weak leadership that instead of helping you or at least giving you the space to be able to perform your job and enabling you to do it, are working against you, not recognizing you or sometimes firing you because they feel threatened by you or because they want to hush you from speaking up about things such as bullying in workplace, and even worse, like racism and xenophobia. This has been my career and I even work from a country (and am from a different nationality) that I don’t and will never have a voice in the workplace and will also be relegated to work in IT Service and Outsourcing. I pretty much had and have to learn out of work and now, because CV and certifications are not enough apparently, I have to create content to actually be able to prove what I know and to actually be able to learn, develop and grow. This is the sad state of this “Cybersecurity” industry I am in and was very unfortunate thus far on it, and I do believe it can be different and better by looking at other peers, but maybe they are also not showing the truth, who knows…
Thanks for sharing! How do you cope and/or what advice do you have? I can empathize with you, and I’m wishing you all the best!
How do I cope? Arts, Sports, Traveling and Cooking. What advice do I have? Learn on your own, don’t expect a single thing from people (even if they are supposed to teach you) and build your own brand.