63% of cybersecurity pros say their stress levels have risen over the past year

Tines has released the findings from a report to shine light on mental health in the cybersecurity community.

The increased pressures of the past few years, remote work, the talent shortage, job duty frustrations, and other challenges are creating environments where mental health is wearing thin. As May is Mental Health Month, Tines wanted to better understand security practitioners, their daily struggles, how they rank their mental health, and if they’re approaching workplace situations and scenarios in healthy ways.

“Prioritizing your team’s mental health is more critical now than ever. It not only involves reducing workplace stress, frustrations, and friction that can impact mental health, but also providing the resources and support needed to help your team understand and improve their mental health as well,” said Eoin Hinchy, CEO of Tines.

“In my fifteen years of being a security practitioner, I saw firsthand how burnout impacted my team,” said Hinchy. “We hope by shining a light on mental health through research and providing the opportunity for regular mindfulness sessions, we’ll be able to help the security community better address burnout.”

The state of mental health in cybersecurity

• 47% rank their mental health highly. 26% say the state of their mental health is excellent, while 21% say it’s very good. The remainder rank their mental health as good (20%), fair (15%), or poor (17%).
• 27% say their mental health has declined over the past year. 39% report that their mental health has improved over the past twelve months, and 34% say it has stayed the same. However, 27% report that their mental health has gotten worse over the past twelve months.
• 57% have workplaces that provide mental health support. 57% of respondents say their workplace provides them with resources and support for their mental health and wellbeing. Yet only 54% say their workplace prioritizes mental health.
• Stress levels are already high — and rising. 66% experience stress at work: 22% are very stressed, 23% are fairly stressed, and 21% are somewhat stressed. Additionally, 63% say their stress levels have risen over the past year.
• Mental health is affecting productivity, and work affects mental health. 64% of respondents say that their mental health affects their ability to get their work done, and 64% say their work impacts their mental health.
• Therapy and medication for mental health is common. 51% of respondents have been prescribed medication for their mental health, and of those, 58% are currently taking medication for their mental health. Additionally, 49% are currently seeing a therapist.
• Half are in good physical health. 50% reported that they’re in excellent physical health (26%) or very good physical health (25%). 42% are getting the recommended eight hours of sleep or more per night.