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Mental Health for Journalists

Reporters, photojournalists, editors, war correspondents. Real stats, specific resources, and guidance written for the particular culture of this profession — not generic advice.

The numbers
War/conflict journalists: ~29% meet PTSD criteria. Newsroom layoffs cause measurable depression spikes. ~20% of journalists in one survey reported suicidal ideation in the past year.
~90K full-time journalists in the US

Why mental health looks different here

Trauma exposure + industry collapse + public hostility. For beat reporters: secondary trauma from covering violence. Plus: precarious employment in a field that requires emotional labor.

Profession-specific resources

Built for your job. Not generic EAP. These know the culture.

Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma
Columbia-housed research + support for journalists covering trauma.
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The Self-Investigation
Journalist-specific mental health + peer community.
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ACOS Alliance
Freelance journalist safety + mental health resources including hostile-environment training.
Open →

Most common issues in journalists

Based on prevalence data for this profession. Each links to a specific resource on Typical Male.

Licensure / fitness-for-duty — what's real and what's myth

No licensure issues. Main barrier: newsroom culture still treats mental health as a vulnerability. Dart Center has pioneered confidential approaches used at major outlets.

Free tool
Not sure what's going on?

The PHQ-9 + GAD-7 screeners your doctor uses. Private. Printable for your appointment. Tracks over time.

Take the PHQ-9 →