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Mental health impacts of a big tech job

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Re: Mental health impacts of a big tech job

#181

Post by fsociety »

throwaway5752 wrote: post #168

https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/report_2720/... "SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG ADULTS BELOW THE POVERTY LINE" (this is simply the first result I found in a large body of research on the mental and physical cost of poverty) It is worth focusing on the ways in which you are lucky, and it puts some of the stress in perspective. We are living in challenging times - environmental, economic, and societal cha…

It sounds like you are saying this is first world problems. Instead, for anyone else reading, I’ll suggest that making your own issues smaller makes it impossible to deal with them. Yes, people under the poverty line have it harder but it does not diminish your own problems in life.

Re: Mental health impacts of a big tech job

#182

Post by throwaway5752 »

fsociety wrote: post #181
throwaway5752 wrote: post #168

https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/report_2720/... "SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG ADULTS BELOW THE POVERTY LINE" (this is simply the first result I found in a large body of research on the mental and physical cost of poverty) It is worth focusing on the ways in which you are lucky, and it puts some of the stress in perspective. We are living in challenging times - environmental, economic, and societal cha…

It sounds like you are saying this is first world problems. Instead, for anyone else reading, I’ll suggest that making your own issues smaller makes it impossible to deal with them. Yes, people under the poverty line have it harder but it does not diminish your own problems in life.

I don't know that my short comment required you to restate my point, and in a way that I don't quite agree with. But I appreciate your different viewpoint. I think people should seek treatment and therapy for mental health problems, but it is worth focusing on positive things, also. They are not mutually exclusive.

Re: Mental health impacts of a big tech job

#183

Post by zamalek »

burntoutfire wrote: post #129
sg47 wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a H1B holder who's also a cancer survivor and suffering from severe health issues, I can tell you it's hell. I cry at least once a week at the fact that I cannot take a break without having to destroy my life and my family's life and 20+ years of life built up here. Everything this person said is absolutely true. The high compensation comes at a very high cost. It's not just mental or physical but also moral. You…

> You underlevel people because you have to have a high bar. > So someone with 20+ years of experience with subject matter expertise (not me) is a 'developing' Principal engineer. If one of your major complaints about work is that some other employees only make $300k while some arbitrary table made by the company says they should be making $400k-$500k, then perhaps you're in a pretty good position overall? In other w…

It sounds like they are stringing them along with golden handcuffs, also. I always feared losing my job on my L1B (visa with no job mobility), and now that I was rendered redundant, living my greatest fear, I am genuinely happier than before.

Golden handcuffs are a living hell.

Re: Mental health impacts of a big tech job

#184

Post by murgindrag »

mym1990 wrote: post #171
murgindrag wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the root causes is: - Financial constraints - A harasser - A medical problem - Etc. a therapist/counselor can't help you very much. Whenever I've had issues I needed help with, there were real issues behind it. A therapist/counselor won't be able to do much, if anything. If you're making a $350k salary in a hell-job while having $100k in financial obligations, the solution is simple enough. If you're making a $350…

Are you actually saying that people who go to therapy don't have 'real issues' behind their problems? Damn...

No, I'm saying if you're:

* in an abusive job

* are going to be deported if you quit

* have kids you want to keep in school

... anxiety is a natural biological response, and there isn't a magical therapy trick that will help you get rid of it. Perhaps that time and money is better spent on managing immigration or job issues than on therapy.

And if you're in a new country with no savings and no contacts, continuing with the same example, there might not be friends or family whom you can turn to for help.

Re: Mental health impacts of a big tech job

#185

Post by tkiolp4 »

I don’t get the “build server” example. It is expected that the author works crazy hours and do the extra mile to get the job done… but that same expectation does not apply to the teams/individuals that own/maintain the build servers?

Re: Mental health impacts of a big tech job

#186

Post by mgh2 »

abc_lisper wrote: post #165
hiyer wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just curious - how come you haven't got a green card or citizenship if you've been there for 20+ years?

Possible if you are from India. I am on the same boat

Unknown to Americans, the US is still a country run on immigrant "modern slavery". Especially tech companies (most H1B visas)

Re: Mental health impacts of a big tech job

#187

Post by 41209 »

auspex wrote: post #179
41209 wrote: post #37

At this point I want to figure out a way to work 6 months out of the year at 75$ an hour or so. Then max out my 401k and take 6 months off( see my other thread , I'd do this in a cheaper country) My theory is I'd end up paying very little taxes compared to working myself mad trying to hit 200k a year.

I see the biggest problem here is that when you leave you’re gone for six months. When you come back it’ll take you a month to ramp back up.

I'd be fairly flexible here.

It doesn't need to be a full 6 months every single year , some years might be a bit longer , etc.

Re: Mental health impacts of a big tech job

#188

Post by killa_kyle »

spdionis wrote: post #164
avalys wrote: post #40

> but the big difference between then and now was that when I was home, I was home. Work stopped, and I could do something else for a bit and didn’t have to worry about anything until the next work day. I didn’t feel much of the mental fatigue I do now. This really has nothing to do with Big Tech and is a nearly universal characteristic of any job that requires mental effort instead of physical. Yeah, if you're getti…

Agreed with every word of your comment but > your brain doesn't wear out from thinking the way your back wears out from carrying boxes. this is not obvious at all.

I worked as a mover in NYC for years before becoming a software developer. Even though I make more money and have an easier life in many ways now, the mental fatigue of working a "knowledge" job is stressful in ways that outweigh most of my hardest physically and emotionally taxing days moving.

Re: Mental health impacts of a big tech job

#189

Post by yolovoe »

carnitas wrote: post #113
yolovoe wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I work at Amazon and the work-life-balance is pretty chill. I do my 35 hours a week (7 hours a day--8 including lunch) and completely disconnect outside of that. Manager has been chill so far, expectations couldn't be clearer and are pretty reasonable. A lot of my friends work at FAANG and finance in SWE roles too and their wlb is pretty good as well, with most working under 40 hours a week--some well under. And we'r…

Do you get paid full time salary or hourly only for the 35 hours a week?

Like a sibling comment said, the number of hours worked isn't tracked.

Downside: If you're oncall, you might have to stay up for 18 hours straight of something big goes wrong, and you won't get paid any overtime.

Re: Mental health impacts of a big tech job

#190

Post by mym1990 »

murgindrag wrote: post #184
mym1990 wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you actually saying that people who go to therapy don't have 'real issues' behind their problems? Damn...

No, I'm saying if you're: * in an abusive job * are going to be deported if you quit * have kids you want to keep in school ... anxiety is a natural biological response, and there isn't a magical therapy trick that will help you get rid of it. Perhaps that time and money is better spent on managing immigration or job issues than on therapy. And if you're in a new country with no savings and no contacts, continuing wi…

You're just picking out examples that suit your point. Are you saying therapy is just a 'magical trick'?
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