(Fly-in Fly-out, Drive-in Drive-out, Bus-in Bus-out, Ship-in Ship-out, Long Distance Commutes)
FIFO workers is the general term used here to describe people who are LDC Workers in all transport combinations.
Do you feel trapped in your job, as you work towards building a better quality of life and future for you and your family?
Are you missing out and feeling disconnected from what is happening in the lives of your family and friends?
Do you feel alone and isolated?
Are you fearful that if you open up about your struggles, your job and opportunities for promotion will be affected?
Are you worried that you will be told to “toughen up” or “man up” if you try to talk about your difficulties?
Are you finding that you are being more negative and feeling you have to put on a mask?
As a FIFO Worker, you may find it difficult to talk about your struggles and concerns with your colleagues. You may worry about being judged or seen as weak if you talk about emotions or problems and told “to grow some” if you do open up. But the reality is that mental health issues are common amongst FIFO Workers and ignoring these difficulties or trying to tough them out can have serious consequences. Particularly, when the research shows that these workers in Australia report much higher levels of psychological distress (anxiety and depression), burnout, suicidal thoughts and behaviours than the general population. Over 30% of FIFO Worker reported high levels of distress. This is very concerning!
Some of the problems you may relate to you as a FIFO Worker may include:
Stigma
- The stress associated with the stigma of getting help for psychological distress
- Attempts to get help will be disregarded or ridiculed
- The culture of self-reliance and toughness
- Worried that asking for help will affect employability, promotion potential and even replacement
Personal and Family Life/Relationships
- Missing family time as well as significant and everyday events
- Feeling disconnected from family, friends and work colleagues
- Relationship problems – disconnection with spouse and resultant sexual problems
- Family problems and struggling to fit into family life
- Difficulty addressing relationship or family problems as they arise
- Travel time to get home eats up personal time off
- Exhaustion and not feeling like you have a worthwhile break off-site
- Feeling pressure (from yourself or others) to attend to household jobs when you get home
- Coping with living in two very different worlds and maybe two different and often opposing personas
Work Life
- Lifestyle stressors of modelling, hot bedding, or double bunking
- Compressed rosters
- Previous longer work rosters, due to COVID travel restrictions – particularly with interstate and hotel quarantining
- Dissatisfaction with the length of shifts
- Social isolation
- Problems with accommodation, food and amenities on site
- Boredom
- Low levels of work-life balance
- Difficulty getting out of the industry due to non-transferable skills
- “Golden handcuffs’ – you feel trapped as you have built your life and your family’s life (mortgage, debts, schools) around a high wage
- Lack of an exit plan and budget
Health
- Poor sleep
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- High levels of anxiety and depression
- Alcohol and drug (illicit and prescribed) misuse/abuse/dependence (addiction),
- Burnout
- Suicidal ideation, attempts and completed suicides
Over the past few years during COVID-19 restrictions many of these issues become more evident, particularly with interstate/ intrastate travel and hotel quarantine. Hence FIFO Workers were staying longer away from their families due to extended time at work.
How Telehealth Psychology Services can help you
Our team of Mental Health Practitioners can help you navigate these challenges and improve your psychological well-being and address any struggles you may be facing. We work with your strengths, which can sometimes be buried under the overwhelm.
If you or your partner considering a FIFO Worker role, we can help you plan your goals and address and plan how to minimise potential problems. We can also provide you with support as you navigate the changes that this lifestyle makes on your relationship and family life.
We offer a team of Practitioners who can work collaboratively with you to support your FIFO Worker lifestyle, whilst maintaining healthy intimate and family relationships.
We can also explore any individual issues that you might be experiencing whether or not they relate to your work.
Telehealth Psychology Services are accessible and convenient
As well as the benefits of accessibility, convenience and feeling safe in connecting with one of our Practitioners, Telehealth counselling and therapy sessions can help overcome some of the difficulties that may be a barrier for you seeking help. These barriers may include taking that first step to make an appointment, which can be daunting and anxiety provoking or being up against time pressures in just getting to schedule in an appointment.
With our Telehealth sessions, you can have your session in your own comfortable, safe space rather than facing the hassle of getting to a busy clinic. So, with the convenience and accessibility of a Telehealth appointment, it can be easier to fit therapy sessions into your busy schedule whatever your location.
Contact us today to learn more about how Telehealth Psychology Services can help you.
Lets get you started
How to book a session
Have a look at our practitioners and choose who will best relate to your needs, otherwise check the appointment times available that suits your schedule