Post by DiFine PR

Nearly half of Romanian journalists are experiencing burnout, according to a study by the FRIENDS FOR FRIENDS FOUNDATION. 📰 More than half are frequently exposed to tragedies and human suffering, yet 92% say that mental health is rarely or never discussed within the profession. 166 journalists opened up for this study, and the numbers are hard to look away from. Nearly half describe a high or very high level of burnout. More than half work over 45 hours a week — nearly 10 times the national average reported by Eurostat. Over 55% are regularly exposed to tragedy, violence, or human suffering on a frequent basis, and repeated exposure like this can lead to vicarious trauma — the same wound as the people they're reporting on, carried secondhand. 70% have faced abuse at work, most often responding by talking to a close friend or simply resigning. Only 11% ever sought psychological counselling. "What struck me was not a single dramatic figure, but a tension: journalists say they are more motivated and energetic than the general population, yet at the same time, they report high levels of burnout," says Dani Sandu, researcher in political sociology at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. Behind every story that shakes us, there's a person carrying more than we ever see — and too much time has passed with no one asking how they were doing. This research, part of the Friends For Friends Foundation's Superscrieri program, finally names that weight! We stay close to journalists, and helping them find real support is a mission we're committed to for as long as it takes! 🫂❤️ CC: Diana Iosu; Delia Marinescu; Denisa Morariu-Tamas; Andreea Dumitru; Alexandra Cantor; Zenaida Tataru #Superscrieri #WeAreDiFine #WeStandTogether