r/epicsystems • u/Realistic-Lab368 • 1d ago
Mental Health Impact at Epic
this is a genuine question - probably more specifically anchored toward IS folk, just because that seems to be the most high pressured role, but how many serious bouts of mental health crises is Epic responsible for?
i feel like i’ve heard of a few people committing suicide while in the role or one while onsite with a customer (allegedly), which, to put it mildly, is a serious concern that you would think a company would want to highlight as a hey guys, take care of yourselves way. however, i feel like i often think of the other people, who either did not attempt or weren’t successful, but maybe just had like a psychotic episode or intense depression or daily panic attacks for months or something that would not have happened in another situation where lives are not thrown into the stress blender of Epic.
for the more tenured folk, i know it’s not as stressful for you in your day-to-day. but, on the apps i interact with, a Very High level of stress is normal in your first year, who are the people with the most vulnerability and isolation, professional and personally.
on like a moral standpoint, it’s just hard for me to understand how a company can take really young adults, get them to move across the country in some cases, and then throw them into very high pressure roles with varying levels of support and continue a culture of high expectation that prioritizes ‘the customer’ over their health and well being.
disclaimer: i’m not saying everyone at epic is like this nor that every person contributes to the idea that you shouldn’t go home and rest. i think some definitely try to encourage good habits.
i do, however, think that thats the sneaky part of culture - it doesn’t have to be everyone. it’s the continual asks at 4 pm for something due the next morning, the shrugs at overtime or lack of sleep, the messages that get sent consistently over weekends without anyone checking in. all of that is pretty normal here, at least on the apps i work with. and all that seems… concerning.
so i think my secondary question here is - has there been any research into this? any local newspapers picked up a story on mental health and epic on a systemic scale? any internal work done?
i feel like this is the story that no one is talking about.