A recent graduate, her boss regularly emphasized the need to prioritize work.

Wallace felt lucky to have a job and convinced herself that her mom would be alright.

The mental fallout was colossal.

man quitting his job carrying the items from his desk

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At the same time, there has been an increased understanding of the problems work can cause.

There is a myriad of trying reasons a person may decide to leave their position.

Leela R. Magavi, a Hopkins-trained psychiatrist and the regional medical director forMindpath Health.

This follows similarly high numbers in previous months.

She also credits learning boundaries and having them honored at work as critical.

This process may take a lot of deliberation and time spent looking for other opportunities.

However, the first step is determining your jobs mental health impact.

Is Your Job Negatively Impacting Your Mental Health?

Mental health stressors certainly existed in jobs before March 2020.

However, the pandemic completely changed employer expectations and added additional work issues.

Despite many pleas for work from home, I was denied that option, she says.

The job was slowly killing me, and I needed to leave.

I took some time to relax, did puzzles with my siblings, and made art.

Plus, she credits the flexibility of freelancing with providing a much better work-life balance.

Hey faceddeadnaming, misgendering, and harassment about his service dog.

While hey had the owners support, the constant complaining was incredibly taxing.

Hey decided to quit.

Im disabled, so it never really gets better.

Deciding Whether Or Not To Quit Your Job

In some cases, quitting may feel inevitable.

But, if youre unsure if its right, Torres-Mackie recommends leaning on trusted support systems.

Talking it over helped Steven Langbroek be sure when leaving his job.

When he started the new position in April 2020, he was excited.

He knew the choice to leave a job he cared about and employees he felt responsible for required help.

Building up to the decision to quit took a few weeks and a lot of conversations.

For two weeks after quitting in June, Langbroek remembers having no energy to do anything.

If quitting seems too drastic a step, another avenue is trying to change the issues bothering you.

I recommend providing feedback and advocating for positive change prior to leaving a job, says Magavi.

Be honest about how youre feeling without providing more detail than necessary, or youre comfortable sharing.

However, some people may not be comfortable doing so.

In that case, Magavi recommends looking for another job or taking a mental health leave of absence.

Think about the long-term impact on yourmental healthwhen you envision quitting your job.

Prolonged periods of idle time may exacerbate feelings of hopelessness and lethargy.

Of course, this varies from person to person, so be honest about what makes sense for you.

Additionally, look at what your life will realistically look like socially and financially.

Quitting your job is an incredibly personal decision that often requires a great deal of consideration.

Talk to trusted people in your life, weigh your options, and explore what else is out there.

CNBC.The ‘great resignation’ slowed down in October, while job openings jumped.