Justine Lacy, Clinical Executive at Profmed

Ten years ago, the leading causes of stress among South African professionals were relatively self-evident. Work, family, health and finances placed many professionals under increasing mental strain, but for most, these pressures still existed within a framework that felt navigable and familiar. Stress was present, but it was often compartmentalised and, in many cases, addressed before it became overwhelming.

The 2025 Profmed Stress Index, however, paints a different picture of stress as a more complex, persistent, and interconnected reality, with fewer professionals seeking help despite the rising impact.

Financial strain, workplace culture, systemic pressures, and lifestyle challenges top the list of stressors for respondents. Unlike a decade ago, these pressures rarely exist in isolation. This finding marks a stark contrast to the isolated nature of stress experienced by professionals in 2017.

With everyday life becoming increasingly demanding, what could be regarded as a normal level of pressure is being compounded by many different interconnected factors, making stress a multi-dimensional issue.

“Stress is an inevitable part of life, especially in the working environment where pressures relating to deadlines, expectations and interpersonal relationships are part and parcel of building a career.

However, prolonged, and intensifying stress can have a profound impact on your physical and mental wellbeing. If left unaddressed, sustained stress can lead to problems like fatigue, disrupted sleep and reduced emotional capacity, all of which have a knock-on effect on aspects such as family life, motivation, and overall quality of life.

“The Stress Index offers one of the most consistent longitudinal views into how stress has evolved over the past decade and if anything, this year’s findings have reemphasised the pressing need for proactive, preventative support that can protect your health before it is compromised,” says Justine Lacy, at Profmed.

Key findings in the 2025 Profmed Stress Index:

• Stress has tangible and long-lasting implications for health: almost 32% of respondents report that increasing pressure has impacted their ability to exercise, 33% claim that stress has impacted their sleep schedule and just under 30% have experienced disrupted eating patterns. A further 44.05% of respondents feel overwhelmed despite coping strategies like physical exercise, mindfulness practices, and therapy.

• Professionals in the healthcare/medical sector report the highest levels of stress (41.81%): the top 5 sectors include jobs that fall into the category of, finance and banking, legal and the built environment and “other”.

• Almost 11% of respondents use substances such as alcohol, caffeine, cannabis, and other illicit substances as coping mechanisms: only 11% of those who use substances to cope have successfully tried to reduce their usage, while 17% do not feel the need to reduce their intake.

• Almost half of respondents expressed concern about the long-term impact of stress on their mental health: just as many expressed an openness to therapy or counselling as a source of support but 29% found these professional services to be unaffordable.

A decade of stress

In retrospect, several key events have contributed to the current day reality. The Stress Index found that the COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally reshaped stress, introducing health anxiety, uncertainty, and lifestyle disruption. Before 2020, the major stressor was financial pressure although comparatively many professionals were able to make positive shifts towards healthier coping mechanisms.

The years following the pandemic were characterised by a fear of loss of income and the potential of losing a family member to COVID. In 2022, against the backdrop of a severe economic downturn, systemic pressures (including the cost of living, job security, and unreliable infrastructure) overtook pandemic concerns as primary stress drivers.

During 2023 and 2024, work-life imbalance, toxic workplace environments and sustained financial pressure led to mounting stress levels, leading up to the present where stress has become a multi-faceted reality.

The 2025 Profmed Stress Index is a clear turning point. Stress is no longer something professionals dip in and out of during busy periods, but for many, it has become part of the background noise of everyday life. It’s carried quietly, often normalised, and too often dealt with alone.

What’s striking in the 2025 findings is how many professionals know the impact stress is having on their health yet still feel unable to act on it. Cost, lack of time and unsupportive work environments mean help is often delayed or avoided altogether. So, people push through. They adjust. They tell themselves it’s temporary, even when the signs say otherwise.

“Stress is not a personal weakness,” says Justine. “It is a natural response to sustained pressure. If we genuinely want healthier professionals, we can’t keep placing the responsibility solely on individuals to cope better. We need systems that step in earlier, and support people before stress takes hold.”

The Stress Index is a reminder that something needs to change. Professionals shouldn’t have to reach breaking point before support becomes accessible. When stress becomes normal, wellbeing doesn’t disappear overnight, it erodes slowly, and often unnoticed.

ENDS