THE INVISIBLE BURDEN OF TEACHING: NECESSARY REFLECTIONS ON MENTAL HEALTH

Abstract

Contemporary teaching is marked by a paradox: its centrality to social development and the alarming psychological illness of its professionals. This article, a narrative literature review, aims to analyze the so-called "invisible burdens" of the teaching profession and their direct relationship to the mental health crisis within the profession. The theoretical framework is anchored in Christophe Dejours' Psychodynamics of Work, to discuss suffering and defensive strategies; in Arlie Hochschild's concept of Emotional Labor, to unravel the mandatory management of emotions; and in Christina Maslach's three-dimensional model of Burnout Syndrome, which defines professional burnout. These perspectives are compared with empirical data from national (Instituto Península, Profsaúde, CNTE) and international (OECD/TALIS) research, which highlights the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and burnout among teachers. The analysis demonstrates that invisible burdens—of a psychological, emotional, and bureaucratic nature—are generated by structural factors, such as salary devaluation and precarious working conditions, and by microsystemic factors, such as relationships with students, families, and school administration. The conclusion is that overcoming this situation requires a shift from a focus on individual self-care to the implementation of public policies and concrete institutional actions that make these burdens visible and alleviate them, recognizing that teacher mental health is an indispensable pillar for quality education.