No matter the industry — education, manufacturing, government, just to name a few — security professionals are tasked with safeguarding people, organizations and even nations from threats ranging from physical breaches to cyberattacks. Quite often this demanding field requires 27/7 vigilance, fast decision-making and resilience in the face of high-stakes situations.

With the focus often being on protecting others, the mental well-being of security professionals can be overlooked, and that can not only compromise the individual, but the overall effectiveness of security operations as well. That is why it is important for security leaders to foster a culture that promotes mental health awareness helping to prevent burnout among their security teams. And with May being Mental Health Awareness Month, there is no better time than the present to discuss this important topic. The topics of burnout and mental health are common topics at Security magazine. Here are what some security leaders have said: