“Being a solo IT admin means juggling every tech disaster alone—therapy isn’t a luxury, it’s a survival tool.“
Let’s get this out of the way: working solo in IT isn’t just a job — it’s an extreme sport. Except instead of medals, you get weird help desk tickets, 3 a.m. server alerts, and the unshakable knowledge that if anything breaks, it’s your fault.
And you know what? Sometimes, after explaining for the fourth time that the Wi-Fi password is not “just Internet,” I think to myself: I should probably talk to someone about this.
So here it is — a little breakdown (not mine, not yet) of why being a solo IT admin can quietly wreck your mental health, and why therapy might just be the best tool I’ve ever added to my tech stack.
I Am the Department. All of It.
There is no team. There’s just me, my inbox, and a growing list of emergencies disguised as “quick asks.” Need a password reset? I’m on it. New server? Cool, I’ll build it. Printer jam? Of course. Cybersecurity policy overhaul? Yeah, give me like… five minutes?
Being the only IT person is like being stuck in a never-ending game of IT Bingo where all the squares are filled and everything’s on fire.
I Can’t Complain to Anyone — Except Maybe My Cat
When other departments get overwhelmed, they vent to each other. When I get overwhelmed, I type angry comments into a Slack channel where I’m the only member.
Therapists, however, actually listen. They don’t ask me to fix their monitors mid-rant. They don’t respond to emotional honesty with “Have you tried rebooting your attitude?” Honestly, it’s refreshing.
24/7? More Like ∞/∞
There’s no one else to hand things off to. No backup. No “out of office” without low-key dread. I’ve taken phone calls while sick, replied to tickets on vacation, and once answered a server alert during a wedding reception. Not my wedding — I wouldn’t risk that kind of uptime.
Point is: the job never stops, and pretending that’s sustainable is pure delusion.
Everyone Thinks I Know Everything
To some people, IT is just one giant “computer stuff” bucket. Which means I’m expected to know everything from router configs to software dev to recovering Cheryl’s deleted spreadsheet from 2013.
The phrase “Oh, you’re IT — can you help me with this real quick?” should be a drinking game. Except I’d be unconscious by noon.
Burnout Isn’t Looming — It’s Already Here
I don’t need an article to tell me what burnout looks like — I’ve seen it. In the mirror. This job eats time, energy, patience, and sleep. And the kicker? Most people don’t even realize I’m drowning in tickets, project deadlines, compliance nonsense, and Cheryl’s Outlook problems (again).
Therapy? That’s the patch update I didn’t know I needed. Turns out, saying things like “I feel like a human spam filter” is incredibly cathartic when someone actually listens.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a solo IT admin and you’ve ever felt like you’re one jammed printer away from snapping — you’re not broken. You’re just carrying too much. The weight of an entire company’s digital infrastructure wasn’t meant for one person. Especially one person who also has to explain what phishing is every month.
Therapy isn’t some big dramatic step. It’s just maintenance. Like running updates or clearing the cache — except it’s for your brain.
So yeah, I’m gonna keep doing what I do: solving problems, putting out fires, and keeping things running. But I’m also going to keep talking to someone who helps me stay sane while doing it. Highly recommend.
