Accepting support can be harder than it seems – especially for professionals whose sense of agency, responsibility, and overview are central to their professional identity.

Psychologist Rikke Høgsted calls it the Catch-22 of professional identity – a paradox where the desire to appear strong can get in the way of seeking help.

"It’s really a paradox. If I accept support, people – even myself – may think I can’t handle the job. If I don’t, they are proven right," she says.

She describes the Catch-22 as a collision between the ideals of the profession and human needs.

"In many professions, it is precisely action, overview, and responsibility that define someone as professional. And then it becomes difficult to reach out for support – because it can feel like an identity breach."

For a police officer, it may be about staying mentally strong under pressure. For a social worker, about containing others’ pain. For a healthcare professional, about keeping a clear head in the middle of chaos.

"When the culture simultaneously signals that ‘real’ professionals handle stress on their own, it becomes difficult. If you seek help, you risk feeling weak. If you don’t, you are left alone – and that can take a toll over time."

A place to start, she suggests, is language: "We often use negations like: ‘It is not a weakness to ask for help.’ Even that reinforces an association with weakness. We should instead speak more directly and with dignity about support – as something professional in itself."

You can read more about the Catch-22 of professional identity – and how to manage it – in the “Basic Course in Psychological First Aid and Crisis Management.”

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