Stress Management whilst Working as an Escort

Harry Bonjo
7 min readFeb 3, 2021

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Working in the sex industry can have various challenges at times, especially for new escorts who haven’t quite had time to put a mental health plan in place. Making sure that you take good care of yourself is the most important gift you can give to yourself, especially when you may feel alone or disassociated from others.

Working as an Escort in Australia

To maintain good mental health when working as an escort in Australia, there are many mental health aspects you may wish to be aware of and consider so that you can achieve a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Many sex workers face mental health challenges such as stress, burnout and loneliness, however, if you go into the sex industry with a mental health plan that is customized to your very own unique set of circumstances, the chances are that you will be able to maintain a healthy, happy lifestyle and not face any long-term effects.

Know Your Triggers

In order to lead a balanced lifestyle when working as an escort in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne or other bigger cities. you will need to be aware of emotional triggers that may lead to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Working long hours and quite often on your own, can lead to feeling isolated and trapped, so to prevent these mental health issues from arising, it’s always good to make sure that you have happy and healthy relationships outside of work, as well as working in supportive and caring atmospheres and workplaces.

Have an Action Plan

Being aware of triggers that may induce stress is a great place to start. We all suffer from some type of stress in our lives, however, knowing when and how to deal with that initial stages of stress are the secret to combating long term mental health issues and side effects.

Monitoring your daily stress levels is a great place to start, not letting any major incidents or events overtake your mental health on a daily basis can help reduce a build-up of daily stress, thus leading to long term mental health problems.

To eliminate stress in your daily work life as an escort in Australia, you could consider a few of the following points.

  • Give yourself plenty of time each day before you start work to prepare healthy and nutritious meals so that you can keep up your strength and stay healthy.
  • Make sure you do some type of exercise each day to keep your stress levels in balance, exercise such as yoga or going for a run are free and require a short amount of time.
  • Limit the number of hours you work each day so that you can manage your stress levels. Not getting enough sleep and rest, may contribute towards stress.
  • Try and have a positive attitude towards your workday as an escort, keep happy positive thoughts in your mind throughout your workday.
  • Make sure that you keep a healthy balance between work and personal life. Not having enough time to complete personal tasks or spending time with loved ones may tip the scale, resulting in burnout and isolation.
  • Understand what may trigger your stress and have coping strategies in place for when they may arise.

Have a Support Network in Place

Unfortunately, there can be a stigma associated with working as an escort in Australia, however, the stresses of daily life and the problems you may face when dealing with certain clients is very real and one that should be addressed. The daily demands of being an escort or sex worker can lead to stress and mental health issues, so having a support network in place may be paramount to maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

Most escorts in Australia face the same mental health issues that other escorts face on a daily basis, so having a network of friends within the sex industry may be of invaluable help. Sharing and talking about your daily struggles and stresses can help reduce your stress levels and help to eliminate the feeling of isolation.

Share Your Feelings

Sharing your feelings and thoughts with other escorts in Australia is a great way to decrease the amount of stress you may endure as they may have suggestions and action plans they could recommend.

Female escorts who have been working in the industry for longer periods of time have already experienced most of the daily stresses a new escort would be experiencing. Their invaluable advice along with hints and tips on how to reduce the number of negative experiences you may have throughout the day with clients. In many circumstances, escorts in Australia are working on their own throughout the day, so having a support person who is already working as an escort in Australia could be invaluable.

Being able to call another escort who may have already experienced certain situations, could be the quick-term solution to any immediate problem you may have. A support person can also provide security, honesty and friendship when you need it the most. Regular chats with another escort or sex worker will help to make you feel safe, secure and heard.

Counseling Sessions

If you are unable to have the ability to seek out a support person who is already an escort within Australia, then you may wish to look into counseling sessions with a trained canceller. Most cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane have fully qualified and confidential counselors who specialize in matters relating to the sex industry or sex-related matters.

Benefits of Seeing a Counselor

Regular weekly visits to a counselor may be of extreme benefit to keeping your stress levels under control. Having a trained professional to discuss your concerns with may be the difference between leading a balanced lifestyle or simply not coping, resulting in burnout and mental illness.

If seeing a counselor is out of your budget, make an important with a G.P and ask them if they can recommend any free service that may be provided by the health care system in Australia.

Many G. P’s have basic training in counseling, so perhaps you could seek out a G.P who has a special interest in women’s health or mental health issues.

Side Effects of Mental Health as an Escort in Australia

For most existing and new female escorts who are currently working in big cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, they mostly experience burnout.

Burnout is very real and can feel extremely debilitating at times! Burnout is usually the single biggest mental health issue when working as an escort and one that needs to be addressed from the very start.

Being aware of what causes burnout is the best place to start your mental health journey when starting as an escort. Understanding the triggers is something that usually takes many escorts and sex workers time to figure out, by that time, burnout is well in truly in place and it can be hard to eliminate it completely, however not impossible to keep it intact.

Burnout Signs to Look Out For

Living a balanced lifestyle is the best way to prevent burnout, however, if you feel that you are not coping and feel exhausted you may need to see a health care professional to guide you on the right path. Below are some telltale signs that you may be suffering from burnout.

  • Feeling depressed and anxious
  • Sleeping too much
  • Not eating properly
  • Not exercising enough
  • Not staying hydrated
  • Feel like crying all the time
  • Negative feelings and attitude towards clients and work
  • Feeling physically unwell
  • Lack of motivation
  • Behaving in an unusual manner to your usual happy self
  • Feeling resentful
  • Feeling agitated and restless
  • Isolating yourself from family and friends

The above points are just some of the symptoms you may be feeling if you are already on the way to burnout or currently burned out.

Tips for Escorts on How to Prevent Burnout

To prevent burnout from happening to new and existing escorts in Australia, it’s always best to have a mental health plan in place before commencing work in the sex industry. The list of tips below may be a great place to start, keep in mind that every single escort is different in her own right, so it’s important to be aware of your very own unique set of circumstances. Please reach out to a qualified health practitioner if the suggestions on the list below are not working for you.

  • Take time out for yourself each and every day and do something that makes you feel relaxed.
  • Set very clear boundaries regarding your clients, expectations, rules et.
  • Maintain a high standard of personal grooming, washing your hair, take regular showers and will help to make you feel better.
  • Eat healthily, snack on energy-boosting snacks throughout the day.
  • Get plenty of regular good quality sleep.
  • Keep hydrated throughout the day by drinking plenty of water.
  • Exercise regularly to help boost happy hormones.
  • Chat with friends and family to keep your life balanced.
  • Don’t work too many hours each day, you will burn out.
  • Every now and then take a few days off work and have a mini holiday so that you can refresh.
  • Have a support network among other escorts so that you can share your stress and find new solutions.
  • See a counselor on a regular basis so that you can keep your mental health balanced.
  • Make regular visits with your G.P to monitor your physical health and wellbeing.
  • Take up a hobby such as painting, baking, or a dance class.
  • Listen to music you love, music feed the soul.
  • Keep a journal with future goals and dreams, this will help you stay positive.

All of the above tips and suggestions are a great place to start, however, if none of those ideas are working, then it’s always best to seek professional medical help as soon as you start to feel stressed or that you are burning out. Waiting for life to get better is never advisable, making an appointment with a G.P is a great way to get started as they will know exactly where to find you help and support you during your mental health care journey.

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