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Indian on H-1B visa feels ‘burned out’ in US, says ‘would really like to go back' after ‘high-stress FAANG job’
Stricter immigration policies have left Indian nationals in the US struggling. A Reddit user shares feelings of burnout from demanding jobs.
As the Trump administration persists in enforcing stricter immigration policies, Indian nationals living in the United States are struggling to manage the pressures and difficulties arising from the newly implemented regulations.
Amid the tensed scenario, one Indian has opened up about his situation, saying that he is felling completely ‘burned out’ in the US and is eager to come back to Indian for a short duration. HT.com cannot independently verify the authenticity of the post.
Indian on H-1B visa ‘struggling with sleep’, facing health issues
The user has explained that he has spoken with a therapist and has even taken a hiatus from work, but he is still not experiencing any improvement.
“I'm really burned out and think i've been that way for a while - spoke to therapists took the occasional couple of weeks off but doesn't seem like it is helping. I've been in high stress faang jobs (amazon and meta) for about 5 years now and think I've hit my limit - lately I've been struggling with sleep, taking care of my health, and just finding even basic motivation,” he wrote.
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According to the post, the user and his wife have decent saving together and they can easily survive on that money for at least 3 months. “My spouse and I have decent savings, so financially we can afford for me to take some time off. I think 1–3 months would be ideal.”
Indian wants to visit back to India for short duration
Furthermore, the Reddit user conveyed his intention to travel to India for a brief period to be with his family, which could aid in his swift recovery. However, he feels there will be a problem in getting back to the US due to H-1B stamping. Therefore, he has sought advice from Redditors in this regard.
“The problem is getting back. I'd need H-1B stamping, and the appointment availability situation in India makes that pretty uncertain. At the same time, I'm fairly sure I don't want to simply stay in the US, cooped up in my city either. I'm hearing more stories about people with expired visa stamps being concerned even about domestic travel, and honestly, in my current state it just adds to the feeling of helplessness.”
“I've also explored medical leave or some other way of taking an extended break while maintaining H-1B status, but I don't really understand how travel can work and what's possible.”
Redditors react
In the meantime, several people responded to his post, with many suggesting that he should prioritize his health and well-being.
“I’m with you on this. We have been conditioned to chase big titles and big companies,” one user wrote.
“FYI, be ready to be laid off if you slack since the AI tracking doesn't understand or care that you are on medical leave,” another warned.
“It's nice to see others giving sane advice and practicing the same. Everything you stated was on my mind. Congrats on the move to better physical and mental health 🤝,” a third user said.
“My advise would be not to travel without an appointment OP. I have been in the same shoes as you and i regret it everyday. I understand stress is real but the regrets from foolishness of not planning next step can throw your career back atleast an year or two. Its your choice ultimately,” the forth person stated.
