I have "the better TSMC performs, the worse I feel" syndrome... The mental torture of an engineer before resigning, netizens: "If you don't get off the mountain, you'll be gone."

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A former TSMC engineer with a background from NCKU posted on Dcard, admitting that he quit his job after losing 12 kg in two years due to mental stress while working in the Hsinchu Science Park. Seeing that the average annual salary at TSMC has now exceeded NT$ 4 million, he still cannot overcome his FOMO, sparking widespread discussion. (Briefing: The FSC has introduced the "TSMC Clause," relaxing the single-stock holding limit for Taiwan stock funds to 25%, with up to NT$ 200 billion in liquidity expected to flow in.) (Background: Tesla shares fell 3.5% in pre-market trading! Q1 revenue exceeded expectations, but concerns arose over future expenditures exceeding $25 billion.) The post, titled "I've caught the disease of feeling worse the better TSMC performs," quickly became a trending topic, with hundreds of people flooding the comments. As the "national sacred mountain" TSMC continues to hit record highs in stock price, a former TSMC engineer who claimed to be an NCKU alumnus wrote on the Dcard Tech board yesterday that he had worked at TSMC for two years. Due to immense mental pressure, long-term loss of appetite, and irregular meals, he lost 12 kg and eventually chose to "go down the mountain." Now working a more relaxed job with a decent income, he still feels crushed every time he sees news about TSMC's salaries: "If I hadn't left, my annual salary would be over NT$ 3.5 million by now. I just can't seem to get over it." The numbers fueling his FOMO are indeed not an illusion. According to TSMC's 2025 financial report, the average annual salary (including bonuses) for all employees reached NT$ 4.09 million, a nearly 23% increase from NT$ 3.57 million in 2024, hitting a historical high. For a new engineer with a master's degree, the total annual salary (including bonuses) starts at approximately NT$ 2.2 million; for senior engineers with 5 to 10 years of experience, a range of NT$ 3 million to NT$ 5.5 million is not the ceiling. For anyone who has stood at the crossroads of "going up or down the mountain," these figures are like a dull blade. The replies under the post quickly split into two camps: one sympathizing with the regret, and the other urging him to think clearly. The most-liked comment came from a user from NCHU, who directly interrupted the poster's self-doubt: "Think about it, you lost 12 kg because of the stress, which already affected your physical and mental health. It's not worth it." He suggested that the poster find hobbies, meet new people, and "cherish what you have and move toward your ideal life." Another user who also "couldn't take it" and left a few years ago said he now works a more relaxed job at a foreign firm, achieving a work-life balance and starting a family: "Given your work situation, it feels like you were trading health for money. If the destination is the same, walk the path you like and that suits you." Someone asked more directly: "Even if you knew it was NT$ 3 million, wouldn't you still have been unable to hold on?" Even a current engineer still "on the mountain," with an estimated annual income of over NT$ 5.5 million, chimed in with little sympathy: "Since last year, the pace has become faster and faster. The same headcount has to do 1.5 times the work. Some colleagues can't keep up and have already been called in by their bosses. If you don't have the resilience or the ability, just find a job that suits you. There's no need to be trapped in the emotion of comparing yourself to others." However, the solution that resonated most in the thread took a different direction: "Buying TSMC stock can cure your mental illness." Another user stated that three years ago, due to family and health factors, he moved from a high-paying job to a much lower-paying position. But by consistently investing in 0050 and TSMC every month, his total income over the past three years is already much higher than what he would have accumulated had he stayed in his original high-paying job. He said: "Even without such high returns, I would still be glad I changed jobs because I preserved my family and health. Life value is always higher than money." According to data, TSMC's stock return over the past three years: it rose 42.32% in 2023, surged 92.

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I have "the worse TSMC performs, the worse I feel" syndrome... Former employees suffer mental torture, netizens say: "If you don't get off the mountain, you'll be gone."

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Published:2026-04-26 08:15:03

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