Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Monday being a congressional representative is difficult, and the demands of the job frequently leave members on the verge of tears.

“I think one of the biggest myths about Congress is that it’s an easy job; or that the hours are light and that members don’t really work hard,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez wrote in an Instagram story. “It’s a really easy myth to believe, especially with Congressional approval ratings at an all-time low.

“But if you’re really here trying to get stuff done — no matter your politics — it’s an extremely demanding job,” the New York Democrat said. “It’s only ‘easy’ if you’re not showing up for your community, if you don’t do town halls, if you’re not trying to advocate or build coalitions or introduce and pass cutting-edge legislation.

“Even members I completely disagree with who are advancing corporate interests still work overtime because it takes a ton of work to pass an agenda, no matter what it is,” she wrote.

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez added most members don’t speak on the job’s demand because it can be construed as complaining or criticize you for running for office when you knew what you were signing up for.

“But I do see members on the brink of tears quite often because of the time they’re missing from their kids, or the lack of sleep, or the unfair attacks and relentless pressure,” she wrote. “It means the world when people look out for you as a human, give you space or permission to rest, because it’s nearly impossible due to public scrutiny for members to be honest about the pressures of the job.

“And I share it not to complain, but to show you what it’s like because I want people watching this to someday try to have this job themselves + know what it’s like,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez wrote.

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