BACKGROUND: Given the limited attention to psychological distress (PD) and problematic internet use (PIU) among language teachers, the study tried to reveal the different PD profiles and their association with PIU. METHODS: We first employed latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify the latent profiles within a cohort of language teachers in China and then utilized multivariate logistic regression analysis to explore the demographic characteristics associated with different PD profiles. After that, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to examine the relationships between PD and PIU. RESULTS: The LPA identified three distinct latent profiles of PD: the moderate-to-severe PD profile, the mild PD profile, and the mentally healthy profile. The results of multivariate logistic regression indicated that male and experienced language teachers were more likely to experience severe PD. The results of one way ANOVA suggested that language teachers experiencing PD reported notably higher levels of PIU, with those in the moderate-to-severe PD group scoring particularly high in internet gaming disorder. DISCUSSION: Results of this study indicate the close association between PD and PIU in language teachers. These findings underscore the critical need to address PD among language teachers and emphasize the importance of education and training aimed at promoting teachers' appropriate internet use. Breaking the "PD-PIU" vicious cycle is essential for fostering better mental health and well-being within this professional group.