Apart from being a source of income, your job should also be a source of fun, however, those who pursue a career in one of 15 professions with the highest depression rates in America know that this is not always the case.
When I was about to start college, some people who had far more life experience than I did suggested that I should study something that is sure to generate wealth afterward, regardless of whether I had a keen interest in it or not. Others were quick to suggest I should study something I love, even if that is not paid well. Even today, I am not sure whether I had made the right decision by choosing to do something I love and am good at. Regardless of what choice I had made, I would still be contemplating whether it was the right one. I guess my way of thinking epitomizes the saying that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, even though I am aware that this is far from being true. Nobody has it perfect. Whatever you choose to do will have both, good and bad sides. Much like is the case with anything in life, what matters most is how you approach the problem. However, sometimes your efforts to keep a positive outlook on things are in vain. The impact hostile environment has on you is simply overreaching. You find yourself needing professional help and what you once thought was the ideal job for you has become a source of misery. What all of us should bear in mind at all times is that, regardless of the given context, what we do has a significance for the overall well-being of society. If that was not the case, there would not have been the need for certain jobs in the first place. Whatever professional position it is you occupy, you are an important building block helping the structure withstand.
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Not that long ago, my colleague wrote about professions with the highest suicide rates in America. Data suggests that the professions with the highest suicide rates in America are farming, fishing, and forestry, with an estimated of 84.5 suicides per 100.000 people. Construction and extraction are 2nd most suicidal professions. As indicated in the article, working conditions in these occupations might be unbearable for many. This is also confirmed by the data concerning 2016 highest suicidal job rates. Manual work takes a huge toll on people’s mental health, ultimately leading them to take their own lives. I should stress that regardless of how low your spirits have sunk, it is subject to change. You should feel no shame in asking for help. There is a solution to every problem, your negative thoughts being no exception.
However, it is not only your mental health that can deteriorate as a result of your professional occupation. Sometimes your relationships can suffer too. We have covered that issue in our article on 11 professions with the highest divorce rates. It appears that in case you prefer fostering a long-lasting and healthy marriage, you should stay away from dance podiums, as dancers and choreographers peaked on our list as the profession with highest divorce rate. Bartenders came 2nd on the list, while massage therapists were 3rd. I can definitely understand why massage therapists would be the profession characterized by a high divorce rate.
Job burnout statistics paints quite a picture of what career paths might be better options than others. According to Health changing, health care system is associated with jobs with high burnout rates. Physicians and nurses certainly do not have it easy. It is estimated that every other physician will experience job burnout at one point in their career. The article by the Forbes on least stressful jobs in 2017 shows that hair stylist, compliance officer, and diagnostic medical sonographer are jobs with lowest burnout rates. These are also considered to be least depressing jobs. Jeweller, medical records technician and audiologist have also made it to the list of jobs with lowest rates of depression in 2017. If you are currently doing a job that is getting the worst out of you and you are thinking about choosing a different career path, perhaps this is the data you should take into consideration.
This is not the first article on Insider Monkey that focuses on depression. Seeing how this has become a prominent issue worldwide, we wrote about 11 countries with the highest depression rates in the world. When trying to draft the list of careers with high rates of depression, I had some difficulty finding enough sources that would allow for a quality ranking. The material on the subject is rather scarce online, however, what I managed to find did allow me to create the list. I referred to the study published in 2014 which provides a detailed analysis of differences in the prevalence of depression in different sectors of industry. I have also considered the data contained in the article on Health which analyses the correlation between depression and the choice of profession. These pointed me in the right direction when I did respective research for each of the items on the list of professions with the highest depression rates in America.
15. Salespeople
The last on our list of jobs which are prone to depression are salespeople. Most of us have certain stereotypes about this profession that would hardly make us think there are serious drawbacks to it. However, the reality is that there are several factors which make salespeople more likely to succumb to depression.
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14. Administrative support staff
Since no one likes to be entangled in an administrative bundle, we are not very inclined to show sympathy towards staff working in this sector. However, we should know that these people do not have it easy.
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13. Legal services
People who provide legal services help uphold the rule of law, and in that context, their work is of paramount importance. Research shows that law students and lawyers show higher levels of depression and distress than other people of the same age and sex. Apparently, this is one of the professions with highest alcoholism rate.
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12. Teachers
In my opinion, teaching is one of the noblest professions there are. Teachers face a lot of pressure trying to meet the standards set by students, their parents, and school. They often bring their work home. This pressure is likely to result in depression.
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11. Maintenance and grounds workers
As I have already stated in the introduction, manual work often has a negative impact on people’s mental health. People working in this sector are often isolated, paid little for their work and do not have regular working hours.
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And now, let’s see top ten professions with the highest depression rates in America.
10. Manufacturing
The study which I referred to when researching the article found that people who work in the manufacturing sector have 4th highest depression rate. People working with stone, clay, and glass products are particularly vulnerable to experiencing depression.
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9. Artists, entertainers, and writers
Apart from often being isolated, people with creative minds have higher rates of mood disorders. Bipolar disorder has become the word we often hear when an artist we admire becomes one with the Force. If we add irregular hours and uncertain pay to this, the end result is depression.
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8. Financial advisors and accountants
We continue our list of professions with the highest depression rates in America with financial advisors and accountants. Money is the most valuable commodity nowadays and handling someone else’s money certainly assumes a great responsibility and a lot of stress.
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7. Food service staff
As data shows, 10 % of the people working in food service industry, which ranks 7th on our list of professions with the highest depression rates in America, reported having major symptoms of depression. The percentage is even higher for women who work in this industry, 15 %. The causes of depression are associated with low pay and stressful working environment.
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6. Personal services
People who provide personal services, in this particular instance those working in laundries, dry cleaning plants, and portrait photographic studios have 5th highest depression rate. Trying to meet the demands of customers certainly can be exhausting, which leaves marks on person’s mental health.
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5. Real estate sector
Data indicates that those working in the real estate sector, including owners and lessors of real property, have among the highest depression rates. Real estate investment is subject to market price fluctuations, which leaves those involved in the real estate business with hands tied. Investment sometimes simply does not pay off. Depression and suicidal behavior are common among this group of people.
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4. Social workers
Given what these people deal with in their work environment, I believe society owes to show them more appreciation and gratitude. Child abuse and family issues, in addition to bureaucratic nonsense, are not something everyone would cope with. Studies show that this is among the professions with the highest burnout rate.
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And now, let’s see the top three professions with the highest depression rates in America.
3. Health care workers
I will try not to waste words explaining how important it is what these people do and how much we need them. They give up so much of themselves just to help others and naturally, this has a huge impact on their mental health. The stress they experience at work alongside the suffering they witness trigger depression.
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2. Nursing home/childcare workers
According to Health, this is the most depressive profession there is. Almost 11 % of people who work in this sector report experiencing a major episode of depression. Apart from helping those who are unable to care for themselves, there is a lack of positive reinforcement.
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1. Public transit sector
The first on our list of 15 professions with the highest depression rates in America are those working in public transit sector. The study conducted from 2002 to 2005 found that the highest rate of depression was among bus drivers, 16.2 %.
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This was Insider Monkey’s list of 15 professions with the highest depression rates in America.
