“Any workplace or job can be a potential cause or a contributing factor for depression depending on the level of stress and available support at the workplace,” said Rashmi Parmar, MD, a psychiatrist at Community Psychiatry.
According to the World Health OrganizationTrusted Source (WHO), a negative working environment can lead to:
- mental and physical health concerns
- absenteeism
- lost productivity
- increased substance use
Mental Health America reports that depression ranks among the top three problems in the workplace for employee assistance professionals
As with any other health condition, awareness and early detection are key.
Depression is a complex condition with a varied manifestation of thoughts, feelings, and behavior that can affect anyone and everyone, and a variety of work and non-work-related factors might be at play when we consider someone struggling with workplace depression.
Some of the more common signs of work depression include:
- increased anxiety levels, especially when managing stressful situations or thinking about work when you’re away from your job
- overall feelings of boredom and complacency about your job
- low energy and lack of motivation to do things, which can sometimes manifest as boredom in tasks
- persistent or prolonged feelings of sadness or low mood.
- loss of interest in tasks at work, especially duties that you previously found interesting and fulfilling
- feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness, or overwhelming guilt
- inability to concentrate or pay attention to work tasks and trouble retaining or remembering things, especially new information
- making excessive errors in daily work tasks
- an increase or decrease in weight or appetite
- physical complaints like headaches, fatigue, and upset stomach
- increased absences or coming late and leaving early
- impaired decision-making capacity
- irritability, increased anger, and poor frustration tolerance
- crying spells or tearfulness at work, with or without any apparent triggers
- trouble sleeping or sleeping too much (like taking naps during regular work hours)
- self-medication with alcohol or substances
If you’re good at masking or internalizing them, these signs of work depression might not be visible to your co-workers. But there are some symptoms they may be more likely to notice.
Why you might be depressed at work
There are various reasons why you may be dealing with an increase in depressive symptoms at work. And while no two people — or experiences — are the same, some common themes seem to emerge when pinpointing the causes or triggers of signs of depression at work.
While not an exhaustive list, the following situations may contribute to work depression:
- feeling like you have no control over work issues
- feeling like your job is in jeopardy
- working in a toxic work environment
- being overworked or underpaid
- experiencing workplace harassment or discrimination
- working irregular hours
- lacking balance between work and home
- working in a setting that doesn’t match your personal values
- doing work that doesn’t further your career goals
- experiencing poor or unsafe working conditions