Workplace Depression
Wang et al (2007) attempted a screening and telephone intervention strategy to reduce depression in the workplace. Wang's group found that workers who were screened and treated for depression missed less work and were less likely to leave their jobs. No gender differences were reported, although Wang's group did find a higher proportion of women than expected from national samples, as well as lower rates of depression. Wang's group attributed this difference to the fact that their sample was restricted to full-time employees of major firms.
Merikangas et al (2007) suspect that depression is the major contributor to the 1.3 billion days of work missed annually due to mental health concerns. Doshi et al (2007) found that both men and women were more likely to retire early when depressed; women were more likely to leave their jobs with even subclinical depressive symptoms. Blackmore et al (2007) found that men are mostly likely to attribute their work-related depression to job strain and women were more likely to be depressed when they had low levels of decision-making authority. Low levels of social support were tied to depression in both genders. This is contrary to the Globe and Mail report which claimed that social support affected women more.
Wang's finding of high women/low depression surprised me, given that women are more likely to be depressed than men in general. I can only conclude that the women in the sample are far less likely to be depressed than women who are not working full-time. Doshi's finding that women would leave the workforce with lower levels of depressive symptoms would make the cause-and-effect relationship difficult to assess.
Several years ago, after a breakup (when I was still living as a woman), I was an independent contractor. I suspect I went through a major depressive episode, and one of the main factors leading me to that conclusion is that I stopped booking work for myself. I sat at home and didn't work. Earlier this year, I was struggling to keep up emotionally as well, but this time I cut down on social contact and paid more attention to my work. However, work strain was a major contributor to my overall stress load this time, which it wasn't in the earlier example. The main pattern that I see is that I have a tendency to focus my energies on the thing that is making me unhappy, in what may not be entirely helpful ways.
Merikangas et al (2007) suspect that depression is the major contributor to the 1.3 billion days of work missed annually due to mental health concerns. Doshi et al (2007) found that both men and women were more likely to retire early when depressed; women were more likely to leave their jobs with even subclinical depressive symptoms. Blackmore et al (2007) found that men are mostly likely to attribute their work-related depression to job strain and women were more likely to be depressed when they had low levels of decision-making authority. Low levels of social support were tied to depression in both genders. This is contrary to the Globe and Mail report which claimed that social support affected women more.
Wang's finding of high women/low depression surprised me, given that women are more likely to be depressed than men in general. I can only conclude that the women in the sample are far less likely to be depressed than women who are not working full-time. Doshi's finding that women would leave the workforce with lower levels of depressive symptoms would make the cause-and-effect relationship difficult to assess.
Several years ago, after a breakup (when I was still living as a woman), I was an independent contractor. I suspect I went through a major depressive episode, and one of the main factors leading me to that conclusion is that I stopped booking work for myself. I sat at home and didn't work. Earlier this year, I was struggling to keep up emotionally as well, but this time I cut down on social contact and paid more attention to my work. However, work strain was a major contributor to my overall stress load this time, which it wasn't in the earlier example. The main pattern that I see is that I have a tendency to focus my energies on the thing that is making me unhappy, in what may not be entirely helpful ways.