5 Jobs With the Worst Cases Of Depression

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You finally find the job of your dreams, only to become more depressed than you were when you were unemployed. Granted, the big difference is that you now get a paycheck. The thing is, once you aren't worried about survival, job satisfaction can make a huge difference in how satisfied you are and how happy you are on an average day.

It's important to find the right job for you, rather than settling for any job you can get. There are few things worse than working at a job you really hate. One of them is being unable to pay your bills. Still, if you can hold out for the job you really want, your overall happiness will benefit.

There are some jobs that cause more depression than others. In fact, in a recent survey about job satisfaction, depression and happiness, there are a few job titles that have significantly higher rates of depression and some of them might surprise you.

At first, I thought that the most depressed people would be the ones who have to do menial jobs that are dirty or involved a great deal of hard work. However, the results surprised me.

Here are the 5 most depressing jobs:

Nursing home or Child care workers - These care providers top the list with 11 percent of people reporting major depression. This has a lot to do with providing care for people who aren't able to express gratitude. There is the stress of taking care of several adults or children and not a lot of positive reinforcement for the employees.

Food Service Workers - If you think about it, the waitstaff at your favorite restaurant probably have to deal with rude or angry customers in addition to receiving very low pay and working long hours. Food service workers have a very physical job and have many people telling them what to do each day. In this industry, 10 percent of workers have reported bouts of depression.

Social Workers - This one didn't surprise me much. Working with abused children and families in crisis is demanding and often filled with helplessness. The people who are drawn to this career field are often extremely caring but face a huge risk of becoming burned out within a couple of years.

Healthcare Workers - Doctors, nurses and others in the healthcare industry face high risks of depression as well. Because they face matters of life and death on a daily basis, they often work long hours and don't leave enough time to care for themselves. This causes burn out and depression along with the feeling that if they could just work harder, they could help more people.

Artists, performers and writers - These jobs are creative and can be inspiring, but they also have irregular hours and uncertain paychecks. Added to this, creative people are more likely to have mood disorders to begin with. Although not all artist are depressed, the natural tendency to intense emotion and the sporadic successes can make a great breeding ground for depression.

What other industries do you think suffer high rates of depression? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for HealthcareJobsiteBlog and Beyond.com.. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Related articles

• 5 Ways to Fight Depression (manufacturingworkersblog.com)
• 6 Things You Can Do To Nip Depression in The Bud (manufacturingworkersblog.com)
• Can Depression Be a Symptom of ADHD? (healthcarejobsiteblog.com)

But You Don’t Look Sick

People with Fibromyalgia don’t look sick. Although they appear to be healthy, they are in constant pain. There are things going on with them that you don’t see.

What is Fibromyalgia and what causes it? It’s a chronic condition that causes pain, stiffness and tenderness of the joints, muscles and tendons. The painful tissues are not inflamed, so there isn’t any body damage or deformity. It doesn’t cause any damage to internal organs. It is characterized by restless sleep, feeling tired all the time, chronic fatigue, anxiety and depression. It can also cause irritable bowel syndrome. The actual cause of fibromyalgia is not known. It seems that the people affected experience pain in response to stimuli that isn’t normally painful. Researchers have found elevated levels of a nerve chemical signal called substance P. in sufferers. Serotonin levels are also found to be lower in fibro patients.

What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia? The key symptoms are the following:

1. Pain all over: The muscles feel as if they have been overworked and sometimes twitch and cramp. It’s usually widespread on both sides of the body. It tends to affect the neck, buttocks, shoulders, arms and upper back and chest. There are “tender points” that are tender to light touch. The tender points are found on the elbows, shoulders, knees, hips, back of the head and the sides of the breastbone.

2.Fatigue: Sufferers have an overwhelming feeling of fatigue. Even when getting enough sleep, they never feel rested. People with fibro lack the level of sleep called “non-rapid eye movement”. They often don’t reach the level of sleep needed to feel rested and refreshed.

3. Brain fog: Poor concentration, forgetfulness and irritability are symptoms of “brain fog”. The person never quite feels as if they’re “all there”.

4. Headaches: Constant headaches which can include migraine and tension headaches.

5. Irritable bowel syndrome: This causes abdominal pain and discomfort and other bowel disturbances without detectable inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It can also cause painful and frequent bladder infections.

6.Multiple sensitivities: People have increased sensitivity to many different sensory stimuli and can have a low pain threshold. Body pain can be aggravated by noise, weather changes and emotional stress.

Who’s affected? Fibromyalgia affects mostly women between the ages of 35 and 55. Less often it can affect men, children and the elderly. It can show up independently or with another disease such as lupus.

How is it diagnosed? There aren’t any blood test or X-rays that can confirm a diagnosis. There are tests to exclude other diseases and diagnoses. In patients with chronic widespread body pain, there are identifying point tenderness areas that can point to fibromyalgia, patients may have 11 out of 18 tender points. By excluding other medical conditions that can mimic Fibromyalgia, it leaves the doctor with the diagnosis.

What are the treatments? The person can receive injections of cortisone medicines into the tender point area to try to relieve pain. The pain reliever Ultram and Ultracet may be helpful. The muscle relaxant Flexeril has been used for improving sleep and reducing pain. Anti-depressants, such as, Elavil, Sinequan, Prozac, and Ativan have been used to help treat patients. Biofeedback has been used with some success as well as acupuncture and massage therapy. Also education about the disease, stress reduction and exercise is helpful. Avoiding alcohol and caffeine before bedtime can promote better sleep.

A lot of diseases you can’t see but that doesn’t mean the person isn’t sick or “faking” it. Educate yourself on the “unseen” diseases and then you can be supportive of a person or loved one that has one.

By Linda Lee Ruzicka

Linda Lee Ruzicka lives in the mountains of Western PA , happily married and with her 8 cats and three dogs. She has been published in Twilight Times, Dark Krypt, Fables, Writing Village, June Cotner anthology, The Grit, Reminisce , the book, Haunted Encounters: Friends and Family. She also does freelances work for Beyond and. You can read Healthcarejobsite more of her blogs on Healthcarejobsite blog.

Bulls Eye Is The Mark

Lyme Disease is a serious disease transmitted by ticks. It can be treated by your doctor if caught soon after exposure. Ticks are related to mites, spiders and scorpions. Ticks are small, very small. The adult tick is about the size of a sesame seed while the nymphs are the size of a poppy seed. They don’t have any wings and don’t jump. They climb up tall grass and small bushes and then wait for an animal or human to pass and attach their selves. Ticks love to crawl under clothing, hide in your hairline and attach to your skin. They can detect people 18 feet away.

Different ticks are carriers in different regions. The deer tick is in the Northeast and Midwest.. The black legged tick is in the south and the western black-legged tick is in the west. The lone star tick is found in several regions. It is now thought that the American dog tick may also be capable of transmitting the disease. The states of New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Jersey have the majority of cases in the United States

What happens when a tick bites you? When a tick bites there is a bacterium that is transmitted by the tick to you. The tick has to remain attached to your skin for 36 to 48 hours to pass along Lyme’s disease. The first set of early symptoms are headache, chills and fever, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes and a red rash that like a bull’s eye. The bull’s eye rash is often described as having alternating light and dark rings. It can also, however, look like a reddish blotch to red throughout. It can be confused with poison ivy, a spider or insect bite. At the same time the rash develops, the other symptoms can easily be confused with the flu, infectious mononucleosis and rheumatic arthritis. If any of these symptoms appear after being outside in the woods, see a doctor immediately.

If these symptoms are left untreated, they can disappear. However, more serious problems can develop months to years later. These symptoms of Lyme Disease can become very severe. Muscle pain in the large joints is common. Meningitis, Bell’s palsy, numbness, tingling and burning sensation in the arms and legs can also show up. You can have severe pain and fatigue with depression.

How to prevent Lyme’s disease is really just common sense. Tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants. Wear light colored clothes because ticks are drawn to dark colors. Inspect your clothes for ticks. Have someone inspect your back. Apply repellent before going into woods and tall grass. When you come home remove all clothing and wash immediately. Inspect your children at least daily for ticks.

When you find a tick, use a pair of tweezers to grasp the tick behind it’s head. Pull it directly out. Be careful not to squeeze it when removing it from the skin. Do not use petroleum jelly, matches or cigarettes to remove the tick. If you do, it could increase your chances of the tick injecting you with bacterium. Make sure that you see you health care provider if you feel that you’ve been exposed to a tick.

You can still enjoy family outings and camping in the woods. Understanding the tick and it’s lifecycle, where it lives and how not to be vulnerable is half the battle. Using common sense is the other half.

By Linda Lee Ruzicka

Linda Lee Ruzicka lives in the mountains of Western PA , happily married and with her 8 cats and three dogs. She has been published in Twilight Times, Dark Krypt, Fables, Writing Village, June Cotner anthology, The Grit, Reminisce , the book, Haunted Encounters: Friends and Family. She also does freelances work for Beyond andHealthcarejobsite. You can read more of her blogs on Healthcarejobsite blog.

Nursing Home Dilemma

The thought of having to put a loved one in a nursing home can be devastating. It effects both the person who is going in and also the lives of the family members that are involved in the decision. It can cause a sense of abandonment and depression to the loved one and a sense of guilt on the family members. Weighing the pro’s and con’s can weigh heavily and take it’s toll. How can this be made easier?

If at all possible, find a nursing home that is close to you and other family members. This way visiting will be easier. You can also keep an eye on the outlook of your loved one. You can see if she’s eating and if she’s being well taken care of. The good thing about nursing homes is that they do provide around the clock care and visits from the doctor when needed. Medication is given on a regular schedule. If your loved one is ill the comfort of knowing that medical care is right at hand is a relief. When the nursing facility is close to where the family members live, then you can provide emotional support that is more homelike than in a hospital setting.

Most of the nursing homes have activities for their residents and encourage socializing. Some nursing homes have therapeutic and indoor recreational facilities. Some even have swimming pools. They may have programs for entertainment and church services.

Dietitians and nutritionists oversee the diets of the residents to make sure your loved one gets what they need. This could be difficult if they would be living with you. Their diet could be something you may not be able to fix properly yourself. Sometimes taking care of aged people at home requires heavy lifting, something you may not be able to do. Nursing homes are better equipped to move residents that aren’t ambulatory.

Some of the concerns of placing your loved ones in a nursing home are legitimate. Perhaps you can’t find one that is near enough where you live to be able to visit every day. They may not understand why there are being taken from their home and “put away”. They may become depressed and it could worsen their health. There are concerns about various forms of abuse such as physical, verbal, sexual and financial. Unfortunately, many victims of abuse are afraid to say anything because of being threatened by abusive staff members which result in more abuse and injuries. If family members suspect their loved one is being abused, they should report it immediately to authorities.

So how do you know if you’re doing the right thing? You have to sit down and think of the cost and benefits of having your loved one is a nursing facility. Careful thought is required because you’re talking about the health and well being of someone you love which is your main concern. Investigating the nursing home you’re thinking about, talking to other residents relatives and getting referrals are some ways to make sure you’re making the right choice in nursing homes. Try to find the best one in your area that the budget will allow and you won’t have to be worried about whether your loved one is receiving quality care.

By Linda Lee Ruzicka

Linda Lee Ruzicka lives in the mountains of Western PA , happily married and with her 8 cats and three dogs. She has been published in Twilight Times, Dark Krypt, Fables, Writing Village, June Cotner anthology, The Grit, Reminisce , the book, Haunted Encounters: Friends and Family. She also does freelances work for Beyond and Healthcarejobsite. You can read more of her blogs on Healthcarejobsite blog.

How Tired Is Too Tired?

The alarm rips through your sleep and you fumble to shut it off. You blearily look around and realize it’s time to get up even though you feel as if you haven’t even slept. Your muscles ache, your head is starting to pound and is that another sore throat starting? You make a note to call your healthcare provider because this has been going on too long. You make your way into the bathroom to take a hot shower to start your day wondering what on earth is wrong with you?

You may have Chronic Fatigue syndrome. This illness is difficult to diagnosis and affects people in different ways. Because there isn’t any one test that will discover if you have the disease, it’s a process of elimination. However, the main symptoms are fatigue or tiredness that’s overwhelming, lasting at least 6 months and not relieved by sleep. Some other symptoms are the following:

-Fatigue lasting more than 24 hours after a normal amount of exercise.

-Sleeping an adequate amount of hours and still feeling exhausted.
-difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, confusion or being irritable
-headaches different from any you’ve experienced before
-painful joints, without swelling or redness, moving from joint to joint
-tenderness of the lymph nodes in the neck or armpit
-mild fever
-unexplained muscle weakness all over
-reoccurring sore throat

A diagnosis of CFS must include the following: Absence of other causes of chronic fatigue (excluding depression), at least four of the symptoms listed and extreme long term fatigue. CFS often follows a course of alternating between periods of illness and well-being. Some people experience a partial or complete remission of symptoms during the illness but the symptoms often reoccur when they overdo it when feeling better.

No one really knows what causes CFS but doctors do feel that chronic stress is a factor. Other factors such as age, prior illness, environment or genetics can also be a factor. This disease commonly occurs in women ages 30-50.

Unfortunately there isn’t a treatment for CFS; instead the symptoms are treated. People with depression and other psychological problems can be treated with antidepressant drugs. Eating a healthy diet and using sleep management techniques can also be useful. You can take medication that will help reduce the pain, discomfort and fever. On days that you’re too tired, avoid doing too much. Try breaking your time down to activity, rest and sleep. You can take large tasks and break them into smaller tasks that are more manageable. You can try biofeedback, deep breathing exercises, massage therapy or muscle relaxation techniques.

The long term outlook for people with CFS varies with each person. Some people recover completely after 6 months to a year and others may take longer. Unfortunately some people never regain their former health and well being. Studies do show that people who seek treatment are more likely to recover than people who ignore the symptoms and hope they’ll just go away.

Catching CFS in the early stages and getting treatment can increase the likelihood of improvement. So if you’re feeling persistent, severe fatigue with or without any of the other symptoms, contact your doctor. You can get your life back!

by Linda Lee Ruzicka

Linda Lee Ruzicka lives in the mountains of Western PA , happily married and with her 8 cats and three dogs. She has been published in Twilight Times, Dark Krypt, Fables, Writing Village, June Cotner anthology, The Grit, Reminisce , the book, Haunted Encounters: Friends and Family. She also does freelances work for Beyond, and for Healthcarejobsite. More of her blogs are at Healthcarejobsiteblog.

6 Percent Of Surgeons Have Considered Suicide This Past Year - What Can We Do About Depression in the Healthcare Industry?

A surprising report from Reuters found that a large number of U.S. surgeons and physicians have struggled with thoughts of suicide, listing burnout and medical errors as possible reasons. The healthcare industry is particularly at risk for employee depression. For those who work in the industry, or are looking for a job in healthcare, mental health issues are a top concern.

The report stated that a research team at the Mayo clinic found that more than 6 percent of surgeons had thoughts of killing themselves within the past year. And what's more, the rate of suicidal thoughts for surgeons between the ages of 55-64 was three times higher.

The report cited a high amount of stress and burnout among physicians as one of the leading cause of these serious consequences for the surgeons and their patience. Although suicidal thoughts don't necessarily endanger patients, the burnout, stress and emotional turmoil can effect the quality of care that patient receive.

One of the biggest problems that faces people in the medical profession who are concerned about depression and having suicidal thoughts is that they often are hesitant to seek treatment, out of fear of losing their medical license. So, they either opt to deal with it themselves or to ask a colleague to prescribe anti-depressants for them. The report showed that only a fourth of doctors who had these types of thoughts sought any sort of help.

It has long been known that people in the healthcare industry have greater risks of depression and suicide than other professions, but the root cause has never been fully understood. If you or someone close to you seems to be struggling with stress or depression, here are some signs (courtesy of WebMd) you should watch out for:

• deep sadness
• loss of interest in things the previously enjoyed
• trouble sleeping and eating
• making comments about being hopeless
• thinking and talking about death
• risk taking behavior
• saying things like “it would be better if I wasn't here.”

If you see several of these signs, it may be time to take the person aside and ask them how they are feeling. Let them know that depression is an illness, not a defect. Make sure that they know that you care about them and encourage them to get help, to get treatment and to not believe the lies that depression will tell them about how much easier it would be if they just ended it all. Depression is a sickness, just like diabetes or high blood pressure. It can cause all sorts of bad things to happen in your body, but it is not brought on by your own weakness. It can be treated and managed. It doesn't have to be a death sentence.

Have you ever dealt with depression or had a loved one suffer with it? What do you think helped the most? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Are you looking for a job in Healthcare? Be sure to visit HealthcareJobSite.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for HealthcareJobSiteBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

New Guidelines for Treating Depression Include Medication, Talk Therapy, Exercise.

by Alex A. Kecskes

The hyperkinetic pace of U.S. society and the bad economic climate have resulted in an alarming number of people suffering from depression. According to the CDC, one in ten U.S. adults now suffer from some form of depression with well over three percent suffering from major depression.

The American Psychiatric Association's (APA) recently released new guidelines for treating depression. Five years in the making, the guidelines include a more balanced approach to the administration of various therapies. They also urge doctors to more closely assess symptoms and to tailor treatments more specifically to the patient. The recommendations include a mix of medications, talk therapy, exercise, and alternative treatments.

For mild to moderate depression, talking therapy and modern antidepressants can help reduce symptoms and make patients less vulnerable to the onset of future depression. If the depression is serious, medications can play a larger role. And if traditional treatments prove ineffective, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may offer some relief.

In treating serious depression that resists drug and other therapies, the guidelines suggest using older medications like monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Additionally, newer options like transcranial magnetic stimulation (basically using magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain and relieve symptoms) may also be used.

Finally, exercise has been suggested as a way to improve mood symptoms. This would include either aerobic exercise or resistance training. Aerobic exercise can make a difference in patients suffering from mild to moderate depression. Researchers found that 30-minute aerobic workouts of moderate intensity, done three to five times weekly, cut mild to moderate depression symptoms nearly in half.

For an added perspective, check out this video:

For more information on health careers, visit http://www.healthcarejobsite.com/

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.