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)

Can Depression Be a Symptom of ADHD?

Image by alancleaver_2000 via Flickr

Researchers are seeing a link between depression and undiagnosed ADHD.



We all know how difficult a disorder like Depression can be. For the people who are affected by it, it can be almost crippling. In the past year, however, many people who have lost their jobs, lost their homes and are struggling to cope have been dealing with depression, feeling of worthlessness and many have lost any sense of optimism that things will get better.

While they are going through all of this, they still have to muster up the energy and focus needed to continue their job search. It's difficult and as a result, people who had been able to cope previously are starting to break and seek professional help.



As they do, an interesting picture is starting to appear.

Many people who are showing signs of depression actually have been struggling with undiagnosed ADHD. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder is characterised by difficulty focusing and causes the people dealing with it to have constant struggles.

During the current tough economic climate, people who have had trouble focusing at work, who often miss deadlines, overlook details and are seen as "flighty" are often among the first group of employees to be laid off or fired. As they continue to look for a new job, the financial pressure can make their symptoms worse. Even if they are eligible for unemployment benefits, they have to be able to deal with the paperwork and meet deadlines in order to receive that money. Added to that, they run the risk of being overwhelmed by their job search.

As they experience failures that they believe are because they aren't good enough, or that they think are just what they deserve for not getting things done correctly, they begin to exhibit all of the signs of depression. As their depression worsens, they might seek professional help. This is where the correct diagnosis can make a world of difference.



What makes it tricky is that on the surface, depression and ADHD have a lot on common. Both disorders cause people to have difficulty sleeping, trouble concentrating and the inability to initiate new projects. They both often cause mood changes and irritability.

However, when you look deeper, the two are very different. Depression tends to come and go, and most people who suffer from depression have long stretches of time when they aren't depressed at all. With ADHD, the symptoms are lifelong and have existed across all aspects of a persons life.



People who are depressed typically don't enjoy things as much as they used to. They tend to lose interest in friends and activities they once loved. They might feel sad and empty. They don't "feel like themselves". They don't sleep as much, or they sleep much more than usual. Their memory and concentration suffers.

But for people with ADHD, it isn't that they don't enjoy things as much as they once did, it is more about feeling worthless and feeling as though they are a failure. ADHD symptoms typcially include not paying attention to details, making careless mistakes at work, being easily distracted, not finishing chores or work responsibilities, forgetting to bring necesary supplies and difficulty organizing activities.

This causes adults who have been coping with these symptoms to feel as though the bad things that are happening to them right now are a direct result of their actions. They feel that if only they had tried harder, then they wouldn't be in this situation, which, naturally, causes feelings of worthlessness, despair and depression.



If you think you, or someone you love, is dealing with depression as a result of undiagnosed ADHD, here are some things you can do:

• Encourage them to get help - The first step is to seek out help. Having a correct diagnosis and getting appropriate treatment for ADHD could potentially turn the depression around and make things a little better.

• Remember that life will improve - With treatment, people can become optimistic about the future again. It doesn't have to be this way forever.

• Take action - The sneaky thing about depression is it robs people of their motivation to do anything to change their situation. It makes it hard to ask for help, to make changes and work toward a solution. The important thing is to take action, even if you don't want to, don't feel like or don't think it will help. If there is a chance that treatment could make a difference, it's worth looking into.

Have you dealt with depression or ADHD? Do you think these two disorders are often misdiagnosed? Let me know what you think 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

• Coping With a Job Loss - Is It Grief or Depression? (manhattanjobsblog.com)
• 6 Things You Can Do To Nip Depression in The Bud (manufacturingworkersblog.com)
• Why No One Seem To See The Unemployed (phillyjobsblog.com)
• Can Meditation Help Your Career? A New Study Suggests Yes (manhattanjobsblog.com)

Are Men Better At Social Networking? LinkedIn Says "Yes"!

Are men really better at social networking?

Are you a woman? Do you use social networking sites like LinkedIn? If so, you might be part of a growing minority.

According to a recent survey conducted by LinkedIn, it seems that while most professionals know how valuable the professional networking site is when it comes to finding a job, many women still aren't “getting” LinkedIn.

LinkedIn's study compared the usage habits of both men and women on its site and compiled an extensive report. They found that on average, men are doing better at making connections and furthering their careers through social networking.

The site's study suggests that women are more reluctant to network out of a fear of being pushy or overly “schmoozey”. I am not sure that I would agree with their findings. Building a social network is all about connecting with people and building relationships before you need them, but what I don't understand is how they would measure what “effective networking” is.

As I looked into their criteria further, it seems that they measure successful networking by the percentage of one-way connections that men have versus the ones women have. Next, they look at the ratio of men to women on the site.

The thing is, out of all of the social networking sites, women seem to be joining LinkedIn in fewer numbers, even though they dominate other social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Here is a graphic of how the genders stack up across the world of social media:

As you can see, the LinkedIn is the only site where the majority is male. In an attempt to make their study a little easier to understand, LinkedIn has put together this nice infographic. Take a look:

My issue with the study is that comparing the way that men network with the way that women network is like comparing apples and oranges. Women in general tend to focus more on building actual relationships with others and care less about collecting business cards. Men are typically more straightforward when it comes to networking and are more direct with each other about the process. When women try to imitate this type of behavior, they are often seen as pushy.

Networking is important for any professional, and using sites like LinkedIn can certainly help further a career. They key is to network in a way that feels authentic to you, regardless of gender. And, for the ladies reading this, if you haven't gotten the hang of LinkedIn yet, get back on the site and get networking. If there is a shortage of professional women there, there are bound to be more opportunities.

Do you use LinkedIn? Do you think that men are better at networking? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, 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.

It's Flu Season Again- Everything You Need To Know To Be Prepared!

It's Fall, time for jumping in piles of leaves, carving pumpkins and trick or treating. But that crisp feeling in the air and the wonderfully cool evenings also mean the beginning of flu season. Every October, the flu season kicks off with people getting cold chills, fevers, body aches and fatigue. But don't panic, there are still ways to protect yourself against this virus.

Here are some tips for flu prevention

• Get a Flu Shot- Experts aren't expecting there to be a shortage this year, but getting yours early is a good idea. It generally takes a couple of weeks for your body to develop strong antibodies to the virus, so you won't be fully protected until about two weeks after your shot. This year, the vaccine will guard against H1N1, which made the rounds last year, as well as two other strains of flu virus. It is possible that you could catch a different strain of the flu, but even still, your symptoms will be less severe and you should have a shorter recovery time.
  
  
• Find out if you are in a high risk group- If you are in a high risk group for getting the flu, getting the flu shot is even more important. It is also a good idea to up your intake of Vitamin C and get plenty of rest to keep your immune system as strong as possible. The groups with the highest risk of contracting a severe flu are:
  • Pregnant women
  • Caregivers of small children or the elderly
  • People over 50
  • Children under age 5
  • People with chronic illnesses
  • Anyone who lives with or cares for any of the above
    
    
• Wash your hands- It is always good to make hand washing a habit, but be particularly vigilant if you are around anyone who has the flu. Remember that flu germs can survive for over 8 hours on hard surfaces. Some people find it helpful to carry around hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes. Wiping down a table in a cafeteria or restaurant before using it can cut down on your chances for picking up the germs.

Taking care of yourself is important. When you get sick with something as contagious as the flu, missing work can be difficult and look bad to your boss and co-workers. But, if you were to go in to the office and try to solider through it, you can risk spreading it around the office. Prevention is the best way to go, so wash your hands, get your flu shot and take your vitamin c!

Are you looking for a job in the Philadelphia area? Take a look at PhillyJobs.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, 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.

Another network you need to maintain

Just about every job search expert agrees that maintaining and making use of your network of professional connections will help shorten your job search and make it more effective. And today, many opportunities exist for you to grow and exploit those networks, from professional and trade groups to informal social events to online sites like LinkedIn and even Facebook.

But staying emotionally and mentally connected is just as important. Because so much of our identity is tied up in our work - "So what do you do?" is one of the questions people ask most often when they meet new faces - going without work usually exacts a mental toll on top of the financial one, and the longer the stretch of joblessness, the greater the toll.

Friends and relatives can and will offer support if they are at all sympathetic to your situation, and that support can help you get through those times when all looks bleak. But the support and advice they offer, while well meant, may be counterproductive or even damaging to both your career strategy and your mental well-being.

That's why many unemployed job seekers find that the best support comes from others like themselves. Shared experience makes for built-in empathy, and those who meet with success can share what they did that worked with those still in search of it.

During a previous stretch of joblessness, I found both the strategic and emotional support I received from fellow members of Forty Plus of Philadelphia valuable in keeping me focused for the long haul and emotionally healthy. Forty Plus is the nation's oldest organization devoted to supporting unemployed older workers, founded in 1939 after a round of layoffs at a manufacturing plant left scores of lifelong employees stranded. It has independent chapters across the country, all of which provide mutual assistance to professionals and executives 40 and over seeking re-entry into the world of work. The Philadelphia chapter is currently dormant, regrettably, for the need for it is perhaps greater now than ever before, but perhaps some enterprising mature professionals might want to revive it; if so, use the e-mail address on the website linked above for more information.

Another option still exists, however - Joseph's People. This faith-based organization's volunteer members support one another with a full range of services for unemployed workers and their families, going beyond job search mechanics and strategies to include emotional and spiritual counseling, financial advice, and services and assistance for job seekers' families and loved ones. Started in 1995 at St. Joseph's Church in Downingtown, the organization has since expanded throughout the Philadelphia suburbs.

Organizations like these help you maintain that other network you need to succeed in the job search - the emotional support network.

By: Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his career in public relations and corporate communications. His work has appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia CityPaper, PGN, and a number of Web sites. Philly-area residents may also recognize him as "MarketStEl" of discussion-board fame. He has been a part of the great reserve army of freelance writers since January 2009 and is actively seeking opportunities wherever they may lie.