3. Artists & entertainers
These jobs can bring irregular paychecks, uncertain hours, and isolation. Creative people may also have higher rates of mood disorders; about 9% reported an episode of major depression in the previous year. In men, it’s the job category most likely to be associated with an episode of major depression (nearly 7% in full-time workers).
One thing seen a lot in entertainers and artists is bipolar illness. There could be undiagnosed or untreated mood disorders in people who are artistic. Depression is not uncommon to those who are drawn to work in the arts, and then the lifestyle contributes to it.
2. Social workers
Dealing with abused children or families on the brink of every imaginable crisis—combined with bureaucratic red tape—can make for a demanding, stressful job that’s often 24-7. There can be a culture that says that to do a good job, you have to work really hard and often make sacrifices. Because social workers work with people who are so needy, it can be hard to not sacrifice too much to the job. I see that happen a lot with social workers and other caring professions, and they get really burned out pretty quickly.
1. Food service staff
Wait staff often get low pay and can have exhausting jobs with numerous people telling them what to do each day. While 10% of workers in general reported an episode of major depression in the past year, almost 15% of women in this field did so. This is often a very thankless job. People can be really rude and there is a lot of physical exertion. When people are depressed, it is hard to have energy and motivation—when you have to be on, it is difficult.