Careers With High Depression Rates In Kenya
The modern workplace is volatile, with extremely positive and negative energy dynamics. Work depression is one of the most difficult yet subtle challenges that employees face.
According to WHO statistics, 1.9 million Kenyans suffer from depression at various stages, but most of those affected do not seek treatment. Depression can have a negative impact on many aspects of employee performance.
All of this is important in business. Above and beyond that, it contributes to absenteeism (employees who are absent from work) and ‘presenteeism’ (at work but not engaged). As a result, many employees have lost their jobs due to depression, exacerbating an already dire situation.
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Work depression, it turns out, causes physical and mental health issues, including suicide. It takes ten times as long to rebuild oneself as it does to fall apart due to depression.
Poverty, unemployment, and HIV/AIDS diagnoses are all major causes of depression in Kenya.
So, today we’re going to look at careers in Kenya with high depression rates. But first, let’s take a look at the symptoms of depression.
- Sadness, emptiness, and a sense of hopelessness
- Anger, irritability, or frustration over minor issues
- Loss of interest or pleasure in most of the things you used to enjoy, as well as in all normal activities.
- Oversleeping or insomnia
- Tiredness and a general lack of energy
- Reduced or lost appetite, weight loss or increased food cravings and weight gain
- Anxiety and agitation over nothing specific
- Worthlessness, guilt, fixation on past failures, or self-blame
- Frequent and recurring thoughts of death, suicidal ideation, or contemplation of suicide
- Most depressed people gradually become antisocial and ‘hate’ being around other people.
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The following are some of the Kenyan occupations with high depression rates.
Careers With High Depression Rates In Kenya
When people consider their career options, one thing that may come to mind is that some jobs may endanger their physical safety.
Careers such as firefighting and police work have a life-threatening component to them. Different jobs pose different dangers.
People readily admit that some careers and industries are riskier than others, but they frequently fail to recognize that some jobs are more dangerous to one’s mental health than others.
1 . Food Service Staff/Hotel Attendants
Foodservice or hotel attendants, such as waitresses and cooks, work very long hours, sleeping around 11:00 and reporting back to work before 6:00 a.m.
Their pay is also pitiful and does not reflect the amount of work they put in, and the hostile working conditions and constant harassment from arrogant customers make them depressed.
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2. Social workers
Social workers work with the most vulnerable people in society, and it takes a lot of sacrifice to be a social worker.
They deal with a variety of traumatizing cases, including drug addicts, broken families, depressed children and adults, abused children, and suicide survivors.
What they do on a daily basis as a ‘job’ may be harmful, as what they see on the job depresses them.
3. Health Care Workers
This category includes doctors and nurses. They work long and irregular hours while attempting to save people’s lives.
The most depressing aspects of this job are seeing very sick patients, trauma, death, the guilt of not saving someone’s life, dealing with heartbroken family members of patients you are treating, and living in a generally depressing world.
4. Teaching
Consider a class of children or students from various backgrounds; there are some who are mischievous, slow learners, bright, and those whose educational level is difficult to assess, and you are expected to bring them all up to speed.
There is also pressure from your parents and school to meet certain standards, such as class and individual performance, and to mark you-you are not the one sitting for exams.
5. Bartenders and Commercial Sex Workers
These are possibly the most depressing jobs. Consider a commercial sex worker who goes out not knowing whether she will return home infected or not.
On the other hand, bartenders deal with rowdy customers who are drunk and uncooperative and may even refuse to pay bills, leaving the entire load to the attendants.
Customers may fight, and attendants may become caught in the crossfire.
These are just a few of the causes of depression among female bartenders, who may also experience sexual assault by patrons.
6. Salespeople
As you work on commission, this job is extremely depressing. Salespeople face the uncertainty of their next pay, as well as a lot of pressure for good results, long working hours, and even long separations from family because only your hard work and expertise in the field will sort you out.
This is not a job for the faint of heart.
7. Casual Labourers
Casual laborers, such as those who work in mines, make bricks, build houses, and do other hard labor, suffer greatly from depression.
These jobs require a lot of energy, long working hours, and, of course, poor working conditions, and many of these workers are not insured against harm that may occur in the line of duty.
The pay is also pitiful and does not reflect the difficult work they do all day.
8. Administrative Support Staff
This type of person receives orders from all directions and has very little time to carry them out, and at the end of the day, no one appreciates them.
Other Careers With High Depression include:
9. Public and Private Transportation
10. Real Estate
11. Manufacturing or Production
12. Personal Services
13. Legal Services
14. Environmental Administration and Waste Services
15. Security and Commodities Broker
16. Print and Publishing
According to studies, certain industries have far more depressed workers than others.
When considering entering a field, or if you are already in one, it is critical to understand that the nature of one’s work can have a measurable impact on one’s mental health.
So, what are you going to do about it?
You must first educate yourself. Consider the benefits and drawbacks of working in a field that has a higher rate of depression than others.
If you work in a field where depression is common, you should be aware that the mental health of your coworkers is a good predictor of your own. Nobody lives in a bubble.
After all, working is how we spend the majority of our time and how we identify ourselves. Your choice of work says something about you and influences your worldview.
If you are considering entering any of the aforementioned job markets, be aware of the risks before accepting one of these positions.
If possible, speak with someone who is already working in the field. They can tell you about their own experiences as well as how the job affects the mental health of their coworkers.
Knowing what you’re getting into is an important first step toward succeeding in a new job. Choosing the right career path will provide you with lifelong benefits.
Workplace health and safety policies
Employers should approach workplace mental health with pragmatism. Create workplace health policies that encourage and support employee well-being and work-life balance.
This can improve the early detection of symptoms and support programs aimed at reducing stigma by providing opportunities for confidential, non-judgmental conversations.
Educate employees and managers on mental health issues, such as depression, and encourage those who are affected to seek help.
Train supervisors on how to initiate a conversation with a concerned employee.
Kenya School of Government, the country’s largest employer training institution, should provide the necessary courses.
Create regular initiatives that bring depression discussions into the open, and incorporate mental health information into all communication materials and platforms.
The more businesses and employers make mental health a priority, the more it will be normalized and myths dispelled.
Employees will seek treatment when necessary, and productivity will rise.
Careers With High Depression Rates In Kenya