And The Most Depressing Jobs Are ...

(AP)  People who tend to the elderly, change diapers and serve up food and drinks have the highest rates of depression among U.S. workers.

Overall, 7 percent of full-time workers battled depression in the past year, according to a government report available Saturday.

Women were more likely than men to have had a major bout of depression, and younger workers had higher rates of depression than their older colleagues.

Almost 11 percent of personal care workers - which includes child care and helping the elderly and severely disabled with their daily needs - reported depression lasting two weeks or longer.

During such episodes there is loss of interest and pleasure, and at least four other symptoms surface, including problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration and self-image.

Workers who prepare and serve food - cooks, bartenders, waiters and waitresses - had the second highest rate of depression among full-time employees at 10.3 percent.

In a tie for third were health care workers and social workers at 9.6 percent.

The lowest rate of depression, 4.3 percent, occurred in the job category that covers engineers, architects and surveyors.

Government officials tracked depression within 21 major occupational categories. They combined data from 2004 through 2006 to estimate episodes of depression within the past year. That information came from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which registers lifetime and past-year depression bouts.

Depression leads to $30 billion to $44 billion in lost productivity annually, said the report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. To read the full report, click here.

The various job categories tracked could be quite broad, with employees grouped in the same category seemingly having little in common.

For example, one category included workers in the arts, media, entertainment and sports. In the personal care category, a worker caring for toddlers at a daycare center would have quite a different job from a nursing aide who helps an older person live at home rather than in a nursing home.

Just working full-time would appear to be beneficial in preventing depression. The overall rate of depression for full-time workers, 7 percent, compares with the 12.7 percent rate registered by those who are unemployed.

[teejbowles]

I am not certain where you obtained your information about the most depressing jobs, but you could not be more incorrect. I have worked in the Human Service industry for over 16 years and know for certain it is one of the most rewarding careers available. It is an honor to share a day with a child or a disabled person, and to be paid for it is a blessing. There is no "job" greater than that of one who teaches, and the rewards and sense of accomplishment are far greater than simply closing a great deal or cashing a large paycheck(that will most likely be spent on junk that is insignificant as well.) Workers I know rarely call in sick to work, because they are aware of the vital services they provide. These workers are paid above minimum wage and society is fortunate to have such a dedicated group of people to perform the tasks deemed "beneath" them. Changing a diaper, teaching a child to walk, exploring the world, listening to what they have to say, and just being there for them is what they need most, though few parents are willing to give these. The best "job" I''ve ever had was body surfing, attending amusement parks, getting to act like a child and spending 13 years of time with my own children. Can''t believe I was actually paid to do it. Tough "job", but someone has to do it! Now I work with disabled adults and the "job" is more rewarding than any thus far. Perhaps a significant pay raise would pull us out of our "depression", though no one I know is in this business for the money.

[klingon69]

"King Turdd of ***** Island."

Throne located in the "white-tile" room.

[klingon69]

Developed by the U.S. in World War II by a team of Harvard chemists led by Louis Fieser, its name is a combination of the names of its original ingredients, coprecipitated aluminum salts of naphthenic and palmitic acids. These were added to the flammable substance to cause it to gel."
Posted by Iceman_1960 at 08:24 AM : Oct 14, 2007

And don''t forget the White Phosphurous(sp) igniter

[iceman_1960]

RE: "The service industry sucks!"

That''s what Monica Lewisnky says about interning also.

[jetlizhan]

snidegrass -

you sound life a very interesting person who''s had a ''colorful'' life. hope you''re happy, because that''s all that''s important.

[hwy71so]

Man, what a bummer...

[tnt1954]

the job of king is no picnic either. people
out to throw ya off the throne. in fact
there is no good job. they are all depressing.
in fact work itself is depressing. see if you
can get arrange to get ssi for depression then
you can stop working and you won''t be depressed
anymore. ironic isn''t it.

[tnt1954]

staycalm i have no suggestions. i was a child
actor growing up till i was 14, when i had
health problems. it was very surrealistic
all the time. the constant backbiting, jockeying
for position in the race to the top. stabs
in the back. weird hours. you''re in a different
century on the set or on location, you come
off it, and you wonder where you are. its suddenly
1960 and you were just in 1920, dressed like it too.
it really weirds people out. thank god i left
show biz at age 14. and then there''s the music
business, even weirder. did that for awhile too.
women hitting on you, their husbands or boyfriends
want to kill you, people out in the parking lot
wanna beat the *** out of ya, just for fun.
drunks everywhere. its terrible. no money or
ya got robbed. why bother. people stoned outta
their minds. awful. so a job taking care of
elderly parents is totally groovy. i do that
now too. and get ssi. and medicaid. its the answer.
peace.

[simpleguy234]

People in the service industry get absolutely ZERO respect from the majority of those who never have worked there before. It seems this might be cause by the fact that other industries are so routine and every day goes the same. I''ve been in line late night at a gas station when quite a few people showed up at once. I heard people in line bashing the cashier for not moving fast enough when a half drunk guy kept requesting different cigarettes. Others were saying it was poor management for not having more people there. These people all of the sudden think they know everything about the business. 99% of the time this line wouldn''t have been like this, so is the manager supposed spend thousands of dollars a year in labor on the what if? The guy with the degree and the desk job like theirs wont let that happen. Everyone needs to back off and realize that in the service industry, things ARE NOT ROUTINE, and you have to deal with that - dont take it out on the workers who are busting their butts for minimum wage.

[l8c6]

USAyesterday

But that''s what we are now. A service society serving the other half, the information society.