6 signs that your job is taking a toll on your mental health

Most people can probably come up with about a million things they would rather be doing on any given day other than going to work. Even those of us who love what we do for a living need to take a personal day from time to time to rest, recharge, and give our minds a break. But, what if coming back to work makes you feel bad in ways you can’t explain?

According to the Depression Center at the University of Michigan, anywhere from 2% to 4% of US workers suffer from depression, and up to 50% of those workers experience short-term disability. Depression costs employers over $44 billion annually in lost productivity. About 81% of that is due to a worker’s poorer on-the-job performance due to their symptoms.

Because of these very real effects, it’s important to both you and your boss to find out whether your job is the cause of your depression or other mental health issues.

A huge cause of stress and anxiety is job insecurity. Researchers Sarah Burgard (IHPI member) and Lucie Kalousova of the University of Michigan, and Kristin Seefeldt of Indiana University found that employees who did not have job security, were significantly more likely to meet the criteria for major or minor depression than employees who felt secure in their careers.

If your company is experiencing layoffs, don’t wait to start cleaning up your resume. You may also consider supplementing your existing salary with freelance work. Having a little nest egg can make a job transition much easier and ease your stress.