Depression due to pressure from boss

Working as a worker in an industrial park, Ngoc Ha (36 years old, Phu Xuyen, Hanoi) is often under pressure because of the large amount of work, having to work overtime continuously. Not to mention, her boss often blames her for being "unreasonable and unfair". After that time, Ha lost weight, had no appetite, felt tired, had insomnia, and felt depressed and resentful.

Many times she thought about quitting her job, but she did not dare because she was a single mother, had to raise a young child and take care of her elderly mother. Just like that, Ha endured the unjust scolding from her leaders, and gradually fell into depression.

Huong Khue (28 years old, Hanoi) works as a saleswoman in the field of electrical appliances and electronics. Her manager is a man over 40 years old, arrogant, looks down on his employees, is easily irritated, gets angry and often forces employees to work overtime without extra pay.

During holidays and Tet, the company has many customer care programs, Khue and other employees are constantly urged by the manager with phone calls and messages, even late at night. If there is no response or the response is slow, the manager will call continuously until Khue answers the phone and "vent" his anger with harsh words like "useless" and "shallow".

Once, when Khue gave her opinion, her superior immediately objected strongly, accompanied by a warning reaction. From then on, she resigned herself and lived in seclusion. The criticism and threats from her manager also made Khue tired, doubting her own abilities, feeling that she was not worthy to continue working, but also did not dare to quit because of the burden of raising children and paying debts.

Suffering for a long time, Khue was haunted, afraid, her heart often beat fast, her body felt weak every time she saw a call or text message from her manager. Many nights, she stayed up all night because of anxiety or slept delirious, talking nonsense, gradually she lost interest in life and work. Khue was taken to the doctor by her colleagues, the doctor diagnosed the patient with depression and anxiety disorder.

According to Dr. Tran Thi Hong Thu, Deputy Director of Mai Huong Daytime Psychiatric Hospital, the situation of employees being stressed due to the working environment and pressure from being closely monitored and strictly controlled by their bosses is becoming more and more common.

The reason is that there is always a distance between the boss and the employee, so when facing the boss, many people feel anxious. The leader is also the person who directly manages, evaluates the work, rewards and punishes or makes all decisions with the employees, so the subordinates often have a fearful and submissive mentality.

In addition, factors such as age gap, qualifications, and experience also create barriers. In reality, many people are under heavy pressure, always being pressured by their boss at all times, everywhere. Prolonged stress, not relieved, can lead to depression.

Overwork leads to depression

According to Dr. Nguyen Thi Ai Van, Institute of Mental Health, Bach Mai Hospital, depression is a common mental disorder, manifested by feelings of sadness, decreased energy, feelings of guilt or low self-esteem, sleep and eating disorders, and poor concentration. The disease is long-lasting and recurrent, affecting the patient's life and function.

An estimated 300 million people worldwide suffer from depressive disorders. The disease is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be the single largest contributor to overall disability.

According to experts, overwork leads to fatigue, stress, sleep disorders, and even depression. Therefore, people need to eat a balanced, healthy diet, exercise, and get enough sleep. In addition, they should spend time relaxing after stressful working hours.

People experiencing exhaustion and signs of depression need to increase social connections, seek help, talk about problems, and get timely treatment to avoid serious consequences.

When you feel like you can’t handle the situation alone, you should consult a psychologist. On the other hand, if the job is not suitable, you don’t have the capacity to meet the requirements, or your superiors’ way of working is too much to bear, you should find a new direction for yourself.

According to experts, everyone needs to try to train themselves. When you have knowledge, skills, and confidence, you can completely master your work as well as your life, without fear of having to live in a state of resignation or fear of unemployment if you quit your job.