An interview by Salam Watandar with 30 young people experiencing occupational depression shows that working outside their field of study and the lack of opportunities for promotion at work are two major factors contributing to their condition. The participants include 15 girls and 15 boys, working in various sectors such as medicine, media, schools, private institutions, tailoring workshops, universities, and libraries.
Among them, 17 say they have not received any promotion in their jobs for several years, while another 13 report working outside their field of education. These two factors have led to a lack of motivation at work, a decline in professional performance, and, ultimately, occupational depression.
Occupational depression is a type of mood disorder caused by work-related factors and is accompanied by symptoms such as persistent lack of motivation, feelings of worthlessness, reduced concentration, chronic fatigue, and a decline in professional performance.
However, this report shows that in addition to the two main factors, the absence of capacity-building programs, educational programs, and professional learning opportunities is another contributor to occupational depression among these young people.
The young people interviewed by Salam Watandar come from Badakhshan, Baghlan, Panjshir, Parwan, and Kabul. Ahmad Hafizi, who works at a school, says he has experienced occupational depression in his workplace. According to him, the lack of capacity-building programs and learning opportunities has gradually reduced his motivation at work.
He adds, “After six months at my job, I began to feel extremely exhausted. Among the factors that have caused my depression are the lack of opportunities for employees’ growth and promotion, as well as discrimination among staff, which has led to my occupational depression.”
Meanwhile, Sorya Yousufi, another interviewee who works at a humanitarian organization, cites the lack of capacity-building programs, work pressure, and discrimination in the workplace as reasons for her occupational depression.
“Heavy workloads, long working hours, and discrimination among employees have caused my depression. To reduce occupational depression among staff, capacity-building and training programs should be established, providing opportunities for growth and promotion.” she says.
In addition to the lack of capacity-building programs, these young people consider working for a long time in a fixed environment and performing repetitive tasks in a specific department as other important factors contributing to occupational depression.
Maryam Mohammadi, who works in the children’s book publishing department of an organization, says that working continuously for a long time in the same environment and the lack of professional growth opportunities have gradually led to occupational depression for her.
“I have been working for six years; when we continuously perform the same tasks and work with the same group, a person begins to feel tired and depressed.” she says.
Abdullah Mohammadi, the manager of a school, also attributes his occupational depression to repetitive tasks and working for a long period in the same environment. He says, “After a few years of doing the same work repeatedly, a person begins to feel exhausted. Another factor that contributes to occupational depression is excessive work pressure.”
On the other hand, some interviewees consider working outside their field of study as the reason for their occupational depression. Kawsar Amiri, who studied economics, says that due to the lack of jobs in her field, she had to become a teacher at a school—something that has led to her occupational depression.
“I have been teaching for three years; the factor that has made me depressed is that I am not working in my own field, and this situation has exhausted me mentally.” she says.
Ahmad, a law graduate working outside his field of study, says that economic problems and limited job opportunities have forced him into a job unrelated to his education. He says,
“I work in television; long working hours and not being supported in the workplace create work pressure and lead to occupational depression.”
Several experts in economics, administration and management say that ignoring occupational depression has serious consequences for mental health and work productivity. According to them, capacity-building programs, career counseling, and psychological support can be effective in reducing this problem.
Abdul Nasir Rishtia, an expert in economic issues, says that financial incentives, capacity-building, and professional training are important strategies for reducing occupational depression. He adds, “Financial and moral incentives, along with capacity-building and training programs, can help reduce occupational depression; whenever we become familiar with new technology and learn, our depression decreases.”
Sardar Mohammad Saee, a university professor and expert in administration and management, says that if occupational depression among young people is not curbed, it could turn into a social crisis. He says,
“To tackle this issue, time management, learning new skills, and frequent conversations are essential; in the workplace, reducing work pressure, timely salaries, and respecting employees can decrease occupational depression.”
However, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Islamic Emirate says that it has various capacity-building programs in place to reduce job depression and create job opportunities. Samiullah Ibrahimi, the spokesperson for the ministry, says,
“In order to create job opportunities, reduce unemployment, and increase capacity-building, we have various programs. These programs will be implemented in all governmental and non-governmental offices across all provinces.”
We also sought the perspective of the Ministry of Information and Culture on this matter, but despite repeated efforts, we did not succeed. Various reports on the employment situation of young people in Afghanistan indicate that occupational depression has become one of the serious social challenges among youth—a phenomenon rooted in unemployment, job insecurity, lack of growth opportunities, economic pressures, and a lack of coordination between education and the labor market.
Reporter: Twoba Rasuli
