Every job has its own share of stress. Some of the things that make a job stressful are high client demand, long working hours and the emotional trauma involved. Most people have found ways of dealing with and overcoming stress. But, many are unable to handle the demands and stress of their job. In extreme cases, they might even end up committing suicide unless they receive professional help or call the suicide prevention hotline.
Here are the 10 professions with the highest suicide rates:
10. Scientist
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The work of a scientist can be very demanding. Scientists are usually under intense pressure to innovate and discover, as well as regularly publish new findings. The fierce, and at times cutthroat, competition in the industry can be very stressful for scientists. If scientists discover something harmful in their research, then the stress can increase. Others spend long days at work and still have to spend time on research. Such factors can lead to depression and suicidal tendencies.
9. Police officer
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The work of a police officer is attractive to many people, especially young children. But, the work of a police officer can be very dangerous and stressful. Cops are often required to work long hours with little rest. In addition, they often find themselves dealing with tense situations such as accidents, fires and murders. As a result, many police officers are likely to suffer from depression, which could lead them to commit suicide.
8. Stock broker
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Working in the financial sector comes with a lot of risk. Since stockbrokers are responsible for managing other people’s money, they are always under a lot of pressure to deliver. But, the stock market by nature is very volatile. Due to uncontrollable economic factors, the price of stock can drop dramatically within a matter of hours, resulting in massive losses for investors. The rollercoaster nature of the stock market can be very traumatic for stockbrokers. While some weather the storms, others are likely to sink into depression and eventually commit suicide.
7. Real estate agent
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Just like stock brokers, the real estate industry is also a high-reward, high-risk career. When the property market is strong, real estate agents can make millions of dollars.But, when there is an oversupply of housing, the prices of property can plummet dramatically leaving real estate agents broke. In addition, there is always intense competition between realtors, which leads to stress. This is why many real estate agents end up committing suicide.
6. General doctor
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Besides working long hours, doctors have to deal almost daily with patients who are suffering all kinds of ailments. Some of the patients might even end up dying in their care. This is likely to leave doctors stressed and depressed. Doctors might also find it difficult to seek professional help when they suffer a mental disorder such as depression. It is due to the fear of ruining their reputation. As a result, they are likely to sink deeper into depression and ultimately commit suicide.
5. Farmer
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Farming can be a very profitable and fulfilling career.But, farmers at times incur great losses due to poor weather, natural calamities, diseases and even sabotage. In addition, there is also the risk of losing money due to unfavourable market prices. As a result, farmers are likely to experience depression on a regular basis and have one of the highest rates of suicide in the world.
4. Lawyer
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This may be considered as quite a boring profession to most, but lawyers experience a significant level of stress during their work. Despite the relatively high pay corporate lawyers have to work long hours to prepare policies and represent their companies. Legal counsels are usually under intense pressure to offer definitive answers. Criminal lawyers are under pressure to defend their clients, whether innocent or not. All this pressure can easily lead to suicide.
3. Construction manager
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Construction site managers are responsible for ensuring that everything part of the construction project goes as planned. With limited budgets, short timelines and large teams to manage, this is usually a very high-pressure job. The stress involved can easily lead to depression and suicide.
2. Surgeon
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To begin with, going through medical school and residency can be very stressful. The pressure goes up a notch when you become a practising surgeon. Apart from the long hours at work, there is always the possibility of losing the person you are operating on. This can lead to depression, and at times suicide if you can’t separate your emotions from the patient.
1. Chiropractor
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Chiropractic is a very sensitive practice where anything can go wrong during the treatment of a patient. In some countries, the practice of chiropractics is not covered by insurance. As a result, chiropractors are likely to find themselves facing lawsuits from their clients. The paperwork and bills involved in lawsuits can lead to depression and even suicide.
What other high-pressure careers do you know of with statistics and data that show a high suicide rate? What's the worst job you heard of? Share with us in the comments section below.
This article was originally published in June 2015.