Mental health: “The real problem is not working longer, but working longer in poor conditions”

E very pension reform is a spark. It sets the streets ablaze, sparks debates on TV sets, and reignites anxiety in homes. The latest one, in 2023, was no exception: anger, fatigue, a sense of injustice . But, beyond the battle of numbers and ages, one question remains too often forgotten: what state of health, especially mental health, will be the workers who are being pushed to stay in their jobs longer?

This is the question we explored in a study conducted by researchers from the University of Savoie-Mont-Blanc and the University of Turin using data from 14 European countries. The answer is clear: yes, working longer can be detrimental to mental health... but not for everyone. It all depends on the conditions in which these additional years are spent.

The aging population is putting real pressure on our retirement systems. To save them, governments are pushing back the retirement age. But this solution comes at a cost: the one paid by the individuals concerned, often silently. Because the older we get, the more fragile our health becomes. The body tires, but so does the mind, especially when work is hard, stressful, and poorly recognized. Extending working life often means prolonging exposure to stress and fatigue, sometimes to the point of exhaustion.

We studied the impact of raising the retirement age on the mental health of older adults. More specifically, it affected depression, the silent illness that now affects around 5% of the world's population, much more so among those nearing the end of their careers. Our findings go beyond simply "working more makes you depressed," as everything depends on the quality of the job.

If you spend your days in a toxic work environment, without support, under constant pressure, with little autonomy and no prospects... then yes, every additional year before retirement is an additional burden, a mental weight that increases. Our data shows a measurable increase in depressive symptoms in these situations.

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