Hustle culture and the risk of depression in workers aged 19–44 years

A systematic review

Abstract

Hustle culture is a work pattern that normalizes excessive busyness and encourages compulsive work engagement, also known as workaholism. This condition has been linked to an increased risk of mental health disorders, including depression. This systematic review aims to summarize empirical evidence from observational studies on the relationship between hustle culture or workaholism and depression among workers aged 19 to 44 years. Literature searches were conducted using the PubMed, Scopus, and ProQuest databases for publications from 2010 to 2025. Article selection was performed using Rayyan AI, and risk of bias assessment was conducted using the Hoy Risk of Bias tool. A total of nine articles met the inclusion criteria. The findings of this systematic review reveal a consistent positive association between workaholism and depressive symptoms among workers aged 19–44 years. Compulsive work behavior was linked to chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, and reduced psychological well-being. Psychosocial mechanisms such as work–life imbalance, perfectionism, and inability to detach from work contributed to this relationship. These results highlight the need for multidisciplinary interventions promoting work–life balance and organizational mental health strategies to mitigate the psychological burden of excessive work culture.