High pressure jobs can cause depression or anxiety amongst young adults who have had no previous mental health problems, a recent study has found.

In an Otago University study of almost 900 32 year olds, 14 per cent of women and 10 per cent of men said they had their first episode of depression or anxiety after experiencing stress at work.

Women who reported high job demands, such as working long hours, working under pressure or without clear direction, were 75 per cent more likely to suffer from clinical depression or anxiety disorder than women with low psychological job pressures, the study said.

Men with high psychological pressure were 80 per cent more likely to suffer depression or anxiety than those without the demands.

Men were also susceptible to depression, anxiety or both if they had low levels of social support.

The researchers found that at 32 years of age, 102 of the respondents – 50 women and 52 men – had been diagnosed with depression for the first time in their lives, and 45 per cent of those diagnosed could directly relate their condition to workplace stress.

Paper lead author Maria Melchior of the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College, London, said most people in their 30s were settling into their careers, but it was also a time when people were at elevated risk for psychiatric disorders.

"Putting preventative efforts into reducing work stress at that age could bring big benefits," Dr Melchior said.

Co-author Richie Poulton of Otago University said benefits included lower costs to the healthcare system and greater economic productivity.

"More people are being exposed to stress at work and stress rates have increased in the last 10 years.

"We now know that work-related stress is associated with psychiatric health problems that increase health-care and societal costs and reduce work productivity."

Professor Poulton said it was a vicious cycle that could be broken with the right interventions.

The study suggested companies implement policies to help reduce rates of depression and anxiety amongst the workforce.

However, the study acknowledged company-wide changes could be difficult to put into place.

"At an individual level, developing coping skills and relaxation techniques may be an important step towards reducing stress and therefore depression and anxiety levels," the study said.

The findings, published in the UK journal Psychological Medicine, come out of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health & Development Study at the University of Otago, which has followed 1000 Dunedin-born people since their birth in 1972-73.