<![CDATA[Lecturer depression represents an emerging occupational mental health concern within higher education institutions. Although several reports indicate the presence of psychological distress among academic staff in Indonesia, empirical accounts describing how lecturers experience and interpret depression within their professional and personal contexts remain limited. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of lecturers experiencing depression in relation to psychological well-being, the work environment, and work–life balance. A qualitative approach was employed using in-depth interviews with seven lecturers who reported depressive experiences. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling with a maximum-variation strategy to capture diverse perspectives. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns across participants’ narratives. The analysis generated three overarching themes: internal factors reflecting personal vulnerability and emotional responses; job-related factors associated with academic workload, organizational dynamics, and workplace relationships; and work–life imbalance describing difficulties in maintaining boundaries between professional responsibilities and personal life. These themes indicate that lecturer depression is shaped by the interaction between individual psychological conditions and structural features of the academic work environment. The findings suggest that institutional responses to lecturer mental health should not be limited to individual-level interventions but also address organizational practices that influence workload, social support, and work–life boundaries.]]>
