Sometimes it seems as if everyone’s depressed.
That may be because depression – or at least mental health – has been in the news a lot lately.
But despite the efforts to make mental health easier to talk about, many people still consider depression to be some kind of personal failing. Therefore depression is something we’d rather not admit to; thank you very much.
You may feel the same way.
And that’s a problem. Because if you or someone close to you is suffering with depression, unless you’re able to recognise what’s going on and start putting things right, it could wreak havoc on your life.
What could make depression even more challenging to accept is that work might be your problem's root cause. That’s a double whammy because you not only need to deal with how you feel but also take on the challenge of changing your job.
Depression is a mental disorder that causes people to experience low moods. These are often accompanied by a loss of interest in life, inability to experience pleasure, feelings of guilt, low self-worth, disturbed sleep, reduced appetite, low energy and poor concentration.
However, the important thing is that depression isn’t the same as feeling a bit unhappy or stressed. Someone who is depressed will feel intense emotions of anxiety, hopelessness, negativity and helplessness, all of which hang around
If you think you might be suffering, then learn how to recognise depression and work through it by identifying these symptoms:
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Lack of a good night's sleep.
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Inability to get up in the morning.
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Lethargy or lack of vitality during the day.
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Overeating or, conversely, under eating.
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Aches and pains which cannot be explained.
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Moving slower than usual.
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Increased uptake of alcohol.
In addition to these physical symptoms, depression can affect your behaviour, thoughts and feelings.
Other tell-tale signs that you might be suffering from a bout of depression include:
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Becoming agitated or tearful more quickly than usual.
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Gaining a sense of isolation from friends, family and colleagues.
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Loss of libido.
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Failing to enjoy things that you usually would.
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Finding it difficult to speak up.
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Loss of self-confidence.
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Developing a bleak perspective of the future.
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Lack of concentration.
Left unchecked, symptoms like these can have a very negative impact on your ability to work. They can fracture your good working relationships with clients, colleagues and even your manager.
You might find that your inability to communicate makes you seem disinterested or that the difficulty you have with concentrating leads to errors in your work. Sometimes, it could mean you keep turning up to work late and then not getting on with things effectively when you arrive.
Coping with depression at work
The first step in handling depression at work is recognising it for what it is. Being depressed need not be permanent; the symptoms can be alleviated if you are correctly diagnosed.
if you become depressed, it’s important to maintain your perspective and understand that things will get better. Everything changes. You will change and, above all, you will be okay.
Many people who endure a personal crisis find it life-enhancing in that it often leads to a breakthrough which helps them reappraise their choices and values. Soon they begin leading a more positive and inspiring work life.
But the first step in handling depression at work is recognising it for what it is. You should seek professional medical advice, which usually means booking an appointment with your GP.
Don't be worried about taking time off work to do this. - it could be time that is well spent and allows you to cope in the long run thereby avoiding a longer stint off work later because matters have been allowed to get too far.
As well as seeking professional assistance, you can try several things that may help you deal with depression and help you to continue functioning in your job.
These tips include:
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Taking regular physical exercise. By working out, your body releases natural chemicals which can improve your state of mind and overall positivity.
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Removing stress from your life. This could be by reassessing your work-life balance or dealing with work-related anxieties in new ways.
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Keeping in contact. Although it may feel like a tough thing, making contact with old and trusted friends can help you cope. A short phone call or text is often enough to get the ball rolling.
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Taking better care of yourself. If you let your appearance slip, try to make yourself feel better by dressing smartly and preparing for work each day with care.
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Switching to a healthy diet. Many professionals agree that healthy eating can have benefits for the state of your mental health.
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Writing reminder notes. Depression can cause you to be distracted, so a good coping mechanism is to write down key things on sticky notes or a pad.
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Reducing alcohol intake. Along with caffeine and tobacco, alcohol can make depression worse for many people so lessen your weekly consumption.
Along with these self-help tips a clinical diagnosis of depression may mean you can access further support.
And because it’s important to have as many tools available as possible when dealing with depression, here’s a summary of the most common ways of managing your thoughts and feelings. The key idea is to help you begin to feel better and get well in the here and now.
