
Jan 5, 2018 ● Eric Titner
How to handle work when you're depressed
Work can be challenging in even the best of circumstances—but when you’re depressed and not feeling your absolute best, getting through each workday can be a real struggle.
Many folks grapple with depression in both their personal and professional lives, and it can make getting through each day and handling daily responsibilities difficult. According to a recent study by The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “an estimated 16.1 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in the past year. This number represented 6.7% of all U.S. adults.” The NIMH defines a major depressive episode as “a period of two weeks or longer during which there is either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure, and at least four other symptoms that reflect a change in functioning, such as problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration, and self-image.”
Depression in the workplace is a significant issue—both for employees and employers. Mental Health America recently reported that “Clinical depression has become one of America's most costly illnesses. Left untreated, depression is as costly as heart disease or AIDS to the U.S. economy, costing over $51 billion in absenteeism from work and lost productivity and $26 billion in direct treatment costs. Depression tends to affect people in their prime working years and may last a lifetime if untreated.”
Furthermore, a significantly higher percentage of adults suffer from minor or moderate depressive episodes. Although they typically include less pervasive symptoms, it can nonetheless make it hard to handle work and a spiraling effect can result—you feel depressed, which effects your ability to work, which makes you more depressed, and so on.
Are you among the millions of Americans who suffer from depression? If so, then you’re not alone and there is a way forward—use the following strategies to help you learn to handle work when you’re depressed.
Don’t ignore the signs.
If you’re struggling at work, try your best to recognize the signs that it might be due to depression.- Are you feeling tired and lethargic throughout the day for no reason?
- Are everyday tasks—things that you used to do before with ease—becoming increasingly more difficult for you to handle and complete, or have become completely overwhelming for you?
- Is interacting with others at your workplace, or working collaboratively on team-based projects, becoming so uncomfortable or unappealing to you that you avoid contact or social interactions with colleagues at all costs?
- Do you find that your self-care routine is falling by the wayside?
- Are you noticing negative changes in your overall mood and attitude throughout the day?
- Has your productivity at work dipped?
- Do you find yourself missing work, coming in late, or leaving early more often?