In honour of world mental health day let’s talk about mental health at work. A quick search on any search engine would show you that Depression is one of the most common mental health challenges in the workplace. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 5% of working-age adults were estimated to have a mental disorder in 2019. Globally, an estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety at a cost of US$ 1 trillion per year in lost productivity. That’s a whopping figure if you ask me! Whether it’s due to the changing economic landscape or poor working environments is up for debate, but mental health is such a huge threat to work productivity that many organizations have created positions such as “Chief Well-being Officer” to tackle this problem.
Individuals who struggle with mental health often have a difficult time putting a finger on the issue. Sometimes they may not be aware that something isn’t quite right, or they have an inkling that something is strange, but just can’t make sense of what is happening with them. Then there are those who are sure they have depression or some other mental health challenge but are afraid to seek treatment because of social stigma, insurance costs or simply afraid of the repercussions it may have on their work position. Think about it, would you feel comfortable with your lawyer, doctor or President if you knew he or she struggled with a mental illness? Would you challenge their ability to work effectively?
The many faces of Depression
There are several types of depression, but many people sum depression up to sadness. Believe it or not, depression has many forms and manifests in different ways. So, let’s get into it.
Sadness- When we think of depression, this is the posterchild. Intense or prolonged sadness, feeling miserable, isolation and loss of interest in things that once brought joy are well-known signs of depression. e.g. Major depression, Dysthymia
Irritability- Typically, we do not think of irritability as a sign of depression. Do you know that one friend or co-worker that is always snarky, has a short fuse and blows things out of proportion. Well, irritability can be a tell-tale sign of depression. Though irritability associated with depression is often found in children, depressed adults can also exhibit this behaviour. Persons who lack the verbal and emotional skills to express their sadness, anxiety or frustration may externalize these feelings as aggressive behaviours. Furthermore, sometimes depression may cause people to have a completely different sense of reality. In this case, persons may feel that everyone is out to get them or that people in general are against them, resulting in feelings of anxiety, paranoia or irritability. e.g. Psychotic depression
Happy and sad- Depression can sometimes appear in bouts of sadness and at other times bouts of happiness (known as mania). This form of depression can be more confusing and more difficult to identify because the length of time between sadness and happiness is different for everyone. Furthermore, the jump from sadness to happiness may range from subtle to glaring, making it difficult to tell if the range of emotions are normal changes. However, mania can cause persons to feel invincible or grandiose, resulting in decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts and extreme generosity etc. e.g. Bipolar disorder, Cyclothymia
What does depression look like at work?
Oversleeping or frequently coming into work late
Leaving early or being away from work for significant periods of time
Missing deadlines due to difficulty concentrating or forgetfulness
Poor work output due to poor organization skills and difficulty making decisions
Anxiety, worry, restlessness, and tension about work and non-work issues
Irritability or angry outbursts with co-worker, clients or managers
Substance abuse
Bouts of crying
What can trigger Workplace Depression?
Harmful or poor physical working conditions
Job insecurity
High work demand or workload
Assignments that fall under or above employees’ competency level
Persistent conflict with co-workers and managers
Lack of direction and poor leadership
How can you address depression at work?
Workplace Flexibility- Since depression affects employees’ sleep cycle, it may be difficult for persons to get adequate sleep, which negatively affects mood and productivity. Therefore, having a more flexible work schedule gives employees the ability to start their day at more convenient hours and take breaks whenever they feel overwhelmed. If your organization does not provide flexi-work or work from home opportunities, you may want to consider asking your employer to make this accommodation if you can provide proof of your mental health condition.
Communicate- Social stigma creates the fear of speaking up about mental health challenges. You may not feel comfortable sharing your mental health with co-workers, but you need the support of your supervisor or manager. In this way, he or she will make accommodations if necessary and at the very least be more understanding and provide you with the necessary resources offered by your organization. On the other hand, not all workplaces provide resources or a supportive environment that encourages employees to share. In that case, try to find support from those who are close to you in or outside of the workplace.
Practise chunking- Depression can make it difficult to concentrate on tasks. Breaking-up tasks into smaller pieces or chunks, can make tasks feel more manageable. After completing each task, take 5-15 minutes break to give your mind a rest and do something else. After you’ve relaxed a bit, get back to your next task. You’ll get a boost of serotonin after completing each task.
Create a comfortable workspace- Try to make your workspace as comfortable as possible. If you work from home, it is an absolute no-no to work in bed. Yes, the bed is comfortable, but it is a mental cue for sleeping. If you are already struggling with oversleeping, then you must have a separate area for working. If you work at an office, try putting a personal touch on your desk or cubicle. Decorate your area with your favourite colours, pictures, plants or mementos.
Make a change- If you have tried absolutely everything and you are still struggling with depression at work. Then you should really think about whether you are in the right line of work, if your workplace environment is conducive to mental health or if you need professional help. If your workplace is not conducive to mental health or you think you are not in the right line of work, then it will always be difficult to motivate yourself to be productive. In this case, you may seriously want to consider finding your purpose and what line of work would make you feel fulfilled. This may be difficult to figure out alone and you may want to seek the services of a psychologist, career or life coach.
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