Workplace insurance
With chronic conditions -- like depression -- you have workplace protections against discrimination.
Many workplaces have employee assistance programs that include confidential mental health services. Also, look into your health insurance coverage for treatment including counseling and medication.
MORE IDEAS FROM THE ARTICLE
- You're tired all the time.
- Cooperating with colleagues takes an enormous effort.
- You keep your office door shut and interact with your computer.
- It's hard to concentrate and impossible to summon up a positive attitude.
- Your productivity is down the drain.
- Deadlines don't motivate you.
- You're calling in sick or you're burying yourself in tasks to avoid your emotions.
It's hard when you can't function as well as you're used to, but slogging on doesn't work when you're in a downward spiral.
When you're at a crossroads in terms of your mental health, you need to really say, 'OK, I'm going to ask for five days off. That might mean the difference between me not having a mental health breakdown, or needing to take additional time off.
"To stay with it and maintain an independent and productive life -- it's important to identify it, get the appropriate treatment and then stick with that treatment."
Before you disclose your diagnosis, it helps to assess your relationship with your boss and to determine how much information you feel comfortable sharing.
- Get enough sleep at night.
- Nourish yourself properly – even when it's difficult to put food in your mouth.
- Take a walk when you can; a light jog or run can churn up endorphins to ease some depression symptoms.
- Meditation helps some people with depression or stress.
Withdrawal is a symptom of depression, not a solution. Work-social gatherings meant to be fun can feel more like torture.
You might be able to manage five minutes, maybe catch up on a work discussion with a colleague in a quiet corner, then leave. If you've shared your struggle with an office buddy or two, they can help by hanging out with you away from the action.
If you're not dealing with depression but want to be more attuned to your colleagues, step away from the computer every so often.
Just walk the hall, poke your head in a few offices and say hello... It never does more harm than good to ask how somebody's doing: 'You seem a little low today; is everything OK?'
Depression can run in families, and some of your relatives may have already been there themselves. They may be further along in managing their condition and can give you pointers on how to get through the day.
As you get a handle on depression, you develop your personal tool kit to manage it.
Sometimes you can anticipate depression triggers and prepare in advance.
Even people who are in treatment and have learned how to cope can still return to an acute phase of depression that leaves them totally withdrawn.
Whether they're mostly relying on medications or counseling, they may need a"therapeutic reset."
You're not alone – and once you start talking about this condition, you'll find that there are more people who are sympathetic to you than those who are critical.
While you're being proactive about treatment, take it one day at a time and be very gentle with yourself.
RELATED IDEAS
- Set very clear goals for yourself and be realistic about what you would be able to accomplish. Do it on a daily basis.
- Create lists for the day and highlight your top priorities.
- Double-check any important memos, give yourself extra time to prepare assignments, and have a colleague give your work a second look.
- Women under depression usually exhibit sadness, guilt, hormonal changes, among other seemingly unrelated symptoms.
- Men can get irritable, exhausted and start having sleep issues. They then get into drugs and alcohol, or start to overwork in order to distract themselves.
- Kids under depression usually start to sulk, feel lonely and misunderstood, or have long periods of irritability.
If you’ve taken self-help steps and made positive lifestyle changes and still find your depression getting worse, seek professional help.
Depression can be treated and you can feel better.