Depression in the Workplace

John sought counseling after his supervisor spoke to him twice in two weeks about concerns over his work performance.  John had bee unable to sleep at night and had trouble staying awake during the day.  He was overeating junk food and felt tired all the time.  His absenteeism was mounting.  Three days ago he flew into a tirade with a client.

Andrea has always been direct and decisive. Suddenly she is tentative and forgetful.  The rumors at the office are that she is losing her grip.

Burn out? Overworked? Could be.

Both John and Andrea were in fact displaying symptoms of depression.  Recent research indicates that depression is more common than previously thought, affecting 25 percent of women and 11 percent of men. At work, depression affects an estimated 10 percent of employees.

Symptoms include fatigue, loss of memory and concentration, weight loss or gain, and, in severe cases suicide.  Depression can effect workers' productivity, judgment, ability to work with others, and overall job performance.  The inability to concentrate fully or make decisions may lead to costly mistakes or accidents.  In addition, it has been shown that depressed individuals have high rates of absenteeism and are more likely to use drugs and alcohol, resulting in other problems on and off the job.

Depression cost companies $180 per worker whether or not they suffer depression. Employers spend more than $3000.00 on every depressed employee.

Unfortunately, many depressed people suffer needlessly because they feel embarrassed, fear of being perceived as weak, or do not recognize depression as a treatable illness.

As many as 80 percent of people with depression can be treated effectively, generally without missing much time from work or needing costly hospitalization. Effective treatments for depression include medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of both.  these treatments usually begin to relieve symptoms in a matter of weeks.

Karen Cabral, MA