When You've Fallen and Can't Get Up

I've been impressed by the number of blog posts I've read lately that urge people not to give in to despair in these despairing times, to remember that most of us have all that we really need: our friends, our family, our health.

At the same time, I know that despite these pep talks there are people who, no matter how much they try, aren't feeling better. Despite the extra time spent recently with people who love them and care about them, they have fallen and can't get up.

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that depression is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15-44, affecting about 15 million American adults annually, or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older. While depression can develop at any age, the median age at onset is about 32, and is more more prevalent in women than in men.

Those are the facts. But what lies behind those facts is much tougher. Anyone who has suffered from depression or had someone they care about struggle with the disease knows that the toll it takes cannot be summed up in simple statistics. It can tear apart relationships, and it can harm careers.

Despite more people willing to talk about how the disease has affected them at work, there are people who try and hide how they're feeling, how they are having difficulty coping not only with daily life, but with the rising tide of bad news in the workplace.

I'm not a mental health expert, but I do know that in order to survive in today's difficult business climate, you need to be on top of your game. Both physically and emotionally. Sure, you need to go the extra mile at work in order to try and hang on to your job, but that's not going to happen if you're not able to cope with life on a daily basis.

When I first started writing my column for Gannett News Service about 15 years ago, I wrote on depression in the workplace. I was flooded with mail from people who were so grateful that I had written about a subject they felt had been hidden too long. While it is being talked about more today because it does affect productivity, I still think a lot of people want to believe that depression doesn't happen to them, and they can handle whatever is happening on their own.

As I said, if all the pep talks in the world aren't making you feel better, consider talking to your doctor, or check out this online quiz that might help you understand if you are suffering from depression.

I hope this holiday time has been restorative for your body and mind. I hope that you feel a renewed sense of hope, an ability to cope with whatever life hands you every day. But if not, my hope is that you'll understand you're not alone, and that help is available. Give yourself the greatest gift of all and make your health a priority for 2009.

How do you think the workplace could better help those with depression?


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When the Blues Won't Go Away

I've written about hundreds of workplace issues over the years, but one of the subjects that brought in the most mail when I wrote about it more than a decade ago was a column on depression.

In the story, I outlined some signs of depression that may be evident on the job. The mail flooded in -- not only from those who believed they recongized they were suffering from depression -- but from those who already had been diagnosed. Many of the letter writers shared how they often felt stigmatized when they were diagnosed -- that other people merely thought depression was "in their head" and they should "snap out of it."

I do believe that our societal views of depression have changed a bit. As more people have sought help and been successfully treated, we have all come to understand the disease and its effects a bit better. Still, as someone who had a close family member suffer from depression, I believe it's a disease that is still often misunderstood.

That's why it's so important that we recognize the signs of clinical depression. Whether we may be suffering from it ourselves, or believe someone we work with has the illness, it's also critical to remember that it is a disease that can be treated with proper care.

If you suspect you are depressed, contact a health professional or Mental Health America for more information. If you believe a co-worker may be suffering from the disease, contact your human resources department or let a supervisor know there may be a problem.

Among the warning signs of clinical depression:
* Difficulty making decisions.
* Decreased productivity.
* Irritiability and hostility.
* Withdrawal from others, or conversely, extreme dependence on others.
* Feelings of hopelessness and depair.
* Slowness of speech, chronic fatigue.
* Slumping posture, flat or blank expression.
* Inability to concentrate, decline in dependability.
* Unusual increase in errors in the work product.
* Proneness to accidents.
* Tardiness, absenteeism.
* Lack of enthusiasm for work tasks.

Keep in mind that many employers have employee assistant programs or other health referrals available for employees. To be blunt about it, it is in everyone's best interest to get help for workers who may be clincially depressed.

Specifically, its' estimated that depression is as costly as heart disease or AIDS to the U.S. economy, costing over $43.7 billion in absenteeism from work (over 200 million days lost from work each year), lost productivity and direct treatment costs. Depression tends to affect people in their prime working years and may last a lifetime if untreated.

Finally, remember that more than 80 percent of people with clinical depression can be successfully treated. You're not alone, and help is available if you need it.



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