Depression ranks among the top three workplace problems for employee assistance professionals, according to Mental Health America 2009. Not only does it affect working individuals early in their careers but it can also remain throughout the working years.

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the workplace and in the general community. Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression some time in their lives. Depression is expected to be the second most common disease, after heart disease, by the year 2020.

A progress report on depression and the workplace in the Current Psychiatry Reports (2008) indicates that depression in the workplace is receiving growing recognition because of its high prevalence and its significant economic impact.

Numerous studies have shown that depression is associated with lost productivity, decreased work performance, increased risk of accidents, relationship conflicts at work, increased absenteeism, sick leave, short-term or long-term disability, burnout, and increased job turnover rates.

Feeling sad or blue from time to time or having ups and downs in mood is something that we all experience. But if you have felt these emotions for most of the day nearly every day for more than two weeks and they have affected your day-to-day life such that you have difficulty functioning like before or gaining pleasure from your activities, then these might be signs of clinical depression.

Symptoms of depression include:

• Feeling sad or down 
• Feeling worthless, guilty or hopeless
• Feeling helpless – feeling that you have no control over your situation 
• Feeling hopeless – feeling that nothing will change or get better
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy such as hobbies or socializing, including losing interest in sex
• Change in appetite – losing appetite and/or weight loss or cannot stop eating and/or weight gain
• Change in sleep- cannot fall asleep or stay asleep; early morning awakening; or sleeping too much
• Decreased energy or fatigue  
• Feeling restless; feeling increased irritability
• Difficulty concentrating, focusing, remembering or making decisions 
• Thoughts like life is not worth living; thoughts of suicide or death

More often than not, employees who suffer from depression delay treatment or do not seek treatment. Some reasons include the fear of losing their jobs, concern about confidentiality, shame, discrimination, stigma attached to mental illness, or not knowing the symptoms of depression.

Depression is NOT a weakness; it is an illness. No one is immune to the illness. Not preventing, recognizing or treating mental health problems such as clinical depression in the workplace affects each of us, including employers, employees, and our community.

Help is available and effective treatments do exist. It is important for you to receive a proper diagnosis and treatment. If you think you might be suffering from depression, in addition to seeking social support among family and close friends, talk to your health professional, employee assistance program or to your occupational health nurse. You could then be referred for appropriate treatment. Please don’t wait and suffer. Seek help.

To further help your recovery, make lifestyle changes such as: eat a healthy diet, do regular physical exercise, try to reduce negativity, limit alcohol, avoid cigarettes or other drugs, and adopt good sleep hygiene.

Promoting the mental health of all employees is essential. Our work affects our mental health and our mental health, in turn, affects our work. Increasing awareness of mental health issues, including knowledge of what the symptoms of depression are and of its devastating impact, can help towards providing better support to employees who are suffering. With early recognition and treatment, most employees can overcome depression and recover. In turn, they can enjoy their everyday work again and feel productive.

In a survey conducted by the National Mental Health Association in the U.S., 64% of the employers who responded indicated that they would refer an employee who suffers from depression to the employee assistance program if they know the symptoms of depression. This provides hope and suggests that with greater awareness and knowledge of the symptoms of depression, more help could be provided to employees.