If you are working full-time, your job is where you spend eight hours or more each day. It should be a place where you are happy and feel at home. Unfortunately, living with depression can make it challenging to feel satisfied.
How well you perform at work and whether you can keep your job can be affected by how emotional you feel. Depressed people are more likely not to work or to lose their jobs. Research shows that they also have difficulty managing their job responsibilities. It's time for you to take action if depression is affecting your job. Working with your doctor and employer can help you overcome depression.
Find new ways to manage depression.
You might need to seek treatment if your depression is so severe that it's affecting your job. Do not settle for depression. Take action now to manage your condition. First, talk to your primary care physician or mental health provider about your depression. Combining antidepressant medication with talk therapy is often used to manage depression. Talk to your doctor if you are still not on treatment. Suppose you are currently on medication, but your symptoms are not controlled. In that case, it might be time to talk to your doctor about increasing the dosage, switching to another medication, or adding another drug. It can be challenging to find the proper treatment for depression. But once you do, it will be worth it.
Talk about your situation.
Perhaps you are skilled at hiding your feelings or using other techniques to deal with depression. However, you don't have to suffer silently. Every person's situation is unique, but discussing your depression with your manager or human resource representative can be very beneficial. Talking to your supervisor before you are depressed is the best way to communicate with them. It's not too late to speak to your supervisor. Sometimes it can be frightening to talk about your depression at work. It's possible to be afraid that you will lose your job. However, your mental health condition is not grounds for firing you.
Being open about your depression will make it easier to work with. Despite the stigma attached to mental illness, people today are more aware of its effects and how it affects them. Discuss how depression affects your day with your manager and HR. You want to do your job well but sometimes need additional help. They may be able to offer you some valuable solutions.
You may be eligible for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) if your symptoms significantly impact your ability to work. Requesting adjustments such as these can make your job easier.
- A flexible schedule
- Support animal
- You can take more breaks throughout the day
- Modifications in your job responsibilities
- Apps and other tools that can help you focus
Many companies offer wellness programs at work, which can include treatment and assessments for mental health. Ask your company if they provide one. Human resources may be able to point you in the right direction for services in your area.
Learn how to say no
Work and depression don't go together well. Don't do anything that will be hard for you on days like these. Take the day off to improve your skills. If you must go to work, limit the amount of work you can handle. Feeling overwhelmed can make it worse. As much as possible, delegate and break down large projects into smaller, more manageable chunks.
Be gentle with yourself. Accept that you will have bad and good days. Be kind to yourself when you don't perform at your best. Find ways to feel better and give yourself credit for positive changes.
Article credit: Stephanie Watson
