Dealing with depression when you're not working

The decision to go back to work or to start looking for a job can be a bit of catch-22 when you have depression or have experienced anxiety. You need to make sure it is the right time for you and you aren’t being rushed back into a situation that could make you unwell again, but the longer you are off work the harder it becomes to take steps back into employment.

While most people work because they need the money, there are other benefits to working when you have depression:

It gives your day structure and something to focus on. Basically, it gets you out of bed in the morning.
It is social and creates opportunities for talking with other people.
It gives you a sense of achievement.

But full-time paid work might not be the best option for you, especially at the start. Think about different ways of working – part-time, job-sharing, voluntary work, temping, working from home for some of the time or being self-employed. You might even decide to retrain and go back and study before you take on a job.

Returning to your old job?

If you are returning to your old job you need to make sure that the work-environment is supportive and you won’t fall into the same patterns that contributed to you becoming unwell in the first place. If you’ve been signed off work because of stress you will probably meet with your employer before your return to talk about when to come back. Take this opportunity to talk to them about your job role and any changes you need to stay well.

Think about these questions before you meet, so that you can be clear about what would be best for you:

What did you most enjoy about your job?
What didn’t you like?
What did you find the most difficult to deal with?
What parts of your job were you good at? (Don’t say nothing!! You wouldn’t have got the job if you couldn’t do it!)
What made you feel satisfied and valued?

It’s not always possible for significant changes be made, but small changes might help or there might be another role in the organisation that is better suited to you. But, your employer can’t demote you or significantly change your job without your agreement. If you are unhappy or unsure about how you are being treated and think this is related to your illness you should seek advice. Talk to your HR department in the first instance, but if this isn’t an option you can contact the Citizen’s Advice Bureau.

You might also consider contacting the Equality and Human Rights Commission Helpline on 0845 604 5510. Because depression is recognised as a disabling illness they might be able to offer some legal advice or suggest other organisations who can help.

Keep up with your support network. Even though you might be feeling well enough to go back to work and resume your old life, it is still important to be aware of your emotional health and talk to friends and family about how you are getting on.

Preparing to work again

The structure of a working day can be tiring if you’ve not worked for a while. Even if you work in an office the concentration and focus required can leave you exhausted. This will be more so if are still getting treatment for your depression, as a lack of energy is very common with depression. It might be helpful if you start introducing some structure into your day and trying to increase your concentration levels before you start back. You can do this by:

Introducing a regular bed time and getting up time.
Planning a task to do each day.
Doing things that make you focus your mind and increase your concentration, like the daily sudoku or crossword.
Doing some voluntary work that isn’t too taxing, but can give you some confidence in keeping down a job.

Why having experience of low mood can make you a better employee:

You’ll be more aware of your strengths and weaknesses.
You’ve learned coping strategies for dealing with stress.
You’ll be more empathetic towards your colleagues when they are stressed and feeling pressured.
You’ll know why work / life balance is so important.
You’ve learned not to let things get out of hand before you take action and talk to someone.

Brought to you by Depression Alliance Scotland.
About Us | Can you really say 'crap'? | Funders | Contact Us

Dealing with depression when you're not working
The decision to go back to work or to start looking for a job can be a bit of catch-22 when you have depression or have experienced anxiety. You need to make sure it is the right time for you and you aren’t being rushed back into a situation that could make you unwell again, but the longer you are off work the harder it becomes to take steps back into employment. While most people work because they need the money, there are other benefits to working when you have depression: It gives your day structure and something to focus on. Basically, it gets you out of bed in the morning. It is social and creates opportunities for talking with other people. It gives you a sense of achievement. But full-time paid work might not be the best option for you, especially at the start. Think about different ways of working – part-time, job-sharing, voluntary work, temping, working from home for some of the time or being self-employed. You might even decide to retrain and go back and study before you take on a job. Returning to your old job? If you are returning to your old job you need to make sure that the work-environment is supportive and you won’t fall into the same patterns that contributed to you becoming unwell in the first place. If you’ve been signed off work because of stress you will probably meet with your employer before your return to talk about when to come back. Take this opportunity to talk to them about your job role and any changes you need to stay well. Think about these questions before you meet, so that you can be clear about what would be best for you: What did you most enjoy about your job? What didn’t you like? What did you find the most difficult to deal with? What parts of your job were you good at? (Don’t say nothing!! You wouldn’t have got the job if you couldn’t do it!) What made you feel satisfied and valued? It’s not always possible for significant changes be made, but small changes might help or there might be another role in the organisation that is better suited to you. But, your employer can’t demote you or significantly change your job without your agreement. If you are unhappy or unsure about how you are being treated and think this is related to your illness you should seek advice. Talk to your HR department in the first instance, but if this isn’t an option you can contact the Citizen’s Advice Bureau. You might also consider contacting the Equality and Human Rights Commission Helpline on 0845 604 5510. Because depression is recognised as a disabling illness they might be able to offer some legal advice or suggest other organisations who can help. Keep up with your support network. Even though you might be feeling well enough to go back to work and resume your old life, it is still important to be aware of your emotional health and talk to friends and family about how you are getting on. Preparing to work again The structure of a working day can be tiring if you’ve not worked for a while. Even if you work in an office the concentration and focus required can leave you exhausted. This will be more so if are still getting treatment for your depression, as a lack of energy is very common with depression. It might be helpful if you start introducing some structure into your day and trying to increase your concentration levels before you start back. You can do this by: Introducing a regular bed time and getting up time. Planning a task to do each day. Doing things that make you focus your mind and increase your concentration, like the daily sudoku or crossword. Doing some voluntary work that isn’t too taxing, but can give you some confidence in keeping down a job.	Why having experience of low mood can make you a better employee: You’ll be more aware of your strengths and weaknesses. You’ve learned coping strategies for dealing with stress. You’ll be more empathetic towards your colleagues when they are stressed and feeling pressured. You’ll know why work / life balance is so important. You’ve learned not to let things get out of hand before you take action and talk to someone.
Brought to you by Depression Alliance Scotland. About Us \| Can you really say 'crap'? \| Funders \| Contact Us
Copyright: DAS, 2008; Last updated: 17/6/08