Having depression at work

Keeping up at work when you are coping with depression can be difficult. You might be unsure about telling your manager or employer about how you are feeling – whether that is not coping with your workload or if you have already been to the doctor and they have diagnosed depression.

There’s no easy answer to that one, and there is still a lot of stigma about depression in the workplace which can result in employees being treated badly because of their illness. But, employers are getting better at understanding about mental health and there are more employers around now who are willing to make adjustments and be supportive.

Your depression might not be caused by your job, and we have already learned that there is usually more than 1 thing that causes depression. But work can be a contributing factor for some people. Read Why did I get this? to find out more about causes of depression. Things that can cause depression at work might include:

Excessive workload and too much pressure with deadlines and overtime
Unsociable hours
Unsupportive working environment
Bullying and harassment
Problems with colleagues
Having too much responsibility beyond your job level. Or not having enough responsibility!
Lack of job security
Lack of job satisfaction, either from repetitive work or not get positive feedback
Personal crisis or problems, such as bereavement, financial problems, relationship difficulties, health concerns or illness, or problems with housing

if you need to know more about working, visit the Depression Alliance Scotland website or email us at ask@lookokfeelcrap.org.

cameron "I like to go watch a movie on my own or with company, or go to my allotment and working with the soil and resting in the sun. I also find reading a good book can get me so involved that I forget about my other problems for a while."

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Outside work:

A lot of the suggestions in the Getting Help section of this website will be useful if you are depressed at work. There are lots of things you can do to help yourself outside of work that can help keep your life balanced and to put enjoyment in your life. But here are a few things that might help for the work situation:

Do you know what particular task, event or person is contributing to your stress or upset? Is this something that can be changed? Have a think of possible solutions and take these to your manager and see if something can be sorted. They might have noticed the stress in the workplace as well and welcome potential solutions.
If you can’t talk to your manager contact your HR department or person in charge of recruitment and staff issues. A lot of companies and organisations also have staff support services in place to offer support to staff who are feeling distressed. Again, your manager or HR staff will have the details for this.
Learn some assertiveness techniques to help deal with any difficult situations with colleagues. There is a module on assertiveness on the Living Life to the Full website at: www.livinglifetothefull.com. The scripting technique might be particularly useful.
We don’t all love our job, so it’s important to keep up with the stuff that makes you happy. Even if you feel really down, try and take some time when you aren’t working to do something you enjoy or find relaxing. Some quality ‘me time’. You might not have heaps of spare time, so maybe it is just 30 minutes reading before you go to bed, or a nice soak in a bath once a week, or checking out latest uploads on You Tube – something that takes your mind off work stress for a while.
Talk things over with a good friend, relative or someone you trust. This can help sort things out in your mind, and you might be able to come up with a solution together.
Look after your physical health as well as your mental health: make sure you get enough sleep; eat well; and get plenty of exercise.

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

Having depression at work
Keeping up at work when you are coping with depression can be difficult. You might be unsure about telling your manager or employer about how you are feeling – whether that is not coping with your workload or if you have already been to the doctor and they have diagnosed depression. There’s no easy answer to that one, and there is still a lot of stigma about depression in the workplace which can result in employees being treated badly because of their illness. But, employers are getting better at understanding about mental health and there are more employers around now who are willing to make adjustments and be supportive. Your depression might not be caused by your job, and we have already learned that there is usually more than 1 thing that causes depression. But work can be a contributing factor for some people. Read Why did I get this? to find out more about causes of depression. Things that can cause depression at work might include: Excessive workload and too much pressure with deadlines and overtime Unsociable hours Unsupportive working environment Bullying and harassment Problems with colleagues Having too much responsibility beyond your job level. Or not having enough responsibility! Lack of job security Lack of job satisfaction, either from repetitive work or not get positive feedback Personal crisis or problems, such as bereavement, financial problems, relationship difficulties, health concerns or illness, or problems with housing if you need to know more about working, visit the Depression Alliance Scotland website or email us at ask@lookokfeelcrap.org. "I like to go watch a movie on my own or with company, or go to my allotment and working with the soil and resting in the sun. I also find reading a good book can get me so involved that I forget about my other problems for a while." add your own quote	Outside work: A lot of the suggestions in the Getting Help section of this website will be useful if you are depressed at work. There are lots of things you can do to help yourself outside of work that can help keep your life balanced and to put enjoyment in your life. But here are a few things that might help for the work situation: Do you know what particular task, event or person is contributing to your stress or upset? Is this something that can be changed? Have a think of possible solutions and take these to your manager and see if something can be sorted. They might have noticed the stress in the workplace as well and welcome potential solutions. If you can’t talk to your manager contact your HR department or person in charge of recruitment and staff issues. A lot of companies and organisations also have staff support services in place to offer support to staff who are feeling distressed. Again, your manager or HR staff will have the details for this. Learn some assertiveness techniques to help deal with any difficult situations with colleagues. There is a module on assertiveness on the Living Life to the Full website at: www.livinglifetothefull.com. The scripting technique might be particularly useful. We don’t all love our job, so it’s important to keep up with the stuff that makes you happy. Even if you feel really down, try and take some time when you aren’t working to do something you enjoy or find relaxing. Some quality ‘me time’. You might not have heaps of spare time, so maybe it is just 30 minutes reading before you go to bed, or a nice soak in a bath once a week, or checking out latest uploads on You Tube – something that takes your mind off work stress for a while. Talk things over with a good friend, relative or someone you trust. This can help sort things out in your mind, and you might be able to come up with a solution together. Look after your physical health as well as your mental health: make sure you get enough sleep; eat well; and get plenty of exercise.
Brought to you by Depression Alliance Scotland. About Us \| Can you really say 'crap'? \| Funders \| Contact Us
Copyright: DAS, 2010; Last updated: 13/01/10