Depression in the Workplace
By Rachel Shouse
Depression affects nearly 7 percent of the population in the United States. Doing a little math could show you how many of your coworkers are struggling right alongside you. Mental illness is difficult to diagnose as there are over 200 classified forms. There are specific symptoms to different mental illnesses, but some of the symptoms can overlap and/or go hand-in-hand. Learning how to identify depression gives you the ability to make significant changes, at home and at work.
What Depression Looks Like
Depression doesn't look the same on everyone. One person may seem happy, another may be more quiet than normal, your coworker may seem more ornery lately, the list goes on. That may seem rather vague as everyone feels this way at one point or another. Feeling this way for an extended period of time is a sign that it's time to get help. Here is a list of common symptoms.
- Feeling hopeless
- Loss of interest in things you once enjoyed
- Changes in your appetite
- Fatigue and low energy levels
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide (the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 800-273-8255)
Making Significant Changes
There's no cure for depression. However, there are ways that you can significantly decrease the symptoms you suffer from, especially at work. If you haven't sought out counseling or therapy, that's what you need to do first. After that, it's time to start sorting out things.
If your home is cluttered and messy, start taking baby steps until you get your home in the condition that you want it. If your desk at work is cluttered, it's time to take advantage of your local dollar store. You can find a plethora of different bins and organizers without spending too much money. Organizing the spaces that you spend a lot of time in provides a great amount of stress relief.
Don't Overwork Yourself
Studies have proven that men and women who work over 40 hours per week are 50 percent more likely to suffer from a number of diseases and conditions. Working too much overtime increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, and more.
After learning that, what changes do you think you can make to yourself and your environment? If you are trying to solve a new problem, brainstorm different solutions. Writing things down helps reduce the number of thoughts running through your head. Humans are actually only capable of remembering six short sequences of numbers at a time.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Lawrenceville, Ga.