Continuing work in the face of depression

Findings suggest that 33% of the workforce in India is undergoing depression or some form of mental morbidity. What that means is that members of your colleagues or yourself could be undergoing depression. We’re not talking about occasional sadness or burnout but a serious case of depression that needs positive therapeutic intervention from a Psychologist.

In the best interests of those among us who are victims of the aforementioned phenomenon, we decided to extend a helping hand by listing out a few coping strategies below to keep you going.

Identify:

Look for signs of depression in yourself. Here are a few:

1. You’re tired all the time
2. Any kind of participation (conversations, meetings etc.) feel like a burden
3. You lack enthusiasm for work and don’t find deadlines motivating
4. You use the restroom for crying spells
5. You’re burying yourself in work to escape your emotions

If you find yourself doing any or all of the above, it’s time to seek help.

Break-time:

Yes, you are ambitious and want to remain ultra-productive. But, when things start going awry, it is healthy to accept that you are unable to keep up. The solution, however, is not about slogging extra hours at work with a dwindling efficiency. What helps in a better way is to take time off and seek help. Occasional slow-down wards off the possibility of total breakdown.

Therapy:

We are of the opinion that when people speak about health, they forget what is above their neck. Anything below the neck like aches and pains, tears and injuries get the best of their attention. But, when it comes to mental health, there is a prejudiced opinion that you don’t need treatment or therapy. We seek extensive treatments for diabetes. But, did you know that stress is one of the main reasons for diabetes? If we addressed stress when it needed attention, maybe we wouldn’t have ended up with diabetes? So, it makes sense to get started with right therapy.

Use the Resources:

If your employer provides an Employee Assistance Program, go ahead and make use of it. If such a system is not in place, reach out for private consultant psychologists. One can even confide in their friends or reach out to their family for help. Although, they may not be able to offer any help as such, having a non-judgmental listening ear is always a gift.

Getting through the day:

Here are few things you could do to accomplish this:

1. Create lists and top priorities and focus on one task at a time
2. Communicate your deliverables to your boss every day so that you make yourself accountable
3. Forgetfulness is a part of this journey. Take plenty of notes during meetings and use reminders to remind yourself of important tasks that you can’t afford to miss
4. Get out of your office chamber and escape the eternal surfing of web and feeling terrible. Place your work-table among your co-workers so that you feel alive and part of a group. Hit a balance between wanting to be alone and catering to your social needs.

Confess?

If it helps and depending on your workplace environment and relationship with the boss, consider disclosing your struggles to them so that they don’t mistake you for being lazy and are aware of your challenges.

Health and appearance:

Eat well, drink well and exercise well. What’s more? Dress well, groom yourself well and look at your beautiful face in the mirror. All these small things make a difference in your mood and day.

Know your triggers:

Become self-aware and know what things (work, relationships, people etc.), triggers your mood on a downward spiral. As soon as you know you are about to hit your triggers, be cautious and move away or seek help to manage the triggers before they grow too big.

Take it easy:

Don’t expect too much out of yourself. Relax and take it easy. 10% of your original productivity is fine if you are taking right therapy and increasing it 1% per day. Guess what? You’ll be hitting 100% in 3 months (90 days). Isn’t that good news?