Everyone experiences ups and downs at work, but if dark days have become commonplace for you, you’re sliding down the dangerous slope of depression.
This mental health disorder, which often manifests itself as apparent sadness and fatigue, sometimes occurs in more unexpected ways. Certain work habits can be signs of latent depression. To help its readers identify them, HuffPost interviewed several experts.
1. You work like crazy
As surprising as it may seem, a colleague who works hard, is always ready to go on a business trip or tackle difficult files, may be a victim of depression. Alicia Velez, a New York-based social worker, attests: “Among careerists, dynamism can hide depression. The same goes for other life challenges: Some colleagues may go through a divorce or lose a loved one, but they won’t let anything show.”.
2. You isolate yourself from your peers
The way you interact with your work colleagues can also be an indicator of certain discomfort. According to Alicia Velez, isolating oneself from peers is a common sign of depression. She explains: “This can result in someone who used to actively participate in meetings now being quiet, sitting in the back of the room, or not participating in meetings at all, or no longer attending after-work “happy hours.”. The employee will tend to avoid interactions with colleagues or superiors as much as possible, and will begin to respond to emails more slowly, or not at all.
3. You are becoming less and less organized
“If getting to or from work on time becomes a daily struggle, you may be experiencing one of the symptoms of depression.”, says Ryan Howes, a psychologist in Pasadena, California. It pursues: “I knew someone who loved his job, who was actively involved in his projects and who was very popular among his colleagues. When he became depressed, he started arriving late for work. He could no longer meet deadlines, did not eat lunch with other employees and was highly critical of their performance..
4. You have a temper
If the slightest annoyance makes you angry, it may be a sign that you need to look deeper into the cause. People suffering from depression show signs of overt or repressed anger and may become targets of those around them at work. Shannon Garcia, a psychiatrist based in Illinois, offers an example: “At work, you get offended easily and with everything. Your patience is short-lived, whether it’s with your colleagues, your clients, or your inbox..
5. You lose interest in your work when you used to enjoy it
At work, everyday life may not be exciting every day. But you should be able to discern whether you are not fulfilled at work because of certain boring tasks given to you or if you are developing a kind of permanent depression. “This last scenario can be even more worrisome if you have undertaken these missions with enthusiasm, and now you tend to drag your feet”Shannon Garcia shares.
She adds: “For example, you stare blankly at your screen, pretend to be busy but fail to complete a task or make multiple mistakes as you undertake important tasks. This loss of interest due to depression can make you think that you are no longer interested in your work.”.
How to respond if you think you have depression?
You can start by studying this topic with your close people. If it’s sometimes difficult to open up to others during this difficult time, putting a word out about how you’re feeling can help you feel better, and avoid withdrawing into yourself. Alicia Velez advises: “You might suggest that your colleagues come to your office for coffee once or twice a week. This will allow you to maintain a social connection and have a little chat”.
But the most important thing is to seek help from a health professional. Ryan Howes says: “Depression is common and often responds well to treatment. A doctor will be able to evaluate your symptoms and recommend treatment that may include therapy, medication, or both.. By diagnosing your health condition, you can ask your employer for certain adjustments that will make your daily life at work easier, such as different hours or authorization to work more from home.
