For Employers
Depression Affects Your Employees
| John had been feeling depressed for weeks though he didn't
know why. He had lost his appetite and felt tired all the time. It wasn't until he
couldn't get out of bed any more that his wife took him to a mental health professional
for treatment. He soon showed improvement and was able to return to work. |
|
Depression can affect your workers' productivity judgment, ability to work with
others, and overall job performance. The inability to concentrate fully or make decisions
may lead to costly mistakes or accidents. In addition, it has been shown that depressed
individuals have high rates of absenteeism and are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs,
resulting in other problems on and off the job.
Unfortunately, many depressed people suffer needlessly because they feel embarrassed, fear
being perceived as weak or do not recognize depression as a treatable illness. |
|
TREATMENTS ARE EFFECTIVE |
| Mary couldn't sleep at night and had trouble staying awake
and concentrating during the day. After visiting the doctor and being put on medication
for depression, she found that her symptoms disappeared and her work and social life
improved. |
|
As many as 80% of people with depression can be treated effectively,
generally without missing much time from work or needing costly hospitalization.
Effective treatments for depression include medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of
both. These treatments usually begin to relieve symptoms in a matter of weeks. |
What Can a
Supervisor Do?
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