The Beguiled Child

Depression, by definition, is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.

If you’re having trouble working during a depressive episode, don’t beat yourself up over it. This is not something you can “snap out” of with willpower.

According to the World Health Organization, depression is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide among men and women aged 15 to 44. Depression is as costly to the US economy as heart disease or AIDS, resulting in over $51 billion lost due to absenteeism from work and productivity losses.

In a 3-month period, patients with depression miss an average of 4.8 workdays and suffer 11.5 days of reduced productivity

CDC Statistics

What is covered here?

Why does depression make everything difficult?

Many people think the symptoms of depression are based largely on mood:
– lack of pleasure
– negative outlook
– and low self-esteem

This is often true with mild depression and can be difficult to handle on a daily basis. Severe depression, however, is a different form of the beast.

If you have severe depression, it can cripple your energy levels, your ability to focus, your appetite to fuel your body, and your sleep patterns. There are profound biological changes that happen within you, including changes in hormone levels, sleep cycles, and brain structure.

Professional Support

Mental health matters are no different than physical disabilities when it comes to making accommodations in the workplace. You wouldn’t shy away from asking your employer to build a wheelchair-accessible route to your desk or going to a medical professional after months of migraines. You shouldn’t feel hesitant to ask for or build in accommodations that can lessen the burden of stress and depression at work.

Unfortunately, many people who could benefit from mental health services delay or avoid seeking help, feeling that doing so is a sign of weakness, or even feeling ashamed of their condition.

By not seeking help, you open yourself up to the possibility of letting a serious mental health condition become even worse. An untreated disorder could disrupt your relationships, harm performance at school or work, and even increase your risk for substance abuse and addiction.

You may find your performance at work can be greatly improved with simple solutions like working from home one day a week, finding a quieter work area, or asking for written rather than verbal instruction. Such accommodations can be arranged with little or no cost and without your employer needing to know your specific diagnosis.

Support System

One of the most important things you can do to help yourself with depression—other than medication and therapy—is to develop strong social support.

For some, this may mean forging stronger bonds with friends or family. Knowing you can count on supportive loved ones to help can go a long way toward improving your depression.

For others, a depression support group can be key. It may involve a community group that meets in your area or you might find an online support group that meets your needs. 

Sleep Habits

The importance of maintaining a regular sleep schedule cannot be emphasized enough. When you get home or later in the day, maintain good sleep hygiene.

Turn off electronics at least an hour before you go to bed. Use dim light to read a book or engage in another relaxing activity. Only use your bed for sleep and sexual activity. Doing work in bed, or even in your bedroom, can cause you to associate your bed with stress, rather than relaxation. 

It will help you stay rested, regulate your mood and your mental state.

Eating Habits

Improving your diet could be key to reducing your symptoms. Research continues to find clear links between diet and mental health. In fact, there have been many studies that have shown improving nutrition can prevent and treat mental illness.

There are many brain-essential nutrients that can affect depression. For example, a 2012 study found that zinc deficiency increases symptoms of depression. All of the above will keep your energy levels up. Avoid these foods if you’re depressed.

But before you make any major changes to your diet or begin taking vitamins or supplements, talk with your physician. 

Exercise Habits

Physical activity has been shown to be associated with decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety. Physical activity has been consistently shown to be associated with improved physical health, life satisfaction, cognitive functioning, and psychological well-being. Conversely, physical inactivity appears to be associated with the development of psychological disorders. 

The HUNT (2018) cohort study of 33,908 adults, followed over 11 years, found that physical exercise actually has a protective function when it comes to mental health. The study found that even minimal amounts of physical activity—as little as one hour per week—could prevent 12 percent of future cases of depression. 

In times of severe depression, exercise can be quite a difficult thing to even imagine. Using it as a protective factor can be extremely beneficial. Until able to get into a regular habit, use other coping resources.

Reduce Stress

When you’re under stress, your body produces more of a hormone called cortisol. In the short-term, this is a good thing because it helps you gear up to cope with whatever is causing the stress in your life. That fight, flight, freeze response we all get.

Over the long run, however, it can cause many problems for you, including depression. The more you use techniques to reduce stress, the better because it will reduce your risk of becoming depressed.

Reducing stress is one of the biggest topics related to work and depression. If work is part of the reason that your depression has become more severe, it is important to look at what specifically is the cause. If able, delegate tasks and ask for assistance or more time on projects.

Mindfulness is a great way to reduce stress in the long run and in severe moments. Companies such as Headspace have phone applications, television series on Netflix, and other avenues to get access to long-term mindfulness strategies, as well as SOS moments.

Wellness Toolkit

Do you have any fun objects, pictures, or songs that you always turn to when you are feeling down? Do you ever try this at work? A wellness toolbox is a set of tools that you can use to help soothe yourself when you are feeling down.

Think of things you like to do when you’re happy. Cuddling your pet, listening to your favorite music, taking a warm bath, or reading a good book are just a few options. For a work friendly toolkit, have a playlist that relaxes you or a secret drawer of candy and stress relief toys (one of the stress relief dolls is always fun).

What brings you back to a balanced state within a very low mood or even can hold your attention (something that is near impossible with severe depression).

Create a list of the activities you might try when you’re feeling bad. Then, choose an activity to try when you’re having a particularly rough time. It may take some trial and error to figure out what works best for you.

Take a Break

Any task can be extremely difficult when dealing with the symptoms of depression. You deserve a break. Even if all you did was get out of bed. You expended a lot of energy that you don’t have. Breaks can be anything from a couple of minutes sitting still to an hour-long lunch and television show.

At work, do not go all day from one task to another. Take a break, leave the office, do anything besides think about work for just a moment. You will notice the difference in your stress levels.

Reward System

This idea is completely stolen from child behavioral psychology, but I promise you it works just as well with adults. You don’t want to get a simple task done at work, have been pushing off that big assignment, can’t get yourself to exercise? We have all been there.

Creating a reward system for yourself could be the key in getting out of a funk and starting that upward spiral. If you reply to 10 emails in your overflowing inbox, you get a fun-size snickers. If you go to the gym three out of seven days in the week, get yourself some ice cream or that new book you’ve been eyeing.

Find something positive that you want, that will contribute to your happiness. Then match it with something that you need or want to accomplish. The key with reward systems is to always start small and continuously increase the cost of the reward. If you asked yourself to complete all the emails before getting that snickers, it definitely would not be worth it.

Avoid Procrastination

Depression can make it difficult to complete seemingly simple household chores, such as doing the dishes or paying bills. But a pile of paperwork, ​the stack of dirty dishes, and the floor covered in dirty clothes will only magnify your feelings of worthlessness or helplessness.

Take control of your daily chores. Start small and work on one project at a time. Getting up and moving can help you start to feel better in itself. But, seeing your progress in the home can be key to helping you feel better. 

Applying this to work is quite the same, as mentioned in the previous section. Need to get a pile of paperwork done but feeling overwhelmed? Just do one. If after that you feel incapable, take a break and use your other resources, then try for a second one. Each task you accomplish, no matter how small, will lighten your load and increase your self-esteem.

Future Planning

When a person is depressed the only place he or she wants to be is in bed, preferably under the covers with the shades drawn. Lifting up the phone to hear a friendly voice, much less having plans outside the bare minimum (work, school, grocery store) feels way too difficult.

The internet makes it dangerously seductive to keep to oneself. Studies show that limiting social media to approximately 30 minutes a day decreases depression.

When feeling down, search for something to put on the calendar that makes you happy and excited. Studies have illustrated that people get an emotional lift when they contemplate a future fun ever, versus looking back at past pleasurable events. Book a trip, buy concert tickets, anything positive and future-oriented, just to give yourself something to look forward to. The point is: stop regularly telling yourself nothing beneficial will ever again happen—you’ve been there, seen that, done that.

Personalize your Space

My desk is a reflection of me and my pursuit to stay alive and functioning. If you have ever had the experience of sitting in a beige cubicle with nothing but the company of papers and your computer, you will understand the importance of this piece.

Personalizing your area reminds yourself not only of who you are but what is important to you. Brighten your desk with pictures of loved ones or a calendar showing future events. Have cliche inspirational sayings decorate your wall. Bring in flowers if that’s what you like. Or, as seen above, have an entire ball pit at your desk, whatever you need to make the smallest light of happiness.

Thought Change

Depression doesn’t just make you feel bad, it can cause you to think more negatively. The goal is to change these thoughts and thought patterns; however, this is much easier said than done. Once in a depressive state, everything that goes through your mind becomes fact and you become a master at winning every argument for the negative.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy that works to alter common patterns of negative thinking called cognitive distortions in order to eliminate depression. There are also many self-help books, apps, and online courses that can help you learn about your unhealthy thinking patterns. The best way to learn how to control these thought patterns is with the help of a certified professional.

Take Time Off

When you’re too depressed to work, you may get to a point where your deep depression is bad enough that your mental health professionals advise you to take some time off work..

If hiding your symptoms is proving difficult and coworkers are noticing a change in behavior, it’s appropriate to regroup. This might not mean you stop working altogether. You could work from home or take a week off while your medication is increased.

In the U.S., many employees qualify for the Family and Medical Leave Act, which guarantees your job will be protected for 12 (unpaid) weeks if you are absent for a medical reason. Being unpaid for a period of time can be a significant financial burden, but if your work is suffering to the degree that you can’t perform your responsibilities, it’s a better option to take the time to get well than to lose your job.

If leave is needed, be sure to talk to your HR department. Remember they hired you for a reason and value your contributions, you are not being a burden by asking for help or taking time off. It’s their job to help employees when health issues pop up, and the Americans with Disabilities Act has laws in place to protect people with mental illness.

Risk Management

The above topics are extremely useful for mild to moderate depression. Some may be used to alleviate symptoms of severe depression; however, it is important to always remember the risks involved with depression. If you feel you are developing a more severe episode, reach out to a professional and your support network.

The Suicide Prevention Lifeline has a website and can be reached 24/7 at 800-273-8255, should you need it.

Resources

• NIMH » Depression (nih.gov)
• NAMI Peer-to-Peer | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
• Managing Stress | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
• NAMI Connection | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
• The 8 Best Mindfulness Books of 2021 (verywellmind.com)
• What to Do When You Have No Motivation (verywellmind.com)
• Rock Climbing: Up and Coming Therapeutic Activity?! – The Beguiled Child
• Animals with Therapeutic Intent – The Beguiled Child
• Family and Medical Leave Act | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)

Harvey, S. B., Øverland S., et al. “Exercise and the prevention of depression: Results of the HUNT cohort study.” American Journal of Psychiatry 175. 1 (2018): 28-36.