There are countless people all over the world who suffer from depression. In the past, there was a stigma that surrounded depression, causing many people to struggle to find the help they needed. Now, depression is treated with much more compassion, providing individuals with access to the resources they need to place themselves in a position to recover. If you are suffering from depression that is interfering with your ability to work, what should you do next? There are a few key points that you should keep in mind.
Seek Professional Care As Quickly As Possible
According to this law site, “Depression is a very complex mood disorder which can cause persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest in day to day life, and can impair a person’s performance at work, at school or within their social relationships. Major depression and clinical depression are one and the same. For some, this mental state is so debilitating they have difficulty carrying out day-to-day activities.”
One of the major challenges of treating depression is that this can look different to different people. No two people are the same when it comes to depression; however, depression does create a number of similar symptoms. Some of the most common symptoms of depression include:
- Individuals who suffer from depression will often have changes in their eating habits, ranging from eating all the time and not eating at all
- Those who suffer from depression will develop changes in their sleeping patterns as well, ranging from sleeping more often to sleeping not at all
- Many people who suffer from depression develop feelings of guilt surrounding situations that are not their fault
- Those who suffer from depression will also suffer from a loss of enjoyment and activities that used to bring them pleasure or joy
- Depression will cause people to suffer from emotional lability, ranging from anger to sadness in the blink of an eye
- People who suffer from depression may also develop thoughts about hurting themselves
The symptoms of depression can worsen quickly. Therefore, everyone has to seek medical care as quickly as possible. It is a good idea to visit with a primary care doctor first. Then, he or she can refer individuals suffering from depression to a clinical specialist.
Work with Your Employer To Develop a Strong Plan
If you have been diagnosed with depression, then you need to work with your employer so that you can develop a plan that will allow you to seek medical care while also maintaining gainful employment. For example, you may want to switch your hours so that you can attend your appointments on a regular basis. In some situations, it might even be better for you to try to work from home. Employers should be understanding and should be willing to develop a plan that will allow you to place your mental health first.
Reach Out to a Trained Professional for Help
If you are suffering from symptoms of depression, then the first thing that you should do is reach out to a trained medical professional. If you feel like you are going to hurt yourself, then you need to go to the Emergency Room immediately. Then, make sure that you reach out to a trained legal professional as well. You need to make sure that you have the financial support that you need to seek the medical care that you deserve. Remember that you do not have to go through depression alone. There are trained professionals willing to help you.