 Depression
Understanding the Problem
At certain times in our lives we all experience sadness, low energy
and bouts of negativity brought on by difficult events such as the
death of a loved one,
divorce, loss of employment, or physical illness. It's normal to
feel distress during these challenging periods. If left unresolved,
our personal grief and unhappiness can grow. The sadness can become
constant, all pervasive, and begin to take over more and more of
our lives. People in therapy have described the depression as: "a
wave of spreading grayness;" "a cloud that suddenly settles and
won't pass;" "a pit of grief."
Left untreated, depression can be incapacitating. Worse, it can
lead to suicide. Within five years of experiencing a major depression,
an estimated:
Research is not clear whether the cause of depression is
biological or environmental or a combination of both factors. What
is clear, however, is that depression is a social problem affecting
all areas of life including the workplace. Depression is responsible
for decreased productivity and absenteeism, morale problems and
even alcohol and drug misuse, because people will try to self medicate
in an attempt to free themselves of depression.
An estimated $44 billion in potential profits is lost each year
due to depression. Ironically, it is often the very structures of
the work environment, such as low pay, lack of employee self worth,
unemployment, down-sizing, and disempowerment that help feelings
of depression thrive.
Unfortunately, the very nature of depression -- feelings of hopelessness,
negativity, worthlessness, and exhaustion -- can interfere with
a person's ability and willingness to get treatment. Additionally,
the use of medication -- society's catch-all cure for depression
-- is simply not enough.
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