We all go through ups and downs at work, but if tough days are becoming your new normal, you may be experiencing what 280 million people around the world are experiencing: depression.
Depression is a mental health condition that can manifest itself as obvious sadness and exhaustion, but many times, it can also show up in ways you don’t expect.
Symptoms of depression at work can creep up on you, and people can often be hard on themselves rather than recognizing them for what they are. Persistent feelings of hopelessness, decreased enjoyment of activities, weight loss or gain, sleep disturbances, fatigue, feeling worthless, or difficulty concentrating are all symptoms of depression that may affect the pace of your life.
To help you understand the difference between a bad day and symptoms of depression, here are some work habits that are often signs of depression. See if these work behaviors resonate:
1. You are working harder than ever to avoid going home.
Depression varies from person to person. Some co-workers may never guess that you are dealing with depression because you remain a hard-working, reliable employee.
Depression may appear to be more active in successful professionals who earn a living from their accomplishments and receive recognition from their work.
Consider an example of an employee going through a divorce or caring for a sick family member.
You might meet someone who works longer hours than usual, might raise your hand to go on a long business trip, or might want to be the one to solve a challenging case or problem. Recognition and validation at work often feels better than having to face the possibility that a marriage may be ending or a family member may be ending their life.
2. You were once a social butterfly but now you avoid co-workers.
How you interact with your coworkers at work can help you understand whether you’re dealing with a bad day or a deeper issue. Being alienated from colleagues and isolating yourself are two common symptoms of depression.
This may look like someone who was previously an active participant in meetings now becomes quieter, sits in the back of the room, or even skips meetings altogether. Maybe employees no longer participate in offsite or after-get off work happy hours.He or she may find ways to avoid interactions with coworkers or managers. Staff may send calls to voicemail or be slow to respond to emails, or not respond at all.
In extreme cases, people who exhibit these behaviors may get into trouble at work and be at risk of losing their jobs, which can also lead to a vicious cycle of shame and guilt.
3. You are continuously missing deadlines and meetings.
If it becomes difficult to turn in homework on time or even go to work every day, this may also be a symptom of depression.
I know a guy who loves his job, is actively involved in his projects, and has a lot of connections with his colleagues. As he became depressed, he started sleeping when his alarm went off and was late for work. He fell behind on deadlines, stopped going to lunch with colleagues, and was harshly critical of his own performance and that of his colleagues.
All of these changes were noticed by colleagues and bosses, who contacted him and encouraged him to seek help. Fortunately, he did, and within a few months he was feeling better by changing his diet and sleep hygiene, starting therapy, and getting prescribed antidepressants.
4. You are having angry outbursts at work.
Depression not only makes you feel low, it can also make you very irritable.
If every little annoyance keeps you bogged down at work, it might be a sign that the cause needs to be investigated more deeply. People with depression display overt or suppressed symptoms of anger and may make coworkers the target of their anger.
At work, you may find that you get easily annoyed by everyone and everything. You have no confidence in your colleagues, your customers, or even your inbox.
5. You lose motivation or interest in the work you used to enjoy.
There’s a difference between a one-time boring task and a worrying pattern of apathy. Notice how your feelings about a job you used to be satisfied with change.
You may find yourself just staring at the screen, pretending to be busy, or doing nothing but taking care of the big stuff. Depression can cause you to lose interest and may make you think ‘I just don’t care’ about your job.