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If you feel depressed when working, you are not alone. Learn why work can make depressive symptoms harder, how to recognise the signs and where to find support.

If you feel depressed when working, you’re not alone. Sadness, anxiety, loss of motivation, difficulty concentrating, unexplained bouts of crying and boredom are just some of the things you may notice if you are experiencing depressive symptoms at work.

In the United States, depression affects more than 17 million adults each year. Data from Mental Health America’s State of Mental Health in America 2021 report showed that the number of people seeking help for depression rose considerably from 2019 to 2020. There was a 62 percent increase in people who completed the organisation’s online depression screen, and 8 in 10 of them screened positive for symptoms of moderate to severe depression.

Full-time employees spend an average of 8.5 hours per day working on weekdays and 5.5 hours working on weekends and holidays, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. With so much time spent at work, it is not surprising that many people notice symptoms of depression while on the job. Read on to learn why work might contribute to depressive symptoms, how to recognise the signs and where to look for support.

What is work depression?

A job may not cause depression on its own, but the work environment can make symptoms worse for people who already live with depression.

“Any workplace or job can be a potential cause or a contributing factor for depression depending on the level of stress and available support at the workplace,” said Rashmi Parmar, MD, a psychiatrist at Community Psychiatry.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a negative working environment can lead to:

• mental and physical health concerns
• absenteeism
• lost productivity
• increased substance use

Mental Health America reports that depression ranks among the top three problems in the workplace for employee assistance professionals.

As with any other health condition, Parmar says, awareness and early recognition matter.

“Depression is a complex condition with a varied manifestation of thoughts, feelings, and behavior that can affect anyone and everyone, and a variety of work and non-work-related factors might be at play when we consider someone struggling with workplace depression,” she explained.

What are the signs of work depression?

The signs of depression at work are similar to general depressive symptoms, although some may look more specific to a workplace setting. Parmar notes that this kind of depression can affect how well you function in your job as well as at home.

Some of the more common signs of work depression include:

• increased anxiety, especially when managing stressful situations or thinking about work when you are away from your job
• overall feelings of boredom and complacency about your job
• low energy and lack of motivation to do things, which can sometimes show up as boredom with tasks
• persistent or prolonged feelings of sadness or low mood
• loss of interest in tasks at work, especially duties you previously found interesting and fulfilling
• feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness or overwhelming guilt
• difficulty concentrating or paying attention to work tasks, and trouble retaining or remembering things, especially new information
• making more errors than usual in daily work tasks
• an increase or decrease in weight or appetite
• physical complaints such as headaches, fatigue and an upset stomach
• more absences, or arriving late and leaving early
• difficulty making decisions
• irritability, increased anger and low tolerance for frustration
• crying spells or tearfulness at work, with or without an obvious trigger
• trouble sleeping or sleeping too much, such as napping during regular work hours
• using alcohol or other substances to cope

If you are good at masking or internalising them, these signs might not be visible to your co-workers. But there are some signs they may be more likely to notice.

According to Parmar, common signs that others may notice include:

• withdrawal or isolation from other people
• poor self-care or a significant change in appearance
• arriving late, missing meetings or taking days off
• procrastination, missed deadlines, reduced productivity, more errors or difficulty making decisions
• seeming indifferent, forgetful, detached or uninterested in things
• appearing tired for most or part of the day
• irritability, anger, feeling overwhelmed or becoming very emotional during conversations, including sudden tearfulness over small things
• a lack of confidence when attempting tasks

Where to find support

If you recognise several of these signs in yourself and they persist or are affecting your work or home life, make an appointment with your GP. A GP can talk through what is happening, discuss your options and, where appropriate, refer you to a psychologist or another mental health professional. If you ever feel unsafe or have thoughts of harming yourself, call 000 or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 straight away.