Unemployment & Depression: How Job Stress Affects Mental Health

There are employers out there that pride themselves on fostering a collaborative, supportive workplace where employees like you can thrive. Even though so many people say depression interferes with work performance, few disclose it to their employer.

You can read reviews of some of our counselors below, from people experiencing similar issues. At FHE Health, our experts often advise people who are struggling with job-related depression or other mental health symptoms that may be affecting their work performance. Our counselors can provide treatment-related advice for working professionals who know they need treatment but aren’t sure how to access it in a full-time job. We also regularly educate individuals about their job-protected rights to seek depression treatment and we help them advocate for these rights with their employer. If you’re struggling with depression but are afraid to tell your employer, we can help. Specifically, we found that for every 1-point increase in patients’ PHQ-9 scores, they experienced an additional mean productivity loss of 1.65%.

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At the end of each day, you can feel satisfied that you completed what you set out to accomplish. In these difficult times, it’s especially important to have coping strategies and smart, manageable goals as you work toward your professional objectives, which is why I’ve gathered some key strategies for you here. It could be your family, friends, your therapist, or anyone else you consider a support system. Identify the people in your life who you can speak to, and try to speak to them. You could also try the anonymous helpline numbers available below if you need to speak to someone urgently but cannot figure out who. You need to realize that who you are is more than just what job you do. Remember that your personality is made up of a variety of different experiences, ideas, interests, perspectives and not just defined solely by your resume.

Reach out to co-workers and make a concerted effort to be engaged, rather than closing yourself off. If you need to take a mental health day here or there, you can use a sick day or paid time off without providing a detailed explanation about your reason. But experiencing depression at work isn’t exactly remarkable, right? There’s a definite difference between regular ol’ workplace stress—a big presentation, a client’s disapproval, a heavy workload—and actual depression.

Recognize job search burnout

Ahead, everything you need to know about taking mental health days off from your job. 2022 survey, 63% of workers reported taking at least one day off for mental health needs in the last year — and 78% of participants said their work performance improved after they came back from the day off. This oversight can be detrimental to both employers and employees, alike. In fact, everyone stands to benefit from workplaces that recognize mental health as a priority and take concrete measures to support everyone’s mental health. Unemployment, job retention, and productivity loss among employees with depression.

Returning to the idea of self-compassion, recognize that you’ll have good days and bad days, and that you may have varying capacity for certain kinds of tasks depression and job search from one day to the next. For example, on good days you might focus on networking and building connections, and on other days you may not feel up to that.

Looking for Jobs For People Experiencing Depression? Here Are 15 Options

If you’ve been searching for your dream job to no avail, you may be feeling anxiety, pessimism, and depression slowly creeping in. Some people struggling with mental illness are finding relief through creativity. Have a voice in conversations about how to address potential sources of workplace stress. That means allowing workers to have real decision-making power in building a workplace that’s safe, supportive and conducive to everyone’s productivity and well-being. Thrive in their job than someone suffering from a diagnosed mental illness or other, acute mental health challenges — challenges that are, unfortunately, all too common.

Talking about your feelings, frustrations, and ideas can be a great way to process them and help you regain a sense of control. A positive mindset helps you embrace your imperfections despite your job hunting depression. Embracing your flaws can lead to feelings of personal satisfaction and success, rather than feelings of failure if you don’t achieve something perfectly.

Bounce back stronger: 12 practical steps after losing your job

The job market is always competitive, but the global coronavirus pandemic has made finding jobs even more difficult for some people. We will feel the economic impact of COVID-19 for years to come. You might not feel like you’ll be in a position to have options to decline an offer that isn’t the perfect fit for you.

• Consider a type of job that lets you put one of your hobbies or personal interests to work.
• It’s up to you define yourself, not the state of the economy or a company’s decision to lay you off.
• Either way, try to recharge and refocus on what matters to you.
• The data come from the Intern Health Study, based at the Michigan Neuroscience Institute and the Eisenberg Family Depression Center.
• Even if an employer allows employees to take time off for mental health, along with physical health reasons, you may still feel uncomfortable requesting time to care for your brain.
• Join relevant professional groups on LinkedIn or Facebook.