Job

Irene Oestrich, psychologist

If you are suffering from depression, your relationship with your colleagues may be seriously affected. This is not your fault. After all, the fact that you are suffering from depression is not your fault. However, unfortunately depression can also affect your work. It can undermine your ability to do your job.

Depression can affect both your relationship with your colleagues and your ability to work. There is a tendency to put people who are suffering with depression on long-term sick leave, but many people benefit from staying at work, possibly on a part-time basis. This also makes it easier to get back up to speed again once you have recovered fully.

Depression can harm or destroy personal relationships. Perhaps you are thinking that it will only affect those closest to you, but this is not the case. Your colleagues can react strongly to your symptoms, and they can make you worse if they are unable to understand or accept your condition while you are depressed.

Fortunately, most employers are considerate when their employees become ill. You are allowed to take days off work. If you are off work for some time, there will often be a clear procedure, and this also applies to mental illnesses. Unfortunately, actual practice often differs from this procedure, and it is better if you can talk to your boss about the problems. You do not have to tell them about your depression or treatment, but this is the best solution for many people.

If you are lucky, people will understand your illness in the right way. People who depend on you doing your job will be patient and understanding. But when you talk about your depression or treatment, you can unfortunately also risk people withdrawing from you or not understanding things correctly.