Chronic Depression - Is Psychiatric Help Necessary?

We bring our whole selves into the workplace - the good, the
bad, the depressed. If a bout of the "blues" just won't go
away, it may be a case of chronic or clinical depression,
and it may be time to consider help. Psychiatric treatment
is usually advised because the disorder often responds well
to medication, or even more alarming, it can be a symptom of
another medical problem altogether.

Depression is one of the most common mood disorders in the
U.S., with about 17 million people affected at any given
moment. However, it is wise to not dismiss it as the mental
health equivalent to the common cold. With early diagnosis
and treatment, more than 80 percent of those with this
problem can be helped. If ignored or pushed aside in the
rush of business, however, it can become chronic and much
harder to treat.

Symptoms of depression on the job are:

* Decreased productivity due to problems with concentration,
sleep disturbances and irritability

* Increased absenteeism

* More accidents

* Lots of talking about being tired, or aches and pains

* Alcohol and drug abuse

* Outbursts

* Lack of cooperation

There are as many shades of depression as there are
individual patients. Some will only experience one bout of
extreme sadness due to a major life event, such as a death
or divorce; others will experience recurrences. Identifying
the cause will help determine the treatment. Sometimes
lifestyle changes, such as proper nutrition and exercise,
will help. If not, consulting a psychologist or psychiatrist
is the way to go.

Both practitioners can guide you through talk therapy, which
can help surface the underlying reasons for your state of
mind. However, since a psychiatrist is also an M.D., he or
she will also be able to prescribe medications. They can
also determine if there are any underlying physical issues,
such as thyroid disease, which can also contribute to the
problem.

Depression is being viewed currently as a disorder that can
sometimes include bipolar disorder. Sometimes referred to as
manic depression, this involves severe mood swings between
mania (which shows itself with outbursts of extreme
elation), irritability, excessive chatter, racing thoughts
and distraction (resembling an engine stuck in very high
idle). While this type of behavior can be a problem on the
job, there is medication that can help with the wild mood
swings. Psychiatric treatment of depression can be a potent
tool for identifying this and other depressive variants.

Supervisors are being trained to recognize the symptoms and
advise their employees to seek help, often through Employee
Assistance Programs (EAP). After all, depression costs
employers around $51 billion a year. The cost of leaving it
untreated can be just as devastating to your career.

About the Author:

Stephen Daniels is an acclaimed http://netbiz.com researcher.
If you or someone you know seeks psychiatric treatment for
depression in New York, he recommends experienced
psychiatrist Vatsal Thakkar, M.D., of
http://www.solsticenyc.com . His expertise includes mood and
anxiety disorders in adults.