Depression doesn’t have to ruin your career, but you do need a plan (Holistic Hustle)

Kharissa Parker is a news producer, writer, certified health coach, and “Holistic Hustle” columnist for Startland News. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. For more of her self-care tips on how to keep your cup full, visit kparker.co.

Businesses have become much more health conscious over recent years. From step challenges to remote office options, it seems that employers are finally starting to genuinely appreciate the pertinence of self-care and how it benefits the company as a whole.

As we strive toward creating healthy habits that cater to both our personal and professional success, it goes without saying that not every day will be all smiles. Seasons of depression, stress, anxiety, and burnout are inevitable. While these struggles sometimes overlap, just because you’re experiencing one doesn’t mean you’ll experience the others.

Getting over the hump starts with understanding the difference between — and recognizing the signs of — depression, stress, anxiety, and burnout; then learning how experts recommend managing them.

When I first addressed the topic of depression, it was from the stance of entrepreneurship and how people building their own brands and businesses were impacted by the disease. This time, we’ll look at it from more of a 9-to-5 perspective.

What depression at work looks like

According to Mental Health America, depression is among the top three issues in the workplace. Three percent of short-term disability days are due to depression and 76 percent of those cases involve women. Healthline identifies some key indicators of workplace depression as:

• feeling bored, detached, or complacent about your job
• consistently calling in, getting to work late or leaving early
• inability to pay attention to tasks or retain new information
• procrastinating, missing deadlines, or making more mistakes
• decline in appearance
• crying randomly or for seemingly no reason

Managing workplace depression 

Step 1: Acknowledge it

A lot of times, people don’t want to admit they’re depressed because they’re ashamed and fear being seen as weak or incapable. That mindset, however, means that you subconsciously associate depression with your identity when in reality it’s just a condition. Depression shouldn’t be undermined or shrugged off as no big deal, but you definitely don’t have to give it authority over your life or career endeavors.

That’s why I believe the first step to overcoming depression is to acknowledge that it exists and put it in its proper place for what it is. Saying, “I’m going through a season of depression right now,” is much more freeing than trying to power through as if it’s not there.

Step 2: Have the conversation

Once you’ve acknowledged the depression, you can move on to the next step: having a conversation with your immediate supervisor, HR, or another appropriate party. Because depression impacts how you show up and perform at work, it’s only a matter of time before people start noticing.

Thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act, talking to the right person can actually protect you from being discriminated against for suffering depression.

Another law that protects you at work when battling depression is the Family and Medical Leave Act. This law was set in 1993 and says you can get up to 12 weeks off while healing from depression. There is a set of criteria and limitations and rather or not your job pays you while you’re away is up to them, but having the conversation holds your employer accountable and also allows them to provide you with whatever resources they have.

Step 3: Take action

Don’t be surprised if the first couple of steps bring some feeling of relief, but the work isn’t done. Now is the time to devise a plan and take action. Based on the realizations you’ve made and information gathered, decide the best course of action.

Talking to a doctor or mental health professional can be beneficial in helping you figure out which steps to take. An expert or team of experts can help you decide if you should be prescribed medication, have regular counseling sessions, should move to a different position, switch hours, or just need some time off.

Whichever route you choose, you don’t have to come up with the plan alone. Utilize the means available so a true journey of healing can begin.

Fueled by her expertise as a news producer, writer, and certified health coach, Kharissa Parker is passionate about helping entrepreneurs in Kansas City achieve their goals without sacrificing self-care. Check out her brand, The KP Method, and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.