Mental Illness in the Workplace

Yesterday, Business Week came out with an interactive case study on revealing depression in the workplace. While depression and other mental illnesses are gaining more acceptance in society, it's still tricky to decide when it's appropriate to disclose your illness to your colleagues.

The study offers one woman's struggle with depression as a lesson to those seeking the freeing feeling of revealing your secrets to your superior and co-workers. She considers herself lucky to have been in the right place at the right time. With her depression at its worst, her boss calmly calls her to his office for a chat. He tells her that he knows something is going on with her and that she should get it checked out. He assures her that she will always have a job and to take as much time as needed. This moment acted as her catalyst to get help. But what about those of us who deal with the silent struggles of depression, anxiety, or stress? What if our bosses and colleagues haven't noticed a thing about our mental health?

Clinical depression is characterized by pervasive low mood, loss of interest in usual activities and a diminished ability to experience pleasure. While we've all probably felt this way at one time or another, it's sometimes revered as something we just need to get over. This perpetuates the stigma all sufferers fear, and makes it difficult to be confident in recovery. What those skeptics don't realize is according to MentalHealthAmerica.com, depression ranks among the top 3 workplace problems.

Besides depression, anxiety often affects people in the office profession. It's a natural reaction to stress, but it's sometimes more serious than we know and the condition is just as valid as depression or any other mental illness. According to Massachusets General Hospital, 13% of the American population, ages 18 to 54 have an anxiety disorder in a given year. It manifests through anxiety attacks where the person feels an inability to breathe and is often accompanied by disorientation and tunnel vision. This can be a result of enormous stress in the workplace as well as other outside factors. However, in some circles, it's still considered taboo. So how on Earth can you possibly tell your co-workers about something that you fear they will judge you for?

It's important to assess your work situation including those you work with in order to determine if revealing your secret is the right move. In an ideal situation, you've worked with a company long enough to have made friends or at least get a general idea of your colleagues personalities. Tell a co-worker that you trust first. Andrew Solomon, author of Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression, suggests that you will likely get a more positive response than you think. Your co-worker will probably relate to your experience and might even share his or her story. Solomon also touches on the importance of having open communication in the workplace. Keeping the illness a secret can further isolate the person dealing with depression.

What good could possibly come out of telling my boss I am depressed?

Telling your boss what's going on with you lets him or her know that you trust them. They will typically be more understanding to hear about it up front than to hear about it as an excuse for time off or a reason your work is suffering. It will open the lines of communication and facilitate a better understanding between the two of you.

The subject of the case study done by Business Week found that telling her boss and colleagues was both cathartic and necessary to being herself. She explains, "I realized I needed to talk about who I was, and having depression was part of who I was." Revealing your illness can also be very effective in creating a support system. The National Mental Health Association says that more than 19 million Americans are affected by depression. Such a statistic makes it likely that you will find a sympathetic friend in the office.

Because depression and anxiety are so common and very treatable, the Americans with Disabilities Act protects those suffering from mental illness from being discriminated against. While it's not always a sure bet that revealing your illness won't make people less confident in your ability, it's definitely illegal to professionally punish you. You'll have to use your intuition to guide you in doing what's best for you and your career.

I have definitely been treated for a bout of depression and anxiety in my life time. I've experienced anxiety attacks, rage, and feelings of hopelessness. All could be debilitating at times. At first, I was nervous to tell others because of a fear that someone might perceive me as weak. While I wouldn't call it a secret, I haven't exactly been forthcoming with the information. I would hope that my hard work and attitude would prove my ability and not leave a looming feeling of potential for breaking down. I've since gotten it under control. I'm not on medication but won't rule it out if I need to use it in the future.

We can't control another's reaction, but I believe we should give others the credit they deserve to believe they can accept it and likely relate. We should feel empowered by the idea that we have nothing to hide and have become stronger through our feats.

Have you or someone you know dealt with depression in the workplace? How do you handle it? How has your office handled it? Do you think it's a good idea to tell your place of employment?