Managing Depression In The Workplace

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Date: 01/08/2011

If you discovered that a colleague or employee was depressed or had an anxiety disorder, would you know what to do? Therese Fitzpatrick of Beyondblue tells us how to provide support and offer the right advice.

If you balk at the thought of approaching a staff member or work colleague about a mental health issue, you're not alone. A recent survey, commissioned by depression awareness initiative beyondblue, found that only half of professional managers feel they have adequate skills and knowledge to manage depression or anxiety disorders. Beyondblue's Therese Fitzpatrick says that depression occurs across all age groups and all levels within an organisation and 17% of depression is related to workplace stress. She says 50% of people don't seek help as they believe there are no effective treatments. Therese says there's been a lot of research done into treatments for depression and anxiety disorders, and the key is early intervention. She runs through the signs and symptoms, how to approach someone, and she also explains the most common treatments.