The Depressed Employee

Recognizing the Various Symptoms of Depression
1. Sadness: "Feeling gloomy, terribly blue, down in the dumps."
2. Sleep difficulties:
a. (Early morning 4 or 5 a.m.) awakening and inability to fall back asleep.
b. Sleeping during the day.
c. Fitful sleep, awakening and not feeling rested.
d. Difficulty falling asleep due to ruminative and anxiety-provoking thoughts.
3. Poor appetite, or an aversion to food.
a. Depressed individuals may lose significant amounts of weight rapidly.
b. Rapid weight gain or compulsive over-eating may also characterize a depressed mood.
4. Loss of interest in the surroundings and loss of pleasure drive. Employees may report that hobbies or social activities no longer interest them.
5. Loss of sexual desire.
6. You may notice self-neglect in an employee; poor grooming; loss of interest in appearance; disregard for social deportment
7. Loss of self-confidence as characterized by withdrawal, expression of self-doubt, lack of initiative and productivity.
8. Loss of self-esteem; expressions of feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness and helplessness.
9. Preoccupation with body functions with frequent complaints of vague aches and pains; headache, backache, heartburn, nausea, sweating, lethargy, weakness, heart palpitations, trouble with drawing breath, constipation or diarrhea.
10. Loss of concentration, either real or imagined.
11. Minor loss of memory, either real or imagined.
12. Inability to make decisions or use willpower, minor decisions become overwhelming.
13. Poor judgment, particularly when assessing themselves or their abilities.
14. Agitation may be present, jumpiness or nervousness, the ability to organize thoughts may be impaired.
15. Crying and fearfulness, or in some cases a desire to cry, but an inability to do so.
16. Anticipatory anxiety; increased sense of worry or impending doom.
17. Fear of being alone, or fear of going places alone.
18. Fear of death, or preoccupation with themes of death and dying.
19. Rising tension with loss of hope; a warning sign; characterized by restlessness, irritability, negativism, desire to be left alone, expressions such as "I can't take this pain any longer," "Why don't you all just give up on me?", "Life isn't worth it"
20. Expression of suicidal intent: ANY EXPRESSION OF SUICIDAL INTENT IS T0 BE TREATED WITH UTMOST URGENCY AND SERIOUSNESS.


Submitted by CorpCare Associates