If you have experienced depression, you are not alone. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health reports that as many as 20% of Americans have symptoms of depression during their lifetimes.
While depression often interferes with everyday life, it can also make working virtually impossible.
Clinical depression
Everyone experiences depression differently, with its symptoms stretching from minor to severe. Clinical depression, also called major depressive disorder, is a severe type of depression. If you have some of the following symptoms, you may have the condition:
- Periods of sadness, anxiety, emptiness or loss of direction
- Little interest in activities others enjoy
- Anger, frustration or irritability
- Fatigue, insomnia, too much sleep or restlessness
- Thoughts of self-harm
While these and other symptoms may reveal possible clinical depression, the condition is impossible to self-diagnose. When you see a psychologist, psychiatrist or other mental health professional, he or she may use a variety of techniques to determine if you have clinical depression or another type of mental illness.
Work limitations
If you have clinical depression, there is a good chance you may struggle to perform your normal job duties. How your depression affects your work, though, likely depends on the symptoms you are experiencing.
For example, if your depression impairs your focus or mental concentration, you may not be able to stay on task. You may also struggle to learn new job duties, meet deadlines or interact with your colleagues.
If you are having difficulty with work, you may want to record your limitations in a journal. This journal may be exceedingly helpful in seeking treatment or Social Security Disability Insurance benefits for your clinical depression.
