Depression can affect just about everyone at any age, but most adults who are affected by depression in the workplace are between the ages of 24 and 44. Many will not realize they are depressed, many will know they are probably depressed but don’t get help and only a small percentage of the people who think they might be depressed actually get the help that they need. Sometimes it takes the encouragement of an acquaintance or friend in the workplace to get a depressed person to consult a counselor, because on their own the thought of counseling might not even cross their mind.

Many who are depressed and realize it worry about what others will think about them if they consult a counselor. Many individuals will avoid counseling because they don’t want to appear weak or crazy. Unfortunately, fighting those fears and consulting a counselor could go a long way to improving their mood, their outlook on life and their work performance. It doesn’t matter what job a person is in, the potential for depression is there. Each type of job has its own stresses and monotony that can push a person into depression. As a result, many workplaces will have access to counselors so that there is someone for the employees to go to if they need someone to talk to; however, few will go to the counselor on their own, partly due to the fears mentioned above.

How does one know if they or someone else is depressed? There are signs to watch out for, including irritability, lack of socializing, fatigue, lack of enthusiasm, accident prone, poor work performance, inability to concentrate, slow speech, lack of energy, tardiness, and decline of dependability. Most individuals who become depressed in the workplace will exhibit or experience two or more of these signs. Anyone experiencing or exhibiting these signs needs to consult a counselor as soon as possible. The sooner they are able to get help for their depression, the better chance they have of saving their career, doing better at their job and succeeding in their life in both the workplace and at home. Depression is not something that can be ignored. If an individual does not want to talk to a counselor in person, which is the case with many people, they can easily consult an online counselor. This can be done during a break at work or it can be done from the computer at home. Online counseling is just like in person counseling, it is just online. The online counselor will work with the person to find out what is making them depressed and then help them learn how to deal with whatever it is that is causing the depression. Getting the help they need will not only help them, it will also help improve things in the work environment. Their performance will improve, they will become more dependable and a better mood will help to improve the overall atmosphere of the workplace. It will not only greatly benefit the individual; it will also benefit everyone around them because depression affects everyone.