Please verify your email address to receive email notifications.

Enter your email address

We have sent you a verification email. Please check your inbox and spam folder.

Unable to send verification, please refresh and try again later.

  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How do I deal with depression at work?

    Related Topics
    Depression Mental Health
    I struggle knowing if I should be honest about my depression with colleges at work. I have told my direct boss. What should I say to the people I work with?
    answer this question

  • Find a professional to answer your question

  • Karen Amos

    Counsellor, Personal Trainer

    Walk and Talk is just what you need to begin living a life that you love. I'm Karen Amos and at Walk and Talk Australia … View Profile

    Hi there,

    Something tells me in your question that you would like to be honest with some of your work colleagues but are unsure of the reaction you might face.  Trying to pre-empt reactions of others is like trying to read a story that hasn't been written - you just make it up and try to assume and guess what they might say.  

    What you really want to know is “if I do tell them and they react badly, how will I deal with that?”.
    Well, there is always that possibility. And it is something you can think about (a lot!), but you won't know unless you carefully choose trustworthy people and test out your honesty, like you have with your boss.

    What I think counts the most, is how you see yourself dealing with depression.  That will be the impression that is left with your colleagues.  If you are handling depression with support, then your colleagues may relate to you from their own experience, or learn from you that you can be honest at work, and live without fear of people's impression of depression. 

    Part of being honest about depression is helping to dispel the myths that it is a disorder that you need to fear, be ashamed of or must be hidden.  Believing these ideas compounds the misconceptions within our communities, so your honesty is the beginning of change in your community - you champion!

    Find me at Walk and Talk Australia to continue the conversation.

    Karen

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report
    Reply to this post

    You must be a Health Professional to reply to this post. to your account or now (it's free).

answer this question

You must be a Health Professional to answer this question. Log in or Sign up .

You may also like these related questions

Related Fact Sheets
Related Questions
Community Contributor

Empowering Australians to make better health choices