Here are some tips that may help:

Take a break. Whether it’s 10 minutes away from your desk or escaping outdoors during your lunch break, it’s important to take time for yourself during the workday.
Take deep breaths. Incorporating
deep breathing exercises into your day may help alleviate symptoms.
Laugh! Watching a funny video or chatting with a
coworker you like can help take your mind off things.
Say no. Limit your stress levels by allowing yourself to
say no if you’re getting overloaded and overwhelmed.

Keep reading to learn more about depression and
get resources that can help.

What is depression?

1 in 4 Canadians experiences
depression serious

enough to need treatment during their lifetime. So if

you’re one of the people suffering,
you are not alone.

Depression (major depressive disorder) is
a common and serious medical illness
that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.
Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities that you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety
of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to
function at work and at home.

Symptoms can vary from mild
to severe and can include:

Feeling sad or having
a depressed mood

Loss of interest or pleasure
in activities once enjoyed

Changes in appetite – weight loss
or gain unrelated to dieting

Trouble sleeping or
sleeping too much

Loss of energy or
increased fatigue

Increase in purposeless
physical activity (e.g.,
hand-wringing or pacing)
or slowed movements and
speech (actions observable
by others)

Feeling worthless
or guilty

Difficulty thinking, concentrating
or making decisions

Thoughts of death
or suicide

Symptoms must last at least two weeks
for a diagnosis of depression.

Risk factors for depression

Several factors can play a role in depression:

Biochemistry:

Differences in certain chemicals in the brain may contribute to symptoms
of depression.

Genetics:

Depression can run in families.
For example, if
one identical twin

has depression, the
other has a 70 percent
chance of having the
illness sometime
in life.

Personality:

People with low self-
esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress,
or who are generally
pessimistic appear to be more likely to experience depression.

Environmental factors:

Continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make some people more vulnerable to depression.

Depression can affect anyone – even a person who

appears
to live in relatively ideal circumstances.

Recognizing anxiety symptoms associated with MDD

Depression is often accompanied by anxiety symptoms, and symptoms of anxiety may be assessed as part of a diagnosis of depression.

Up to 90% of depressed patients experience anxiety symptoms

Determining
the severity

of anxiety
symptoms
associated
with MDD

To help recognize and rate
the severity of anxiety
symptoms associated with
MDD, we use the term “with
anxious distress”.

Anxious distress is defined as the presence of at least two of the following
symptoms during the majority of days of a major depressive episode:

Keyed up
or tense

Unusually
restless

Difficulty concentrating because of worry

Fear that something awful may happen

Afraid of
losing control

Mild
anxiety

2 symptoms

Moderate
anxiety

3 symptoms

Moderate-severe
anxiety

4-5 symptoms

Severe anxiety

4-5 symptoms
with
motor agitation

If you feel that you are experiencing anxiety along
with your depression, speak to your doctor.

Presenteeism

Reduced productivity at work due to MDD is known as presenteeism. Is your MDD affecting your performance at work? If so, you are not alone.

With employed Canadians spending over 60% of their waking hours on the job, the workplace can play a significant role in
psychological health.

Canadians with depression report that they function at 62% of capacity at work.

Every week,
500,000+ Canadians miss
work due to mental illness.

70% of Canadians with depression have had to leave their work for short-term disability, long-term disability or permanently.

78% of Canadians are concerned they’ll lose their job because of their depression.

Take a moment to step back and examine
the environment and conditions you work in.
With favourable work conditions, your job can actually have a positive impact on your social, psychological and physical health and well-being.

You may have noticed the following challenges at work:

Reduced concentration
Inability to pay attention
Forgetfulness
Inability to make decisions
Decreased ability to problem solve

Talk to your doctor if you find you are struggling.

Facts about depression

Both men and women suffer from depression.

Depression is common.

Depression is not just a temporary change in mood, a character
defect or a sign of weakness.

There are ways to monitor depression symptoms.

Depression affects many parts of your life, not just your mood.

It’s not something you can just “snap out of”.

Depression can be emotional, physical and cognitive.

Consult your doctor before making any adjustments to any medication.

There are several ways to treat depression – not just medication.

Tips that may help

Try to eat a healthy diet throughout the day.
Stay active! A good goal is half an hour of moderate exercise, three times a week.
A balanced lifestyle can help you take care of yourself. Don’t run yourself ragged!
Check out a yoga or meditation app.
Turn to your family and friends – they are there to help!
Isolation and inactivity can make depression worse, as well as alcohol or drug abuse.
Try to do something you enjoy at least

once per day.

Look out for number one (that’s you!)

By putting yourself first and focusing on managing your depression, you will be better equipping yourself to handle the obligations in your life.
It’s easy to let yourself get distracted, but so important to take care of yourself first, before taking care of others.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help from family or friends to help balance things while you focus on yourself.

Goal setting

Working toward specific goals can help you live the life you want while managing depression. You may start with setting one small goal to accomplish each day (e.g., writing down 3-5 things you’re grateful for in a journal or going to sleep an hour earlier than usual). Ask yourself, "What's one thing I can do today that helps me get closer to where I want to be?" Once you become more confident, you can work on accomplishing larger, more long-term goals. Think of the short-term goals you set as stepping-stones to your larger recovery goal.

To help you figure out what goals to set, think about:

What’s important to you?
What are your hopes and dreams?
What would you like to do more of?
What does being happy mean to you?
What is an area of life you would like to improve (e.g., relationships)?

Short-term goal ideas

Be out of bed by a certain time
Finish a household task
Call a support group
Spend some time with family or friends
Go for a walk in nature
Stick to a daily schedule

Long-term goal ideas

Improve or build a relationship with a friend or family member
Find a job that you enjoy
Earn a degree
Get involved in the community

Download this form to help keep track of your short- and long-term goals.

Download goal setting form

My symptom journal

Download this helpful journal to help keep track of your symptoms.

Download symptom journal

Online resources

Here are some helpful online resources you can access relating to depression at work.

National Alliance on Mental Illness. Living with depression: How to keep working.

https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/April-2017/Living-with-Depression-How-to-Keep-Working

Priory. Steps to take if you feel too depressed to work.

https://www.priorygroup.com/blog/steps-to-take-if-you-feel-too-depressed-to-work

Mental Health America. Depression in the workplace.

https://www.mhanational.org/depression-workplace

WebMD. What to know about depression and work.

https://www.webmd.com/depression/what-to-know-about-depression-and-work

Please note that Lundbeck is not responsible for the content and management of the websites mentioned above.

Looking for more information?

For more information about depression and its treatment, or to find help and resources, you can refer to the following websites:

MOOD DISORDERS SOCIETY OF CANADA

mdsc.ca/

CENTRE FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH

camh.ca/en/hospital/Pages/home.aspx

CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION

cmha.ca/document-category/mental-health

http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/factsheet/depression

MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION OF CANADA

mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/

GOVERNMENT OF QUEBEC

https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/mental-health-mental-illness/depression

Please note that Lundbeck is not responsible for the content and management of the websites mentioned above.

Learn to support loved ones who are struggling with their mental health

The Be There Certificate is a learning experience aimed at providing you with the knowledge, skills and confidence to safely support anyone who may be struggling with their mental health.

Be There Certificate

betherecertificate.org

Please note that Lundbeck is not responsible for the content and management of the website
mentioned above.

We hope you find this information helpful. Don’t hesitate to discuss any questions or concerns that you have about MDD and the impact of depression on your work life with your healthcare provider.

The impact of depression on work life