Partial eclipse. How to Cope with Depression at Work

More than half of Russians want to change jobs in 2021. More precisely, they say that they would like to move to another position, but for some reason they do not. Let's find out why this happens and what to do if you do start an active search.

Why don't Russians change jobs?

Because it's scary. Because looking for a job is a responsible task. Because it's stressful.

You need to show your best qualities: the ability to focus and adapt, confidence and consistency, freedom from resentment and emotional stability. The higher the level of aspiration, the more effort must be expended.

Until now, more than half of Russians look for work through friends in order to somehow protect themselves from stress. So that it wouldn't be so scary. This helps, but not always: in 2021, the average Russian looked for a job for 6.5 months.

As a doctor, I can say that it is impossible to be actively searching for six months with the same intensity. The more actively you look for a job, the sooner your diligence ends and depression begins. Even Americans, who historically have been accustomed to changing jobs every 3-5 years, begin to feel depressed at twice the usual rate after six months of searching. Optimists become pessimists.

Very similar to the phenomenon of acquired helplessness. Logically, a person who cannot find a job for a long time should think this: “I was fired, I was denied 33 places. There's nothing I can do about it, and it's terrible, but it's not the whole world. This does not apply to everything that exists in the world.” And he draws a different conclusion: “I couldn’t do anything at my last job, I’ll never be able to.”

I often had to change jobs. I left and found a new one. Sometimes it’s easy, almost by accident. Sometimes changing activities was incredibly difficult. I turned to friends, read advice from consultants, and accepted jobs that were as exhausting as finding them. Then, many years later, I noticed that there is such a rule in life, at least in mine:

If looking for a job is a joy, then the job is a joy.

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Rate yourself

No matter how you look for a job, don't forget that updating your resume and networking shouldn't stop there. Remember to examine your own motives and condition. Stress (and job searching is stress) depletes norepinephrine stores but increases tyrosine hydroxylase activity. Because of this, we begin to sleep worse, get fat faster and constantly feel tense, as if we are ready to defend ourselves.

At home, we will not be able to track biochemical processes, but we are able to notice changes in our well-being.

If thoughts about work become dominant and you devote your whole day to them, this is a signal that something is wrong. Sleep disturbance is the second bell. A more obvious craving for alcohol than usual is the third call.

If you notice mood swings, anxiety, or excessive sensitivity, it’s time to act. When you start exploding like a “bomb” at the slightest provocation, slow down! There is a danger that you are depressed, and depression is a bad tool for finding a job.

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Fatal day

I remember very well the day I was fired. I even shed a stingy man’s tear and had no idea what to do next. However, the pity was not for myself. I needed to take care of my family, and there was no place to get money from. Walking farther and farther from my former office building, I had no idea what would happen next.

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The acute feeling of powerlessness changed my entire future life. Many of the lessons that were subsequently learned would never have arisen in that former, comfortable life of an office clerk. I was thrown into the mud and had to climb out on my own.

How to avoid depression while looking for a job

Simple, even banal things that we are told about in childhood help to avoid apathy. As doctors say, “rare diseases are rare, common diseases are common and are treated the same.” Finding a job is a common story.

1. Increase your physical activity. Swimming pool, jogging - any activity will do. It would be good to exercise in the morning.
2. Take a break. It’s good if you have a hobby that will help you temporarily abstract from your job search. For example, start learning foreign languages ​​or programming. When the brain is focused on an emotionally neutral task, it rests. The idea is to reduce the amount of time you spend thinking about looking for a job and lift your spirits.
3. Eat right, regularly and in silence. It is better to eat in silence or during a neutral conversation. The main thing is that you feel the taste and texture of food, and do not get lost in anxious thoughts about work.
4. Monitor your sleep patterns. Give yourself permission to... stay awake or wake up at night. Sleep is an assistant that lets you know how well you lived your day. Worried too much - get the call you need
5. Take a cool shower before bed. There is enough research to prove that it has a good effect on your mental state. Don't you know how? Listen to classical music or sounds of nature. However, you can choose any other relaxing ritual you like.
6. Get out into nature more often.
7. Communicate more. The more informal communications, the greater the chances for positive changes. Pay more attention to those who we like and who like us. Communicate less with those who criticize.

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Depression: how does the brain turn off joy?

There are many myths and misconceptions associated with depression that can be dangerous for those who have lost their joy in life and are truly suffering from difficult thoughts. Few people turn to psychiatrists who specialize in the treatment of this disease, and if they do, it is usually not the first place.

About whether they will put you in a psychiatric hospital if you are depressed, whether you will turn into a vegetable after taking drugs and what people in white coats will do to you, “Laba” decided to find out together with Vladislav Chupeev, a psychiatrist and psychotherapist from the Center for the Study of Eating Disorders (CIRPP).

Everyone loves to discuss depression, for example, over drinks. But what do we really know about her?

More than 300 million people worldwide suffer from depression today. It is one of the most common mental illnesses and the leading cause of disability in the world, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to these data, about 800 thousand people commit suicide every year due to depression, and it is the second leading cause of death among young people from 15 to 29 years old. In addition, depressive states affect performance and, most importantly, quality of life.

So it's not just a bad mood?

No, this is a very real disease. And it’s serious. Most scientific theories say that depression occurs due to a lack of neurotransmitters - the universal "messenger substances" - that transmit signals in the brain from one nerve cell to another. This is why people suffering from depression see the world in dark colors—literally. Neurotransmitters are involved in the functioning of the organs of vision, hearing, and the formation of tactile and temperature sensations.

Without these substances, the information that reaches the brain is distorted, favorite activities cease to be enjoyable, and music is heard differently. In addition, concentration and memory function decrease: in a depressed state, it becomes more difficult to remember something good.

The theory of the connection between depression and neurotransmitters has a lot of indirect evidence, but so far it does not have indisputable evidence. This is because neurotransmitters are very small. Tracking them in the body and thoroughly examining them is expensive and difficult.

3.So what happens with depression?

Depression consists of many symptoms, among which the main ones are: apathy - a persistent decrease in motivation, anhedonia - lack of pleasure from what brought it before, as well as loss of strength (asthenia).

Another sign of depression is anxiety. This is a universal “flag” of the body that makes it clear that something is going wrong. Each of these symptoms is the result of an imbalance of neurotransmitters in brain cells, primarily serotonin. If symptoms persist for 3-5 weeks, it’s definitely time to see a psychiatrist.

Maybe you just need to rest and the depression will go away?

No. For mild to moderate depression, the best treatment is the opposite. You need to get out of bed, communicate with people and exercise. The problem is that you absolutely don’t want to do this when you’re depressed.

Severe episodes of depression are characterized by the development of apathy. Sometimes this is the body’s last way to protect itself from a suicide attempt: there is no strength for anything at all.

Sounds scary! How can we not let it get to this point?

Changes happen gradually, so they are difficult to pay attention to. Depression is characterized by decreased concentration and poor memory, but these factors are the most difficult to observe: in a depressed state, it is difficult to adequately evaluate oneself.

The most important thing is changes in quality of life. These include sleep disorders (you don’t sleep as well as you did six months ago), changes in appetite in any direction, changes in personal hygiene, lack of desire to take care of yourself, obsessive feelings of guilt and sadness, indifference to your favorite hobby, books, films, music . These changes are a sign of a biochemical “breakdown”, that very lack of neurotransmitters.

If we are talking about feelings of helplessness, self-loathing and the desire to harm yourself, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible. When such thoughts persist for 2 weeks, there is nothing more to wait for, it will get worse.

Should you see a doctor if you are depressed? Are you laughing? If you come to a psychiatrist, they will immediately throw you in a mental hospital!

No, not right away. Only those who pose a real danger to themselves or others can be involuntarily hospitalized in psychiatric hospitals. Those. if you were taken from the window while attempting suicide, or you tried to cut others with a knife, or you brought yourself to exhaustion (body mass index less than 17), then there are grounds for hospitalization.

In any other case, the final decision remains with the patient. The main thing is that heavy thoughts do not form into a specific and gloomy plan that a person is ready to implement now. If such thoughts can be distracted within 24 hours, such a patient will not be admitted to the hospital.

I do not believe! It’s easy to end up in a mental hospital just like that!

In Russia, any admission to the hospital is associated with a pile of papers, so it is impossible to end up there “just like that.” There are strict criteria for admission to a psychiatric hospital: a risk to others or to oneself, or leading to such a risk without providing assistance. For depression, these risks include intrusive thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts in the last few months.

If the patient is in this condition, hospitalization in a hospital is the way out. There, under the supervision of doctors, a person will be able to cope with a serious condition in a few weeks.

Sometimes doctors may indeed involuntarily hospitalize a patient - if he is in a high-risk group. For example, he recently tried to commit suicide and does not show positive dynamics, that is, his condition is worsening.

But even in this case, the patient is given a choice: he can refuse hospitalization. Without written consent, a person can be taken to the hospital only for 72 hours, then a medical commission meets and its decision goes to court.

This procedure requires a lot of labor from doctors, so it is resorted to only in case of a real threat to life.

Of course, a mental hospital is not the most fun place on the planet, especially for someone with severe depression. But, fortunately, the reality is far from the fantasy of Hollywood scriptwriters. Doctors do not walk around the department with a shocker or a prepared syringe.

They try to reduce the patient’s risks as much as possible, help cope with the crisis and stabilize the condition so that the person can gradually return to their usual rhythm and enjoy life again.

Are you saying that psychiatric patients are dangerous?

Patients in psychiatric hospitals predominantly pose a danger only to themselves. Local staff closely monitors their condition.

On average, 1 person in 100 has a psychiatric diagnosis in the population - this figure does not change depending on gender, region and nationality (the exception is older men - they have a higher risk of suicide).

Maybe it’s enough to talk to a psychologist?

Of course, you don't have to go to surgery if you break your leg. The body can heal the fracture on its own. But it’s better to put on a plaster cast. So the help of a psychiatrist is needed in order to cope with the problem faster: this way there are fewer risks to health and life.

A psychiatrist is a specialist with medical education. Only he can diagnose depression and prescribe a treatment regimen. A psychologist does not do this. In case of clinical depression, the problem needs to be solved systematically, involving a doctor and a psychologist.

By the way, the psychiatrist’s list of prescriptions includes not only antidepressants, but also work with a psychologist. When they are combined, better results are achieved: antidepressants help to gain strength, and psychotherapy helps to find the cause of depression.

Okay, but how then to choose an adequate psychiatrist?

Just like you choose any other doctor. A good recommendation can be given by friends who have already been to such a specialist and you saw that they felt better.

The only clearly defined criterion is the doctor’s willingness to be in touch and answer questions. It is important that a specialist can provide support if side effects of the medication occur. They are not dangerous, but sudden dizziness, drowsiness, and nausea can really frighten you.

In addition, it is not always possible to choose an antidepressant that is right for you the first time. At a critical moment, a specialist will be able to take the necessary measures: reassure, change drug therapy, explain what is happening.

Tell me about the pills then. If a psychiatrist prescribes medication, will I become a “vegetable”?

Taking a drug never leads to a transition from the animal kingdom to the plant kingdom. The “vegetable” myth stems in part from the side effects of antipsychotic drugs developed almost half a century ago. But to a much greater extent this condition is caused by the course of schizophrenia left without treatment. That is, in this context we are not talking about depression at all.

A number of severe mental illnesses, if left untreated, take away the unique personality traits of a person year after year, leaving a deep mark on the psyche. Medicines, on the contrary, help slow down this process, helping to maintain a high level of quality of life for as long as possible.

Then explain how antidepressants work!

The nervous system works by transmitting nerve impulses from one cell of the brain or spinal cord (neuron) to another using neurotransmitters. These messenger substances are released into the space between neurons, which triggers a cascade of signal transmission to subsequent cells. The neurotransmitters are then recaptured, broken down into their constituent blocks, and reassembled to retransmit impulses.

The transmission of nerve impulses in depression changes because the amount of neurotransmitters is reduced. This prevents the creation of a complete nerve impulse. This is where anxiety arises. It is possible to restore the natural functioning of the nervous system with the help of antidepressants.

Medications for depression work in different ways. Previous generations of drugs, such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), block the destruction of neurotransmitters in nerve cells. Now they are used quite rarely due to pronounced side effects and high toxicity.

They have been replaced by more modern drugs - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), that is, drugs that prevent the uptake of a specific neurotransmitter.

SSRIs help form a complete nerve impulse. A gradual increase in dosage helps the nervous system return to its “pre-crisis level.”

Are all antidepressants terrible drugs?

During treatment for depression, a person only gets used to a good mood, normal sleep and lack of anxiety. So not all psychotropic drugs are drugs, although this opinion is extremely common.

The myth of addiction is associated with the presence of withdrawal syndrome in psychiatric drugs: a set of side effects that occur when the course of treatment is untimely, most often without permission.

Many people believe that if antidepressants cannot be combined with alcohol, then they can be safely abandoned for a while, but this is not so. All psychiatric drugs have a cumulative effect. After stopping use, the drug remains in the blood for up to several weeks, during which it may interact unexpectedly with alcohol. Then the drug withdrawal syndrome is superimposed on the symptoms of intoxication, which can lead to life-threatening conditions.

But this does not mean that you will have to take antidepressants for the rest of your life. Primary stabilization of the condition occurs after about a month.

During this time, the dosage of medications is increased to the therapeutic dosage, it is always higher. Small doses at first are needed to reduce the number of side effects. The full course of drug therapy lasts from six months to 1.5 years. In most cases, treatment takes 7 to 10 months.

But I have a friend who took antidepressants, but then the depression returned and it got even worse. Could the same thing happen?

This could be for several reasons. The most common is early termination of treatment without consulting a doctor. It is important to complete the course to the end: untimely refusal of medications causes withdrawal syndrome and leads to the recurrence of depression. Symptoms of the disease in this case are often more severe than at the very beginning.

However, it can get worse even after a complete course of treatment with antidepressants. Medication is not the only component of recovery. They help cope with the current depressive state, but do not exclude the possibility of relapse. Only behavioral psychotherapy can be the key to a stable emotional background. You need to spend time on this.

What to do if a loved one needs the help of a psychiatrist?

If you feel that a person needs help, but does not consider it possible or necessary to turn to a specialist, you can offer your own help and go to the doctor together, literally “take him by the hand and lead him.” If you encounter strong resistance, there is a high probability that it is not the person who is speaking to you, but his illness.

Depressed people can often be afraid to admit to themselves that things are getting out of control.

The best option is not to engage in confrontation, but to ask questions. Does the person consider what is happening to him to be healthy? Is there anything you can do to help? Indeed, going to a specialist may not solve all problems, but it’s still worth a try.

Modern psychiatry, unlike what it had 30 years ago, has a greater range of pharmacological tools, even for severe diseases such as schizophrenia or bipolar affective disorder.

So, with the help of drug therapy, depression can be overcome. The main thing is not to be afraid to go to the doctor and not to give up treatment halfway.

To learn more

If you want to test your knowledge, take our test about Veronica. Also, check out our course “Depression: The Hidden Threat” for even more helpful advice from professional doctors.

Strategies for success

Many people associate the crisis not only with job loss, depression and financial collapse. This economic phenomenon helps people find new ways and solutions. Active, goal-oriented people are not afraid of a crisis, they simply adapt to it.

There are two categories of behavior of people who have lost their place of employment. They have two behavioral strategies - successful and unsuccessful. A person is able to make his own choice: which one he chooses.

Unemployed people with a successful behavioral strategy have in their arsenal a great initiative potential, a desire to get out of a state of temporary financial lull as soon as possible. They do not make it a priority to find exactly the job they were doing before the crisis. They are able to retrain under any conditions. This category of people has a huge optimistic charge and a willingness to move forward towards the future.

An unsuccessful behavior strategy is characteristic of people who expect someone else to do everything for them. They are able to passively wait for help, refuse to take responsibility for decisions, and are constantly looking for a reason to refuse the employer.

Their complexes about their professional unsuitability do not give them the opportunity to present their skills in a way that is favorable to them. Even financial instability does not stimulate them to new searches for self-realization. These people are not ready for changes in life and the crisis eliminates them from the labor market.

Find something that will help you maintain faith in yourself and your strengths

It could be anything.
Your past successful work experience. Received education. A support group made up of family and friends. Try to remember all your achievements, everything that you can be proud of, from winning a school football match to winning a major tender at your last job. If all of the above doesn’t help, then get your kindergarten photo out of the depths of your family albums. Look into the eyes of this child and remember how many promises were given to him then: to become a pilot, a big boss, and finally a happy person. You certainly can’t deceive him, right?

“I saved my grandmother, fed stray dogs - sorry, I’m late”

Alexander Pavlovich looked at his watch - it was fifteen minutes to ten. The person he was waiting for was already 15 minutes late.

Alexander specifically canceled the weekly planning meeting - he really liked the applicant’s resume.

Ten minutes later, a breathless young man knocked on the door. He told us what difficulties he encountered on the way to his cherished job - there were many of them.

At some point, it even seemed to Alexander Pavlovich that completely unprecedented things flashed through the story - either the Serpent Gorynych, or a confrontation with Darth Vader.

After the interview, the employer sighed heavily. “Too bad, good guy. But I’ll be late for “excusable reasons” every week.”

For Alexander, being more than fifteen minutes late was unacceptable - he couldn’t even afford that. Even when it came to family dinner.

Leave the house thirty minutes earlier, wait for the interview to start in the lobby (this is useful - you can listen to the gossip of the employees). If you're late, don't try to justify yourself by making up an incredible story.

General characteristics of depression

To understand the problem of the influence of the disease on the employment process and develop effective ways to counteract it, you must first understand the causes and nature of the state of depression.

Depression is a mental disorder that manifests itself in a decrease in mood and a person’s loss of the ability to enjoy life. In psychology, the disease is called an affective disorder. It is progressive but reversible. There are several stages of depression:

• light,
• average,
• heavy,
• chronic.

Signs

The main manifestations of depression are the following:

1. Bad mood without objective reasons for a long time (more than 14 days).
2. Decreased self-esteem.
3. Negative attitude towards yourself, others, your future.
4. Inappropriate feelings of guilt, fear, pessimism.
5. Loss of interest in life, habitual activities that no longer bring pleasure.
6. Decreased concentration.
7. Sleep and appetite disorders.
8. Oils about the meaninglessness of life, suicide, hopelessness.
9. Loss of strength over a long period of time (from one month).

The severe stage of depression is characterized by a “triad” of manifestations:

• decadent mood
• slowing down of mental reactions and processes,
• motor retardation.

Development mechanism

The development of depressive disorders can be caused by a variety of dramatic experiences and negative events:

• death of a loved one,
• a sharp change in the usual way of life, loss of the usual social status,
• development of certain physical diseases,
• side effects of medications,
• excessive loads of stressful situations on the brain,
• severe psychological trauma in childhood,
• alcohol or drug addiction,
• lack of heat and light.

The main reason for the development of affective disorder also includes the problem of job loss.

Treatment options

Depression is a global problem. In the modern world, this disorder is the most common. Mental depression seriously affects your ability to work and your health.

Treatment of depression is carried out in several ways:

1. Medication. Prescribing a course of antidepressants - drugs that affect the intensity of hormone production that improve mood and well-being.
2. Psychotherapy is a treatment system based on the impact on the psyche.
3. Social therapy – integration of a person into social relationships, restoration of connections, inclusion in full interaction.
4. Physical exercise. Loads allow you to activate physiological processes, including the production of “positive” hormones.
5. Music therapy, art therapy, dance therapy.
6. Occupational therapy.
7. Aromatherapy.
8. Light therapy.

The success of treatment depends on accurate diagnosis of the causes of the disease. The use of specific treatments depends on the severity of the depression. The most common way to counteract the disease is by taking medications. This method is used at all stages.

For mild and moderate disorders, psychotherapy and social therapy are effective. In severe stages, other methods are tried. To increase effectiveness, mixed courses of treatment are used - medications plus psychotherapy.

Psychology and unemployment

Of course, the first thing that comes to mind when we are not working is the loss of money we suffer and how economic problems can significantly change our lives. The truth is that unemployment not only affects our pockets, but it causes serious problems on a psychological level. Experts even talk about a phenomenon called “unemployment depression.”

The psychological consequences of unemployment are suffered not only by the unemployed person, but also by his family. You can check this out in the article “Parental Unemployment Causes Depression and Anxiety in Children, According to Study”, where psychologist Jonathan Garcia-Allen goes deeper into these consequences and how they affect a person's life without work.

How to help yourself

In the social sphere, there are certain categories of people who fall into the so-called risk group when looking for a new place of employment. These are young mothers, disabled people, students without professional experience. Unemployment has its own growth trends, but it is not fatal. You just have to follow some simple rules and everything will work out:

• You must always have a neat appearance and maintain your physical shape;
• take the initiative, show activity, enthusiasm;
• do not hesitate to seek help from psychologists, social services, and recruitment agencies;
• you should look for a new use for yourself;
• You always need to stay up to date with developments related to finding your business.

Advanced training, training in a new specialty, the opportunity to temporarily switch to seasonal work - this is what can be allowed in a modern rule-of-law state. Employment centers are a social service that can open up such prospects for those who wish. But the main thing is to do something for this, not to give up and not to be lazy.

By improving one’s qualifications and retraining, a person can find himself in something new. Even if it doesn’t immediately bring in a lot of income, it doesn’t matter. Things don't always start out quickly and smoothly.

Life is structured in such a way that all crises occur in the same way:

• recession - depression, fear of the new unknown, fear of losses;
• rise - search for other sources of income, gaining new knowledge, self-improvement;
• reaching new levels of well-being.