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Clinical depression has become
one of America's most costly illnesses. Left untreated, depression is as costly
as heart disease or AIDS to the US economy, costing over $43.7 billion in
absenteeism from work (over 200 million days lost from work each year), lost
productivity and direct treatment costsi. Depression tends to affect
people in their prime working years and may last a lifetime if untreated.
More than 80 percent of people with clinical depression can be successfully
treated. With early recognition, intervention, and support, most employees
can overcome clinical depression and pick up where they left off.
Know The Facts
- Depression ranks among the top three workplace problems for employee
assistance professionals, following only family crisis and stress ii.
- 3% of total short term disability days are due to depressive disorders
and in 76% of those cases, the employee was female iii.
- In a study of First Chicago Corporations, depressive disorders accounted
for more than half of all medical plan dollars paid for mental health
problems. The amount for treatment of these claims was close to the amount
spent on treatment for heart disease iv.
- The annual economic cost of depression in 1995 was $600 per depressed
worker. Nearly one-third of these costs are for treatment and 72% are
costs related to absenteeism and lost productivity at work v.
- Almost 15% of those suffering from severe depression will commit suicide vi.
Employees Attitudes Towards Depression
- Often times a depressed employee will not seek treatment because they
fear the affect it will have on their job and they are concerned about
confidentiality.
- Many employees are also unaware they have depression or they fear
their insurance is inadequate to cover costs.
- Most employers will refer a depressed employee for help if they are
aware of the symptoms. 64% of NMHA Survey respondents said they would
refer an employee to an EAP health professional vii.
Learn to recognize the symptoms of clinical depression
No two people experience clinical depression in the same manner. Symptoms
will vary in severity and duration among different people. See your doctor*
if you experience five or more of the following symptoms for more than
two weeks:
- Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood.
- Sleeping too little, early morning awakening, or sleeping too much.
- Reduced appetite and/or weight loss, or increased appetite and weight
gain.
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, including sex.
- Restlessness, irritability.
- Persistent physical symptoms that don't respond to treatment (such
as headaches, chronic pain or digestive disorders).
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
- Fatigue or loss of energy.
- Feeling guilty, hopeless or worthless.
- Thoughts of suicide or death.
* As a first step, a thorough physical examination may be recommended to
rule out other illnesses.
Help Is Available
| NMHA Campaign for America's Mental Health |
1-800-969-6642 |
| National Mental Health Association |
1-800-969-NMHA |
| National Alliance for the Mentally Ill |
1-800-950-NAMI |
| National Depression Screening Project |
1-800-520-6373 |
DEPRESSION/Awareness, Recognition and Treatment Program,
The National Institute of Mental Health |
1-800-421-4211 |
| National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association |
1-800-82-NDMDA |
i Greenberg, P.E., Stiglin, LE, Finkelstein, SN, Berndt
ER. The economic burden of depression in 1990. Journal of Clinical
Psychiatry. 1993; 2:32-35
ii Employee Assistance Professionals Association 1996 Survey
iii First Chicago EAP Study, 1989-1992
iv JOM, Volume 36, Number 9, September 1994, p. 987
v Conti DJ, Burton, WN. Economic Impact of Depression in
a Workplace. Journal of Occupational Environmental Medicine.
1994; 36:983-988.
vi American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Washington DC: American
Psychiatric Association, 1994.
vii National Mental Health Association, Americans Attitudes
Towards Depression Survey, 1996
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