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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 costs. 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.
- 3% of total short term disability days are due to depressive
disorders and in 76% of those cases, the employee was female.
- 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.
- 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.
- Almost 15% of those suffering from severe depression will
commit suicide
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.
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,
1-800-421-4211
National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association
1-800-82-NDMDA
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