Mental health: Depression within the workspace

By Loushe Jordaan Gilbert

One of the most common mental health conditions that workers experience at work is depression. The World Health Organization estimates that 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression. In South Africa, depression affects about 27% of people.

While employees hold many roles outside the workplace ranging from being parents, providers and everything in between, it is almost impossible to not face symptoms of depressions from time to time.
Speaking to VOC News, some employees revealed that they suffer from fatigue, insomnia, irregular sleeping patterns, anger, rage, worry, stress and experience some emotional outbursts from time to time.

Parliamentary Coordinator at Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Matthew Parks said these are all normal occurrences that are caused by factors that many workers are not even aware of.

“Social economic issues, transport delays, workers having stressful work environments, being subjected to abuse knowingly or unknowingly contribute to our mental well-being,” said Parks.

Muhammad Ali Kathree who recently graduated with his Honours Degree in Industrial Psychology said employees seldom reach out to Human Resources (HR) when experiences these challenges due to fear a lack of trust.

“It is not uncommon for workers to feel depressed in the workspace and not speak to out it because they are afraid and due to not fully trusting that what they reveal about themselves will not be kept private,” said Kathree.

He further said mental health related challenges in the workplace has a negative impact on the overall productivity.

“If a worker is not happy and afraid to speak out due to the fear of being fired, the outcome they produce will be affected. It is of fundamental importance to take mental breaks and to take care of yourself, do things that would make you happy, things that are not always work related,” he stressed.

Listen to full audio below:

Picture of Aneeqa Du Plessis
Aneeqa Du Plessis

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