How To Help Your Employees Deal With Depression

There are instances when the Winter Blues or a “new year slump” is something more

The months are longer, darker, and colder, so it is not uncommon for people to feel more down than they normally would. And while there is no official diagnosis for "Winter Depression," we can associate many of the symptoms we see in our friends, family, coworkers, and even ourselves during this time of year with post-holiday stress, anticipatory anxiety for the new year, as well as possible SAD (seasonal affective disorder), a form of depression that is triggered by colder and darker weather. According to researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, around 5% of adults in the U.S. experience SAD. They believe about 10-20% of people in the US may get a milder form of these winter blues, and that it affects women more than men. As organizational leaders, we must be mindful of this sometimes tough time of year for our employees and help them navigate the season with thoughtful support and useful resources as best we can.
 

To start, there are a number of potential inciting factors for low or irritable moods after the change in a year including:

• Post-holiday emotional letdown with financial implications from overspending (tends to really set in February/March).
• Worsened sleep patterns, poor diet, and less exercise, especially in colder, darker climates.
• Stress in the workplace due to things like a new job or a change in priorities. In addition, shifts in the job market as many are being laid off.
• Less socialization leading to loneliness and isolation.
• Substance overuse or misuse.
• Unrealistic expectations or fear of failure for new year goals and resolutions.

While it isn’t up to an organization or leadership to diagnose or treat their employees, it is important to be aware of signs of depression in your employees. As leaders, you can play a vital role in reducing the stigma around seeking mental health care, making your employees aware that these feelings of loneliness or depression are common during this time of year, and offering them support and assistance for getting help if they need it. For example, many employees may not be aware that their employer-provided health insurance will cover therapy, so routine reminders and tutorials of the process can be incredibly beneficial. A therapist will be able to identify the root cause of the problem and provide a custom treatment plan to help any impacted employees during this difficult time.

In my practice, I suggest a few tips to my patients as we transition into the colder fall months each year. These can also translate to goal-setting for a healthy lifestyle. For example:

• Start up the habit of a low-impact exercise 30 minutes a day, including outdoor activity with exposure to sunlight as much as possible.
• Maintain good sleep hygiene including consistent sleep-wake cycles even during the darker months.
• Eat a well-balanced diet and take vitamin D supplements as needed.
• Practice gratitude. We all have to be grateful for many things, so identifying a few each morning when you wake up can boost your day emotionally.
• See friends and family, even if it needs to be virtually. Social activities may not only prevent depressive symptoms but provide needed support systems should symptoms arise.

Some people may need more concrete professional psychiatric help to manage their depression during this time. There are instances when the Winter Blues or a “new year slump” is something more.

For more insights on how to look out for these sorts of symptoms in your employees, we’ve compiled additional resources from SonderMind here that can be helpful to share with your teams during this challenging time of year.

Citations

• https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9293-seasonal-depression
• https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad-more-than-the-winter-blues

Author Bio

Dr. Doug Newton has dedicated his career to the wellbeing of individuals and families. He is the Chief Medical Officer at SonderMind, whose mission is to redesign behavioral health to increase access, expand utilization and improve mental health outcomes. Prior to joining SonderMind, Dr. Newton served as National Senior Medical Director at UnitedHealth Group. Connect Dr. Doug Newton