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This may be like describing a snowstorm to an Eskimo, but I am nevertheless going to address the issue of depression among shiftworkers. Every shiftworker I've known has at one point or another displayed one or more symptoms of worker depression, myself included. And of course, that's understandable considering our schedules.
There is a great difference however between the blues and pathological, verifiable full-blown classic depression. Many times,workers who are clinically depressed will blame the illness on the situation, as opposed to the psychiatry and physiology of themselves. In the workplace, it is estimated that 19 million people will suffer from depression. It's important to know that it is a major illness among all workers, and that in 80% of cases, treatment is effective. The costs of depression to the employer include absenteeism, accidents, and turnover, but the costs of depression are also very personal. Depression saps your energy. You can be lethargic and tired most of the time. Depression can affect your work habits. You can become complacent and careless, which can lead to illness and injury. You may have problems concentrating and making decisions. Depression can also lead to alcohol and drug abuse (as if you didn't already have enough problems). If you surf around the Internet, you will find countless sites dedicated to helping you determine if you have a serious problem with depression. You will also find many articles and reports addressing the issue both on the Internet and print media. So I hope this humble article will only raise your awareness to the point that you search for more complete information. Believe me, I think if you look hard enough, you will find some clear direction. I have found some interesting ideas and concepts during my own research. Some scholars argue that a major component of depressive disorders is a failure of parts of the brain to function normally. They also find that both cognitive therapy and drug therapy can help, and it depends on the individual whether one approach works better than another. In other words, " See your doctor." In has also been found that anxiety and depression may be two faces of the same disorder, and in people who exhibit both conditions have a decrease in the receptor for serotonin. We've discussed serotonin in an article about drug therapy, and it seems to have a link with feelings of well-being. In another interesting area of discussion, there is an argument going on about the low carbohydrate diets. Some say that these programs may help you lose weight, but they lower your mood in the process, leaving only skinny, angry people. Go To Page: 1 2
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