Are you suffering from the ‘back-to-work blues’?

Are you finding it a bit difficult to cope without your afternoon nap or stroll along the beach? Returning to the workplace after holidays such as the recent festive season break can be hard to cope with. beyondblue CEO Kate Carnell says it is normal to feel a bit down for a few days. However, if you are feeling significantly stressed or agitated, are not able to sleep or are experiencing mood changes, it does suggest it’s not just those normal feelings and it’s important to get help.

Even though holidays are good for most of us, stress and pressures associated with Christmas and New Year celebrations may trigger symptoms of depression and anxiety in vulnerable people. There are around one million people in Australia with depression and over two million who have an anxiety disorder. Many people with these conditions remain undiagnosed and they don’t seek help because they think any type of mental health problem means they are weak; alternatively, they think their problems are just part of their personality.

Carnell said while people’s mental health problems may be the result of influences outside work, there is an impact on their productivity and relationships with colleagues because they cannot leave their illness at home.

The beyondblue website provides three online programs which are aimed to help people identify mental health problems in the workplace. Australian workers feeling stressed should access these online programs to help them understand and tackle depression and anxiety in the workplace.

Carnell said the free programs offer interactive activities and real-life video stories to help workers recognise symptoms of depression and anxiety, look after their own mental health and that of their colleagues who may be experiencing problems. “I would encourage managers and workers to check out these three new online programs, which will help them understand when colleagues’ out-of-character or stressed behaviour could be a sign of depression or anxiety,” she said.

“When workers experiencing depression or anxiety get the help they need there are huge knock-on benefits for workplaces as motivation improves, sick days are reduced and productivity grows,” she said.

The three programs are titled ‘What it’s like? - personal stories of depression’, ‘Perspectives - returning to work following a mental health problem’ and ‘How to have a conversation: discussing mental health in the workplace’. ‘How to have a conversation’ includes several ‘mini dramas’ that depict how to talk to someone within the workplace who may be experiencing a mental health problem.

‘Personal stories of depression’ aims to develop workers’ understanding of what it’s like to experience depression while ‘Perspectives’ helps people who may be supporting someone who is returning to work after experiencing mental health problems.

Managers and employees are also encouraged to visit a new website - www.returntowork.net.au - for further information about how to help a person returning to work after experiencing a mental health problem.