North East woman ‘hospitalised’ with severe depression over work stress
A North East woman reveals she was so stressed out at work she had to be hospitalised with severe depression.
As figures show more people are giving up work due to stress, one North East woman says it forced her into severe depression.
Research released in the Employee Insight Report from Capita reveals that more than a third of North East workers know a colleague who has had to give up work because of stress, while one in three say that colleagues have complained about feeling stressed to their employer, but received no support.
Debbie, from Darlington, said she had to be hospitalised and received Electro Convulsive Therapy in 2013 to help with severe depression brought on by work related stress.
Debbie blames her ill-health on excessive workloads and a lack of support while working in law and in teaching. She’s now campaigning for more support for employees through her soon-to-be launched website, Stay Sane at Work. Debbie said:
"I had absolutely no motivation or energy - I struggled to get up and have a shower. I couldn't stop crying and I didn't want to eat. My family and friends were really worried.
It was horrendous. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I felt really guilty that I couldn't do the job I was employed to do even though it was practically made impossible for me."
The in-depth report, released to coincide with World Mental Health Day today, also shows most people would not feel comfortable talking about issues such as depression or stress with their fellow workers, and suggests stigmas remain and that companies should be doing more to encourage their workers to open up about mental health issues.
Drawing on interviews with more than 3,000 people in employment, the Employee Insight Report assesses the financial wellbeing of the nation, and looks at employees’ attitudes towards pensions, retirement, benefits, savings and health in the workplace.
When asked what facilities people have access to at work if they feel stressed, 38% said they would normally keep working or wait until lunch/home time before taking time out. 20% said they can step outside for a few minutes, and just 7% said they have an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) at work.
Alistair Dornan, head of health management at Capita Employee Benefits, said:
“Our research reveals that a significant proportion of the UK’s working population believes employers have a responsibility towards the personal health and mental wellbeing of their staff.
“And yet many workers are still uncomfortable speaking to their bosses about mental health, while a worrying quarter of the population say they have complained but nothing was done.
“For World Mental Health Day, we are urging employers to make sure they are doing all they can to make sure their workers feel they have somewhere to turn if they are suffering from stress or depression at work.”
Find out more about Debbie's story here:
@StaySaneAtWork (Twitter)
**