Everyone has good days and bad days. On a good day, an Oklahoma resident may feel confident and able to accomplish the tasks necessary to carry out their daily duties and reach their goals. On a bad day, they may not be able to handle simple tasks and may find that their attention is lacking when it comes to work that they may not want to do.
Cycles in focus, energy, and even mood are common among all people, but individuals who suffer from depression may be more deeply affected by their condition than others think. Research reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that the effects of depression on workplace productivity are costly, and that many individuals who suffer from depression are not getting the help that they need to improve.
For example, when a person suffers from a physical illness, such as a cold or flu, they tend to stay home until their condition improves. However, individuals with mental conditions like depression often go to work even when they are suffering. Their inability to engage with their work tasks then causes them to reduce the productivity of their places of employment.
Depression can cause many different symptoms in individuals, including but not limited to a loss of energy and concentration, feelings of hopelessness and despair, physical pain, and sleep disturbances. In some cases, a person’s depression can be so severe that it may be considered a disability by the Social Security Administration. In such cases, an individual may be able to seek disability benefits to support themselves when their depression keeps them from being able to work. However, certain requirements must be met before benefits can be obtained. By discussing one’s situation with an experienced attorney, he or she may be able to get a better sense of how to present evidence to support a finding that those requirements have been met.