Re: Depression in the Workplace – Research & Discussion

No, all stakeholders should have an equal right to be included in public interest based research studies. Persons with mental illnesses are still people according to the ‘Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms’. If persons with mental illnesses are not comfortable in their educational or workplace environment, they should have an outlet in place to voice their concerns. It is also necessary and the responsibility of all stakeholders for persons with severe mental illnesses to be allowed and given the tools to be assets in their community. Equal opportunities should exist for all Canadians and they should not have to feel guilty for seeking help and treatment. For example, I discussed my workplace environment with my supervisor and he stated that “we are the product of our surroundings”. In my opinion, work is an excellent constructive activity for person with mental illnesses.

Mental Illnesses are mostly invisible minority illnesses and are very unique to the individual. In addition, it is said that mental illnesses are the second most rapidly growing illness aside from heart disease. It is scary to think what will happen if all stakeholders do not implement a proper action plan in Canada. It is stated that we are in the midst of a mental health crisis in this country. People spend the majority of their time at work and in their workplace. The workplace should be concern with your personal well being and the wellness of its staff. We should not keep these problems out of sight, out of mind either.

By not getting to the root of the matter we are only hurting ourselves. In my opinion, our Government needs to take a stronger stance on these social issues so we as citizens could have some peace of mind, quite literally.

Thank you for giving these important matters your immediate attention.

P.S. BUILT Network is an excellent Canadian resource that needs continuous Government assessment and funding. Social pilot projects such as the Skills Link Canada, West Side Pride Program through the Sandwich Community Health Centre in Windsor, Ontario is an excellent example of a wonderful initiative that needs constant stakeholder support. This program allows for community relationship building and networking. More such programs should be launched throughout the City of Windsor, The Province of Ontario and on a Federal (Government of Canada) level.

Re: Depression in the Workplace – Research & Discussion

My heart sunk that anyone would even think to pose that question. Are we still this far away from making any progress whatsoever? Of course everybody should be included in every study that addresses mental illness or mental wellness. Otherwise, your results will not reflect the realities of the workplace. We do exist and we do need to be accepted for what we already are ie "people".

Regardless of disability or ability the right person needs to find the right niche where they can contribute and be fulfilled. If the work place is a heavy metal rock band then Axle Rose is your man! Should he be a brain surgeon, or an accountant? Who knows? He might have the makings of becoming a cool psychiatrist.

I am not aware of any major mental illness that does not have depression as a component. At the very least the stigma and fear can induce situational depression for someone living with these dread conditions.

So, shame on whoever posed the question.

Re: Depression in the Workplace – Research & Discussion

Why are your even asking this question?

You should be looking to include everybody. One of the ills that afflicts current society is the culture of exclusion based on some arbitrary criteria. Such as an assumption. An assumption has no place in critical thinking. "Note dictionary definition "An assumption is a proposition that is taken for granted, as if it were true based upon presupposition without preponderance of the facts.

Then I ask? why would you seek to exclude an identifiable group of people in the first place, I believe this represents discrimination and when applied within the workplace by an employer would likely be illegal and surely your organisation should be fighting against this very concept of excluding people with severe mental illness let alone considering if you should implement it your selves.

It may be correct to examine the results from these people against a different assessment criteria but not to exclude them. Surely today's employee that is suffering depression in the work place is at more risk of become the very person you suggest excluding and so the study of the person with severe mental illness would be to ignore the key factors that are involved in how a mild to moderate illness became severe if you excluded this group.

I hope you have no other criteria's for exclusion from your study unmentioned. All studies should include all factors otherwise they are simply not valid and cannot be used to draw valid conclusions from.

Re: Depression in the Workplace – Research & Discussion

All people should be included in the study. Depression/mental illness still has such an astigmatism to it, even us willing to talk about depression, how it affects us are avoided by people. I do not find the workplace helpful is trying to deal with anyone who has depression whether the person is trying to deal with the depression or not.

Re: Depression in the Workplace – Research & Discussion

No they should not be excluded. We all bring various illnesses (mental, physical, and physiological), personalities and "baggage” to our jobs. Consequently, everyone’s workplace experience is unique. People with mental illness may suffer from depression for obvious and also not so obvious reasons like everyone else and may be even better able to distinguish if the workplace is the trigger for depression or if it is some other factor. The study should be large enough to represent the collective in aggregate and that should include everyone. Further to be excluded from a workplace study just reinforces the stigma of mental illness. Excluding someone in the workplace based on mental illness has its own set of ethical issues.

To be honest I found the question refreshing in the sense that it assumes individuals with serious mental health issues are working and in significant number to affect a study/survey...I hope that that is really the case.

Re: Depression in the Workplace – Research & Discussion

Yes, please include in your study anyone with workplace experiences and depression experiences - and their overlap. It sounds as though the study will at least initially be a literature search so if no literature exists regarding severely depressed people in the workplace then the question might be a moot one.
My own experience of depression and the workplace is that two weeks after I told my supervisor that I was suffering from depression (without any request for special accommodation, but just to give a reason for my personality which seemed to become argumentative when I was depressed), I was "terminated without cause". This happened in 2004 and I had worked for the organization for 12 years up to that time. As you can imagine being terminated from a job when already depressed worsened my illness, and eroded the confidence I needed to begin searching for a new job. Six years have now passed and I have been working for a different organization for the past five of those. However, I will always have in the employment history that I don't share with others, the fact that I was terminated from a position; I will always feel awkward when I run into colleagues from that organization; and I will never feel confident that just being a good and reliable employee will ensure that I will be treated fairly.
I'm happy to know that depression and the workplace is a topic of research - but I hope the outcome goes some way to preventing employers taking the option that my previous employer did.