
Ask HN:Depression in Workplace - akshaynathr
Have you ever experienced depression because of your work. Did you find difficulty in getting proper treatment?
======
cyberdrunk
I'm not sure if that was "proper" depression, but many times I've felt very
low at my jobs. Luckily, I was always making enough to save a lot of money, so
I was able to quit and recover every ~2 years. During the recovery period, I
followed my various interests, such as exploring programming, ML, computer
vision, mathematics, making art, music, games, reading a lot of books. I
didn't go deep on many of these, but I gained some understanding of the fields
and what it is like to do these things, which I feel made me a much more well-
rounded person, compared to someone who has just been working software jobs
his whole life.

Incidentally, one of the results is that now I see jobs as strictly means to
an end - i.e. a way to earn money to be able to do interesting things. I think
it makes me more resilient at jobs - whatever the level of suckage I
experience in a job, I know that it is only temporary and that this sacrifice
is for something. If I was career oriented, the depressing circumstances of
many jobs would hit me much much harder (as career-oriented people see career
as a huge part of their file, and the realisation that huge part of your life
is a failure and makes you miserable surely can lead to massive depression).

~~~
giantg2
I agree. I am one of those career people. Unfortunately I dont make enough to
quit.

The lies the company tells to dangle the carrot in front of you eventually
destroys you when you never get it. At my company, the policies are great but
they don't follow them. Plus, the project leadership/vision sucks.

I've never been diagnosed with depression. I tend to be happy, or at least
content, when not at work. When I'm at work, I constantly dream of quitting.

~~~
cyberdrunk
Keeping costs of living low (see my comment above) is a very reliable, if
long-winded, path to freedom. The fact, that, via LCOL, you don't depend on
"them" as much, also helps mentally.

~~~
giantg2
I try, but I have a family and my wife does not financially contribute.

I have a garden (big enough I can stuff), keep bees (and sell honey), grow
shiitake and lions mane, make our alcohol (fruit wines, mostly from stuff I
grow), make our own soap, and other hobbies that save or make some money. Of
course I do the usual stuff like Netflix instead of cable, use a budget cell
carrier, etc.

It helps, but the big influence is one's spouse. My spouse spends most of her
money on horse stuff. I'm left to pay the bills and basically support us on a
single income. She does not share my dream of retiring early.

------
nso95
Depression is a medical issue and will exist in all fields and workplaces.

------
akshaynathr
Hi All, I am trying to know if depression is a real problem in workplace
especially in engineering industry.

