Depression Treatment Can Increase Productivity at Work

Untreated depression can impact every aspect of life for an affected individual. One of the most significant impacts it can have is on workplace productivity, as evidenced by the first study of its kind to look at such statistics. The Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has found that workers experiencing depression who receive treatment, as opposed to taking a leave of absence to deal with the condition, are significantly more likely to remain productive members of the workforce.

While most patients benefit from depression treatment, one segment of the population has to be especially careful, particularly about taking prescription antidepressants like Paxil to treat depression. That group is pregnant women. Studies have shown that Paxil might cause severe birth defects in children born to mothers who took the medication. As a result, some women who gave birth to children with Paxil birth defects have filed lawsuits against GlaxoSmithKline, the drug’s manufacturer, alleging that it should have informed them of the dangers before they became pregnant.

Depression Blamed for Productivity Losses

The Canadian study is deemed particularly significant at a time when the economies of both Canada and the United States are at best uncertain. Metal illness costs the Canadian economy about $51 billion annually, and researchers are looking for ways to lessen the burden.

Researchers performed a large-scale survey of about 3,000 workers from Alberta, and found that 8.5 percent, or 255 workers, experienced a depressive episode that affected their performance at work. Of that group, 57 percent were classified as “severe,” and 40 percent as “moderate.” Not one individual in either group received treatment for their depression. On average, a disability leave associated with untreated depression costs $18,000.00 per worker. Workers who received treatment for depression not only remained at their jobs, but performed better than those who did not receive any treatment.

“What’s exciting is we found treatment for depression improves work productivity,” said lead author Dr. Carolyn Dewa, head of CAMH’s Centre for Research on Employment and Workplace Health. “People who had experienced a moderate depressive episode and received treatment were 2.5 times more likely to be highly productive compared with those who had no treatment. Likewise, people who experienced severe depression were seven times more likely to be high performing than those who had no treatment.”

Dr. Dewa added that “[s]tigma and discrimination have often affected people’s willingness to access services, as has the lack of knowledge around supports available in the workplace.” She suggests that employers need to offer not only mental health intervention and treatment to their employees, but also much-needed transitional support if time off is necessary.

The study was published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.

Individuals Who Believe They are Depressed Should Seek Medical Attention

Antidepressants carry with them the possibility of serious side effects. If you are considering taking a medication like Paxil for depression, you should speak with a physician to discuss a course of treatment that is best suited to your needs. There might be alternatives to medication that could work for you.

RLG Represents People Injured by Pharmaceuticals

For those who believe their child was injured by a medication, the Rottenstein Law Group can help. Our Paxil lawyers have over 25 years of collective experience advocating for individuals in consumer product injury and mass tort cases.  If you want compensation because you believe your medication injured your child, and you believe you have cause to sue GlaxoSmithKline fill out our contact form or call 1-877-487-0990 and one of our lawyers will reach out to you.

For more information about whether filing a Paxil lawsuit is the best course of action for you, download our free brochure.