Depression in the IT Professions

I wrote this post nearly a year ago, and never quite got round to posting it. Rereading today, having been prompted by the story of a young successful lawyers suicide having suffered from depression, I felt it was time to publish it.

My second ever post on this blog can be found here

http://westciv.typepad.com/dog_or_higher/2003/09/index.html

In it I mention my psychiatrist. This was a quite deliberate choice. This blog is quite personal. I am not ashamed of the fact that I have been having treatment for depression. However, a smart, successful friend, herself having seen a psychiatrist, emailed me almost right away and questioned whether it was wise that I mention that here. She wrote

I feel that you have to be a little careful in sharing this personal info. There exists such a broad spectrum of psych patients and someone who doesn't know you and who might be considering a business relationship may be given unnecessary/unfair cause for concern.

It was very sensible advice. But I left it in there nonetheless.

I am reasonably open about my depression - in the appropriate circumstances I'll bring it up - recently in ante natal classes (hey there is a bit of a give away, huh?), when the issue of PND (post natal depression) came up, I talked openly about the experience of having depression. In a way, I see it as something of a duty - there is so much ignorance about depression (I know, until suffering from it, or at least becoming aware of the fact I suffered from it, I was woefully ignorant about what depression is. Indeed, I see now that I have suffered fitfully from depression a lot of my life. Perhaps if I had been less ignorant, and the whole issue less stigmatized, I would have dealt with it years ago, and my life in many parts would have been a great deal less unpleasant at times, for me and those around me.)

Like many who suffer from depression, I was functioning, more or less. Like many, I didn't think things were great, but I was still running my business, competing in sports, living my life. Just none of it really mattered. I got angry about things that really, in hindsight, weren't all that important. I was sick of pretty much everyone and everything. Above all, there was no joy in my life.
The process of dealing with the depression took some time, I guess 6 months before I really turned things around significantly, but much of that was coming to terms with the reality of what was really wrong in my life. That's the hardest part.

We tend to see depression as a very individual thing, something which happens to people, which isolates people, marginalizes them. This is true, but there is also a bigger picture. Certain kinds of personality are far more prone to depression (not just one type, but different types of personalities). Importantly, depression is something that happens to us as a society, and significantly impacts emotionally and economically our society as a whole.

Being reasonably gregarious, I know quite a few people in the IT, particularly the web related professions. And I know from experience that depression is not at all uncommon in these professions. I'd probably go so far as to say, from a purely anecdotal point of view, and with little exaggeration, that it is an epidemic. I've done some basic research to see whether there have been any studies on the correlation of IT Professionals and Depression, but nothing much has come to light, although its certainly an idea that has occurred to others. When I ran the idea by my shrink, and we talked about it for a while, he certainly concurred that it was a reasonable surmise.

You see, in terms both of the kinds of personality prone to depression, and the kinds of environments which seem to trigger or prolong and deepen depressive episodes, an association between the IT industry and depression would, as a lay person, far from surprise me.
While it is easy, and dangerous, to stereotype IT professionals ("geeks") and the kinds of personality that appear to be predisposed to depression, qualities we tend to associate with many IT professionals like obsessiveness, very high standards, social anxiety, creativity, coupled with stressful life circumstances (extremely long hours, arbitrary deadlines, lack of control over many variables of the work environment, lack of job security) seem to be a recipe for disaster when it comes to depression.

As I mentioned, I have a reasonably wide group of friends and acquaintances in our industries, (and outside them as well) both in Australia, and around the world. Talking with people, getting to know them, has given me some insight to how prevalent this problem could well be. Almost everyone has a story about themselves, or colleagues and depression.
Our industry tends to allow us to hide away, in front of our screens, in our cubicles, "pulling all nighters", connecting via email, chat, all great ways to avoid strong social contact outside the workplace. This is not necessarily seen as unusual, or problematic. So it can be easy to hide away from the world, allowing depression to grow quietly, without it being noticed, with everything seeming "OK" to those we deal with.

So why, when I search the web, do I find little if anything about depression in our industry? Maybe there ain't any there, though I very much doubt that. I expect that many have recognized their condition and undergone treatment, but don't want to shout it to the rooftops - I don't blame people for that - I just got turned down for income protection insurance, a man who has never missed a day of work in his life, who only 18 months ago won a state surf lifesaving silver medal, competing against people half my age, with a one sentence reply "our decision was based on your history of depression". Man are they going to regret that sentence ;-)
Or maybe they haven't sought treatment, afraid of the social stigma, anxious of what they will think of themselves. Or maybe, like I was once, they are unaware of the fact there is actually something wrong.

A significant problem for those suffering from depression, is that due to the stigma often associated with the condition, and general societal ignorance, people don't necessarily associate how they are feeling with being depressed, or if they do, are concerned about their own self worth, or the opinions of others, should they seek treatment. This is certainly something I can relate to from personal experience. Ironically, being depressed seems to reduce the chance of us seeking help for the condition. A sense of hopelessness often pervades everything you do - "what's the point of going to my doctor and talking about it? Nothing will change anyway". This too I can recount from personal experience.

So why am I writing this? A couple of things have prompted this post, and for me to take some small steps in trying to put this issue on the agenda for our profession.
Recently, someone I know from our profession took their own life. I know that they had experienced depression in the past, and I guess (that's the best I can do in the circumstances) there was a connection between these two events. Some studies suggest that as many as 10%-15% of people who suffer from depression will commit suicide. That's a rather high mortality rate for any illness. And I didn't want that to happen again, at least without doing what I could to try and stop it happening.

After WE05, and speaking about this with a number of people at the conference, I had more or less decided it was time to do something, when (on a selfish note) the issue with insurance I mentioned above occurred. On a personal level, a man with a young family, looking to provide for them regardless what might happen to me, this is distressing, and something I will fight to rectify. But from a societal point of view this is a disaster - a deliberate, discriminatory decision (based on essentially no real knowledge of my particular circumstances) which means people may well avoid treatment in order to secure insurance, or be punished for taking responsibility for their mental health. A little digging around since this happened to me leads me to suspect that certainly in Australia, "Insurance" companies (shudder quotes used advisedly) simply deny any income protection to anyone who applies, should they "admit" to a history of depression. I'd be surprised if that wasn't the case elsewhere too.
This further stigmatizes and excludes people with depression, particularly those who have the courage to address their condition.

This nasty little episode reinforced just how marginalized the issue of depression really is, and was the final straw. Enough I said to myself.

But what to do?

First, it is ignorance that does the damage. Ignorance of what depression is, how it effects people, how the person next to you, or you yourself might suffer from it, and never know. Ignorance that blames people with an illness for being weak, or lazy, or in some way responsible for their condition.

This ignorance needs to be dispelled.

And with better understanding, hopefully the marginalizing, discriminatory attitudes and practices, as much ours as individuals, as those of institutions like insurance companies, will simply no longer make any sense, in the same way other discriminatory practices, against people on the base of their gender, sexuality, ethnicity, are, to some extent, on the wane.

When you suffer from depression, you'll most likely be told by at least some people to "pick yourself up" or "get over it". But that makes as much sense as telling someone with a broken leg to just get over it, once you understand that depression is an illness, a condition of the body, just like any other illness.
There are those who deny even the existence of depression. Claim it is some epidemic of self indulgence by the affluent western middle classes. Again, something founded in ignorance.

What do you really know about depression?
I can almost guarantee that unless you have suffered from it, or known someone very close to you who has, or studied depression professionally, your knowledge will be almost completely wrong. It is something so riddled with misapprehensions, clouded by judgmental thinking, that unless you are forced to rethink years of accumulated assumptions, you simply can't have a clear understanding of it.

Who do you know who has or has suffered from depression? Even if you think "no one", you are almost certainly wrong.

It's also important for people to understand that depression can be treated, and that if you suffer from it, you will feel profoundly better because of that treatment. Not necessarily in a day or week, but in a reasonable time frame. There are many different treatments, depending on the kind of depression, its duration and depth, and which treatment is best for you will very much depend on you and your circumstances. This may involve a drug, something which is greatly stigmatized in our society, partly because of the side effects often associated with first generation "tri-cyclic" anti-depressants. But drugs are not necessarily the treatment you'll receive.

If you are suffering from depression, or feel you might be, and have a good general practitioner (GP), someone you put your faith in, then simply go and speak with them. They won't judge you. You will look back one day on it as one of the best things you ever did. If you don't have that kind of GP, seek one out. Perhaps a friend might recommend a doctor they trust. Perhaps at one of the forums where people discuss depression you might find a recommendation for someone local to you.
But put aside any preconceptions you have, about the nature of the treatment, and its outcomes, they are very likely to mislead you.

If you believe someone you know well may be suffering from depression, then it can be very difficult to help them help themselves. If you are very close to them, their wife, husband, partner, parent, sibling, then it might be an idea to see your GP alone and discuss it with them. They may help with strategies for getting your loved one into some form of treatment. Certainly, forcing someone into treatment is often counter productive.
As the partner of someone suffering from depression, there is also some chance that you too will be effected by depression. It is an extremely stressful event in itself, and whatever stresses your partner is going through, you are likely to be feeling to some extent too. Don't ignore your own health. Often the first step in helping someone else is to help ourselves.

This is only the smallest step, and perhaps the only one I am qualified to take, to put this on the agenda as a profoundly important issue for us as a profession.

There are also many online resources to help you understand depression, how it effects people, what triggers it, the different treatments available. There are sites where you can self assess to see whether you might have a propensity toward depression, or whether you have or even perhaps presently are suffering from a depressive episode.
You can also find forums for discussing depression, as a sufferer, or as someone close to someone suffering.

The day I realized that I was not alone, that what I felt many others do too, was a very important day in my life. I had felt so alone before that.

Regardless of how you feel right now, do take a look at some of these sites, do try to learn more about depression. The odds that you, or someone close to you, will suffer from depression are high.
Rather than you or them suffering longer than is necessary from ignorance, be in the position to stop it happening before it starts, or to recognize it early, which will usually reduce the severity and length of an episode.

My best wishes to you in your efforts. Know that you aren't alone, and that there is hope.

John

Resources

General Sites about depression
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?link_id=1.3 (Not for Profit organization in Australia)
http://www.depression.com/ (associated with Pharmaceutical company Glaxo Smith Kline)
http://depression.about.com/ Comprehensive links about depression, diagnosis, treatment and much more
http://depressionet.com.au
http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_depression

Symptoms, signs and causes
http://www.patienthealthinternational.com/article/501583.aspx
http://www.thedoctorwillseeyounow.com/articles/behavior/depressn_5/
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Demystifying_Depression (detailed if somewhat controversial ideas of Depression, worth a read)

Self Testing (better for understanding depression rather than a definitive diagnosis)
http://www.healthyplace.com/site/tests/psychological.asp#depression
http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/surveys/Temperament/index.html

Forums, and places to discuss
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?link_id=61
http://depression.about.com/mpboards.htm

IT and Depression
http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/05/18/1357256&tid=191&tid=95&tid=4

Some sites about Drugs and Depression
http://www.biopsychiatry.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_depression#Medication
http://www.wingofmadness.com/links/medica.htm

Helping someone with depression
http://depressionet.com.au/famfr/wtd.html

Please add any resources you think are valuable as comments

thanks

j