Coping with Toxic Managers, Subordinates…and Other Difficult People

Chapter 24. Depression

Pessimistic, Exhausted, Irritable, Unhappy

A Common Problem Often Ignored

Depression is a very common and costly problem for business. The National Comorbidity Study found that each year 6.6 percent of people need treatment for depression. The number may well be higher among top executives as a result of their high levels of stress and insatiable drive to achieve. Only half obtain treatment, and most of these people are not adequately treated. Depression costs the economy $44 billion a year in lost productivity.

Depression has tremendous costs for the individual, the company, and society. Depression feels awful, decreases productivity, and impairs the morale of a manager's team. Depression also increases the risk of ...