What to do when the pressures build?
Depression, fame and fortune?
I was interviewed for an article in the Australian Financial Review on how the rich and famous may be more at risk of suffering from depression than other people.
The article was prompted by James Packer publicly disclosing that he struggles with depression. People are generally shocked when a high profile person shares a personal struggle that is common to other people. Depression effects 20 per cent of Australians in their lifetime.
My view is that depression doesn’t discriminate. Each person’s experience is different and the pressures are different for everyone.
The gist of this article was that high profile people might have more pressure and expectations placed on them, placing them at risk of depression. There are pressures associated with maintaining wealth and often an experience of isolation which contributes.
Getting space to reset the mind and body may be hard to achieve when you have a high public profile. The article raises some interesting points to think about.
Here is a link to the article: Depression, fame and fortune. Happy reading!
Tips on what to do when the pressures build
- Assess what the pressures are for you
- What makes those things worse? (others’ expectations or your own? Difficult personalities at work? Your boss’s leadership style? Workload?
- Are there some things you could do to address the things that make it worse?
- How do you reset? Program that in.
- Get help from a health care professional early on.
If you are experiencing depression and are concerned about what to do when the pressures build, it is advisable to seek help early and contact a mental health professional. Australian numbers are provided below.
Links to other articles by Linda Magson that may help
Depression, anxiety and stress are common
Other resources
Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
Lifeline 131114
Mensline 1300 78 99 78
Suicide callback service 1300 659 467