Identifying Anxiety Signs & Depression in Other People Training

This is a very practical anxiety spotting course. People can hide their levels of anxiety and depression. The course also gives participants strategies on what they can do. The course content was put together by an organisational psychologist and a team of SMEs.

Managing anxiety in the workplace training helps spot some common signs of anxiety. Spotting depression in the workplace is also a very useful skill to have. Depression and anxiety present in different ways to different people, but there are some common signs. If you spot the signs, then you can pass your concerns to human resources. So you don’t need to be an expert but vigilant.

“Anxiety can feel as huge as the big, blue sea, but remember that the sea is made up of smaller waves” – Kellie J Holly

If you know Stephen Fry, the British comedian, you’ll know he’s had his mental health battles. But he’s an absolute gentleman. A lady “Crystal” wrote to him with her depression story and here’s his response. You’ll see how kind-hearted and insightful he is.

April 10th, 2006

Dear Crystal,

I’m so sorry to hear that life is getting you down at the moment. Goodness knows, it can be so tough when nothing seems to fit and little seems to be fulfilling. I’m not sure if there’s any specific advice I can give that will help bring life back to its savour. Although they mean well, it’s sometimes quite galling to be reminded how much people love you when you don’t love yourself that much.

I’ve found that it’s of some help to think of one’s moods and feelings about the world as being similar to weather.

Here are some obvious things about the weather:

It’s real.
You can’t change it by wishing it away.
If it’s dark and rainy, it really is dark and rainy, and you can’t alter it.
But nor is it your fault that it’s dark and rainy, and it might be dark and rainy for two weeks in a row.

BUT

It will be sunny one day.
It isn’t under one’s control as to when the sun comes out, but come out it will.
One day.

It really is the same with one’s moods, I think. The wrong approach is to believe that they are illusions. They are real. Depression, anxiety, listlessness—these are as real as the weather—AND EQUALLY NOT UNDER ONE’S CONTROL. No one’s fault. Not yours.

BUT

They will pass: they really will.

In the same way that one has to accept the weather, so one has to accept how one feels about life sometimes. “Today’s a crap day,” is a perfectly realistic approach. It’s all about finding a kind of mental umbrella. “Hey-ho, it’s raining inside: it isn’t my fault and there’s nothing I can do about it, but sit it out. But the sun may well come out tomorrow, and when it does, I shall take full advantage.”

I don’t know if any of that is of any use: it may not seem it, and if so, I’m sorry. I just thought I’d drop you a line to wish you well in your search to find a little more pleasure and purpose in life.

Very best wishes,
Stephen Fry