About 4.7 million people in the UK are living with depression, according to the Depression Alliance, and just this summer figures released by theHealth and Social Care Information Centre showed that prescriptions for antidepressants had topped 50m a year for the first time.
Despite this, depression is frequently misunderstood. And no wonder: causes are seldom straightforward, ranging from inherent chemical imbalance to life circumstances, while symptoms can be both emotional, such as a sense of hopelessness or an inability to feel joy (or indeed anything), and physical, including sleeplessness, weight loss/gain, and chronic fatigue.
Mental health issues carry a stigma and can be tough to talk about, especially at work. In a 2008 study by the Depression Alliance, 79% of respondents felt that disclosing their illness to colleagues could be detrimental to them. Working from home, it is very rare that I have to try and explain my illness to anyone, least of all a boss who can't quite comprehend why my productivity has taken a nosedive despite the fact I'm not coughing or running a temperature.
But perhaps the most precious advantage of all is the flexibility that comes with working for yourself. As a freelancer I am in control of what I do and when. Even knowing that I have this choice can avert the sense of panic and paralysis that the thought of having to go into an office would bring.
Eve Menezes Cunningham, who runs the Feel Better Every Day consultancy on a self-employed basis, has experienced not only depression but also anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. She says the flexibility of working freelance has transformed her life.
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