9 in 10 depressed workers prefer to suffer in silence than confide in colleagues

A new research has found that almost nine out of 10 people living with depression would rather "suffer in silence" than confide in their work colleagues, as they fear that revealing their problem will harm their career prospects.

The study, 'The Elephant in the Boardroom: Getting Mentally Fit for Work', which surveyed more than 4000 Australians with depression and stress disorders, found that 89 per cent believed the stigma in the workplace could be reduced if mental health disorders were given the same care and compassion as physical illnesses, News.com.au reported.

About 79 per cent of the respondents said that they wanted to see a mental health policy in place which listed all employees' rights and prohibited an organisation from discriminating against someone with a mental illness.

Study author Graeme Cowen said that having emotional support in office is the most important thing and having a support system across the workforce can help a worker.

Meanwhile, he warned that employees risked making the situation worse for themselves by remaining silent, as managers could mistake their symptoms for laziness or incompetence.

The study will be presented at the National ComCare Conference in Canberra.