Depression Disorders

Depression is often what develops in the background of another claim — after a physical injury limits what you can do, after months of hostile treatment, or after chronic pain wears down more than just your body. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is the clinical name most often used, but whether it's listed as MDD or 'depression,' the diagnosis and the treatment path are the same.

What tends to lead to it

• A physical injury that limits your ability to work your usual route or duties
• Chronic pain that doesn't let up
• Prolonged hostile treatment from a supervisor or coworkers
• Isolation after being reassigned, restricted, or taken off your normal route
• The stress and uncertainty of a drawn-out workers' comp claim itself

How it shows up day to day

• A persistent low mood or sense of heaviness that doesn't lift
• Losing interest in things — the job, hobbies, people — that used to matter to you
• Fatigue that sleep doesn't fix
• Changes in appetite or sleep, in either direction
• Trouble concentrating, or a sense that you're not 'all there' anymore
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt that don't match the situation

Getting it recognized as an OWCP-accepted condition

Depression is frequently accepted as a consequential condition — meaning it developed as a result of an already-accepted physical injury or another accepted psychiatric condition — but it can also be evaluated and claimed on its own when tied clearly to your work environment. Either way, the evaluation needs to draw a clear line from your working conditions to your current symptoms.

Treatment through our practice

Once accepted, ongoing telehealth counseling is billed directly through OWCP. Depending on severity, sessions may focus on rebuilding daily structure and motivation, addressing the specific losses tied to your injury or claim, and coordinating with your physical treatment if chronic pain is part of the picture.