I think I know the answer to this already but WWYD?

[OrmIrian]

Colleague of mine suffers from long-term depression. He is on anti-Ds almost permanently. I know about it because he knows I have taken them too and we get together to compare scars as it were. No-one else knows. ATM he seems to be heading for meltdown - had a stand up row with someone in the office this morning. Has already been given a verbal warning about his work. I keep hearing less than kind comments from others about how he isn't pulling his weight.

Is there anything I can do? I ran into him in the kitchen and asked if he was OK but he just shrugged and walked out. Feel so bad. Cos I've been there but only rarely. He deals with this on and off permanently.

Could you maybe suggest you go for a coffee together off-site? Let him off-load a bit, offer to be an ear, ask if there's anything you can do?

Thanks flowery. I could try. He's a bit stand-offish at the moment TBH. Which seems to be the way he deals with things when they get really bad. I've been there and have nearly walked out of a job I could ill afford to lose.

I do wonder if he needs to tell HR. I know he hasn't assuming that people would be less than supportive.

He does need to tell HR really yes, to get the support he needs or at least to get it on the record somewheren. That's the kind of suggestion you could make best in those kind of circumstances, when you are both removed from the situation and it is likely to be taken the right way.

Tricky though. I expect just being reminded that you know what he's going through and are there if he needs an ear will help a bit.