“It’s Important to Step Off the Pace of Others”

When you have depression, your work processing speed inevitably slows down.

I took about six months off work due to illness before returning, but for a while after my return to the workplace, I struggled to keep up with everyone else’s pace.

My health was unstable, and sudden absences made me worry about burdening my colleagues, which made me feel worse and delayed my recovery.

By chance, the hospital I was attending had a rehabilitation program that offered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

They called it CBT, and it was held once a week.

It was a chance to talk with others who had the same illness about what happened the previous week, how we felt about it, what other perspectives we could consider, and what we could have done differently.

During one session, I shared that even after returning to work, I couldn’t perform like I used to, couldn’t keep up with the pace, and was really struggling.

Then, a veteran with depression told me, “It’s important to step off the pace of others.”

For someone like me, who thought keeping up with everyone else was the top priority, those words were incredibly shocking.

But hearing them made me feel lighter, realizing I could adjust my work pace to my own timing.

The word “step off” especially stuck with me.

When I’m feeling good, I can keep up with the pace. When it’s tough, I can step off. And it’s okay to step off anytime.

Realizing that I’m the one who decides whether to step off completely changed my way of thinking.

※This article is a personal depression story. The content is solely based on personal experience and is not medical advice. Consult a doctor for professional advice.