Wendy Zhang/ Shanghai Daily news

The pressure and stress of work has led to a growing number of white-collar employees suffering from melancholia, eastday.com reported today.
The year-end is usually the key period every year for an employee's performance to be evaluated, so a growing number of white-collar employees are suffering from the disease, said a psychiatrist who declined to be identified. "Many of my patients are financial managers, general managers of state-owned companies, accountants and salespeople, with an estimated 55 percent of employees in the advertising industry needing psychological help from professionals," the doctor said.
According to the International Labor Organization, melancholia has become the second largest reason for employees to lose their work-effectiveness, second only to cardio-vascular diseases. In the US, melancholia is the second most common reason for employees to ask for sick leave.
Patients should change their attitudes towards work, try to get on well with others and engage in more relaxing activities such as sports and socialising, while not taking-on too many responsibilities or staying alone frequently, said an industry analyst, adding that sufferers should not feel shy to ask for help from doctors.