By Jaya Koilpillai Bohlmann, MA, MSMOB, APR, ACC
The recent suicides of celebrities like Robin Williams, Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain are poignant reminders that mental health in the workplace is a serious issue. Up to 60% of employees experience mental health issues (https://wellbeing.bitc.org.uk/all-resources/research-articles/mental-health-work-report-2017) and 43.8 million American adults suffer from a diagnosable mental health condition (https://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/NAMI-Media/Infographics/GeneralMHFacts.pdf).
This is sad and troubling because we have to be mentally healthy in order to experience wellbeing.
The most common signs of mental health are:
· Resilience (the ability to bounce back after disappointments or rejection)
· Managing stress effectively
· Owning and atoning for mistakes
· Mindfulness, including identifying and dealing with emotions
· Engagement in fun (hobbies, interests)
· Having positive social interactions, including maintaining healthy intimate relationships
· Kindness to yourself
· Getting help and support when needed
If you or your coworkers are experiencing any of the following, it could be time to seek help.
· Sudden or gradual changes in the way that someone typically behaves.
· Uncharacteristic anger, anxiety, agitation, or moodiness, including more frequent temper outbursts or trouble calming down.
· Withdrawal from or discomfort in social situations.
· Diminishment of self care, poor judgement or engaging in risky behavior.
· Signs of extreme hopelessness or of being overwhelmed by circumstances.
Stay tuned for my next blog posts in this Workplace Wellbeing series.
What ideas do you have for addressing the issue in this article? Let us know on Twitter #PRHACK.
