Do you see what I see?
In a world where there’s so much going on, there’s no doubt it’s hard to see what and how people are truly feeling.
World Mental Health Day is a day for all of us to come together. A giant global invitation on October 10th to raise awareness and make a #MentalHealthPromise. Mental illness doesn’t discriminate, so it’s up to us all to acknowledge its presence and to help build a universal support system — after all, everyone can help create a mentally healthy society.
Mental health at work
Speaking of a universal support system, how well do you know your teammates at work? Did you know one in five Australians (21%) [1] have taken time off work in the past year because they felt mentally unhealthy? Most probably, one of your colleagues is dealing with mental illness but not seeking help.
Looking out for one another
Maybe you’ve come to work and couldn’t shake the feeling yourself? What you could have said during that big meeting. Or when you’re lying in bed planning what you have to do the next week? Or if a customer made you feel uncomfortable, making you feel unsafe at work.
Large or small scale, even if it doesn’t come home with you, our experiences in the workplace influence your mental health. There are countless reasons how mental health can affect people in the workplace. Some of these might be:
- Stress
- Harassment
- Conflict resolution
- Workload
Know who your support network is
We support and educate each other through our differences — everyone comes to work from different backgrounds and journeys. Belong’s mental health program supports its people in as many ways as possible, no matter where they are on their mental health journey.
To help Belong team members, we’ve had a go at creating the ‘BE WELL’ support program which staff can participate in different ways that suit them. From group mindfulness workshops, mental health first aid training and more ways to get support on the way.
Workplaces usually offer support in different ways, have a chat with someone at work to find out what’s at your workplace like an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Even if your work doesn’t offer any extra support, there are a tonne of free resources — try getting started at BeyondBlue or Lifeline.
You might not realise, but you could already be a support person for someone at work. So on October 10th, bear this in mind, do you see what I see? Let’s break the stigma, talk about what we see and make a #MentalHealthPromise.
Reference: [1]State of Workplace Mental Health in Australia report — 2014 — Heads Up- http://bit.ly/headsup-ref
