Mental Health Effecting Your Work

    For many years, mental health has been a challenge for many individuals.  However, it was rarely discussed, and some people felt ashamed or embarrassed to admit they had a mental illness or refused to seek help.  Others couldn't afford to miss work, or their employers wouldn't allow them time off for therapy.  Both employees and employers often didn't realize how much mental illness can impact someone's work.  This article will explain the importance of getting help and introduce a treatment that might work for you.

    In today's fast-paced and demanding work environments, the intersection of mental health and professional performance is increasingly recognized as pivotal to individual well-being and organizational success.  Mental health influences not only personal happiness but also productivity, job satisfaction, and overall workplace dynamics.  As such, understanding the implications of mental health on one's ability to work effectively has become a critical area of study and concern.  It's important to remember that mental health is a widespread issue that can affect anyone.

    Poor mental health can affect an employee negatively by 1) Job performance and productivity, 2) Engagement with one's work, 3) Communication with coworkers, and 4) Physical capability and daily functioning.  Lack of adequate support for mental disorders and other mental health conditions can diminish a person's workplace confidence and sense of identity, impair their ability to work efficiently, increase absenteeism, and hinder their prospects for job retention or advancement.

    Extended work hours, inadequate staffing, insufficient support, and workplace harassment can escalate stress levels and contribute to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and substance use.  By addressing mental health issues in the workplace, employers can lower healthcare costs for both their businesses and employees.

    Disregarding initial indicators of an issue won't resolve it. Instead, it tends to exacerbate over time, increasing susceptibility to illnesses and other health issues, leading to burnout, and adversely affecting job performance, relationships, and home life.  If you recognize several of the symptoms described below, whether in yourself, a colleague at work, or an employee, it may be a sign that seeking assistance is necessary:

    1) Decrease in your work performance.  Difficulty carrying out your daily responsibilities at work as well as at home or in social situations.

    2) Concentrating on cognitive challenges.  You may find it hard to stay focused on tasks or experience issues with memory, thinking, or changes in speech patterns

    3) Changes in appetite or sleep patterns.  This can manifest as insomnia, excessive sleeping, sudden shifts in eating habits, or an increased reliance on drugs and alcohol as coping mechanisms.

    4) Shifts in mood.  You might feel hopeless, helpless, anxious, or notice unexpected mood swings, and in severe cases, thoughts of suicide.

    5) Decrease interest in activities. You may lose enthusiasm for work task you once enjoyed abandon hobbies that were once fulfilling or withdraw from social interactions and friendships.

    6) Feeling of fear or anxiety.  You may become excessively suspicious of others in professional or social settings or experience sudden nervousness and apprehension in specific situations.

    7) Heightened sensitivity.  You may find yourself more reactive to sights and sounds, and actively seek to avoid situations that feel overstimulating.

    8) Abnormal behavior.  You might feel detached from your surroundings, display unusual or out of character behavior or perceive things that are not based in reality, such as seeing or hearing things that aren't there

    9) Unexplained aches and pains, such as headaches, upset stomach, or muscle pain

    Evidence-based treatment methods, such as talk therapy and psychiatric medications, can help individuals with mental health disorders alleviate their symptoms and enhance their overall well-being.

    Outpatient treatment programs are specifically designed to fit into your daily life, enabling you to continue working and living at home while receiving the necessary treatment.  Unlike inpatient programs that require a residential stay, outpatient programs offer treatment services during the day or evening, allowing you to continue working while attending treatment.  Maintaining steady employment while receiving outpatient treatment helps establish a structured daily routine.  Outpatient treatment programs offer considerable flexibility, allowing individuals to schedule therapy sessions around their work commitments.  This ensures that patients do not have to choose between their careers and attending treatment, increasing the likelihood that they will remain in therapy for the recommended duration.  Many outpatient programs include group therapy sessions where individuals can connect with others in similar situations.  Networking with peers who are also balancing treatment and employment can provide essential emotional support and motivation.  Untreated mental illness can result in the following:

    1) Disability

    2) Unemployment

    3) Substance abuse

    4) Homelessness

    5) Inappropriate Incarceration

    6) Suicide

    The workplace can present substantial triggers that may threaten treatment.  Ongoing exposure to these triggers without effective coping strategies can increase the likelihood of relapse.  Being transparent with your employer about your treatment needs can result in adjustments that accommodate your therapy sessions and medical appointment.  Examples are flexible schedules, or the ability to work from home on certain days to attend counseling sessions. Check with your employee to see if they offer an employee assistance program.  It could also be known as EAP.

    In affluent communities, there is often a wider availability of illicit and recreational drugs, along with a culture that may normalize or even glamorize their use.  Wealth can sometimes create a sense of invulnerability or the belief that financial resources can offset the consequences of drug use.  Combining a work routine with regular treatment sessions can reinforce healthy habit and reduce the unpredictability that often leads to relapse.

    By taking these steps, we cna make the workplace environment that not only supports the mental health of employees but also enhances overall organizational success.