Our brains are so hushed and efficient in our everyday activities, that it’s okay then for us to always miss what an extraordinary achievement it is to be mentally well. A healthy mind continually performs an almost miraculous set of maneuvers that substructure our frame of mind for common sense and purpose. Mental health is based on our cognitive and emotional well-being, it’s as important as our physical health, we can always think about our mental health as existing on some sort of a continuum rather than being mentally ill or well. Various coinciding factors are taken into consideration when thinking about our mental health which are our upbringing, genetic makeup, life circumstances, and the pressure that we are under at given times in our lives.
The World Health Organization has described mental health as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his/her potential and can cope with the normal stress of life, work productively, and fruitfully, and can make a meaningful contribution to his/her community. A healthy mind is to edit, an organ that should sieve from myriads of disconcerting, horrifying, dramatic thoughts and ideas, those of which have particular sensations that will normally be entertained to make easy the effective direction of our lives. National Alliance on Mental Illness has defined mental illness as a condition that affects a person’s thinking, feeling, or, mood for a sustained period that negatively impacts them. Some common mental health issues are depression, anxiety disorder, mood disorders, impulse control, and addiction disorder, eating disorder, Bipolar disorder, personality disorder, post-traumatic disorder, etcetera.
Punitive and critical judgments at bay, unhealthy minds swim in the pool of comparisons and it constantly allows achievements and successes of other people to throw us off course and reduce us to a state of bitter inadequacy. Having to continually torture yourself by constantly comparing yourself to people who have had very different trajectories and upbringings could poison our thoughts and introduce ‘trash behavior’ in interactions with others. A well-functioning mind can recognize the futility and cruelty of constantly finding faults with one’s nature, a healthy mind keeps a strong grip on the faucets of fear knowing that in reality, there’s an endless list of things to worry about having a good sense of what could conceivably happen and what is likely, leaving us at peace as regards the wider eventualities of fate.
The World Health Organization estimates that globally, one (1) out of every four (4) people will be impacted by poor mental health or mental illness at some point in their lives, 350million or more suffer from depression, and each year 800,000 people take their own lives. Reports say that suicide is the second highest cause of death among 15-29-year-olds. The percentages are especially high among young women and girls and it also states that 9 out of 10 people with mental health conditions experience stigma and discrimination. Other reports opine that poor mental health costs the world economy an estimated 2.5 trillion dollars a year in reduced economic productivity and physical ill-health, and this will rise to 6 trillion dollars by 2030, alongside social costs, poverty, homelessness, and crime.
Once we got a degree we ‘moved hell’ to get a job and I think it’s safe to say that for most of our adult lives we have been working, and we spend the most productive hours of our day at work. Our working environments have also changed from what was ideal a few years ago, new technologies in communication and increased access to the internet have enabled us to work outside the workplace at pretty much any time of the day or night. Increasing competition from around the world has led to more pressure for cost efficiencies and higher productivity, moving between organizations and even industries is now commonplace. The extent of change can, however, when coupled with working environments that don’t take account of people’s mental well-being, lead to physical and mental health problems, harmful use of alcohol or other substances, absenteeism, and lost productivity altogether.
Many factors come to play in the mental health of employees. Organizational issues such as poor communication, management practices, limited participation in decision-making, long or inflexible working hours, and lack of team cohesion. Psychological harassment is a well-known cause of work-related stress and mental health problems. Working environments where rapid, life-saving decisions need to be made, for example by first responders in emergencies, also come with their challenges. Working in a negative environment filled with toxic people can have the opposite effect and take a heavy toll on your emotional health, understaffing, lack of support and harassment in the workplace can ramp up your stress levels and contribute to mental health problems too.
Just as work can impact your mental health, so too, your mental health can affect your work, impacting your job performance and productivity. Recent estimates suggest mental health issues cost the global economy $1 trillion annually in lost productivity, absenteeism, and staff turnover. For most, a lot about the work environment remains outside our control. The culture at work is established by those in senior positions and it is often difficult to speak out without fear of judgment or risking your job. Very often employees can manage their mental health issues well through therapy, medication, and self-help strategies, and don’t require any additional support in the workplace (i.e. they maintain good mental wellbeing and work performance). However, sometimes poor mental health can contribute to difficulties at work, and employees need additional support and input to ensure they can maintain their mental well-being and performance.
A heavy workload could cause employee burnout. Burnout, or exhaustion, is a common cause of mental health problems in the workplace which can be a major barrier to making meaningful contributions in your personal and professional life and this can mean losses or lessened profits for the employer too. Many companies who care, dedicate a budget to helping their employees take care of their mental health. The constant pressure to make more money eventually affects your mental health. When employees are underpaid and overworked, mental conditions like anxiety and depression are more likely to happen. Mental health is still a delicate topic for many and not many people are comfortable speaking up about their struggles with co-workers. The economic and socio-political situation in Nigeria and the world over makes it difficult and sums into the double burden of stress on most workers today, inflation coupled with less pay makes an alarming number of workers ‘working poor’ thereby taking a very unhealthy toll on their mental health.
Employers running an open door policy and also having human conversations with employees every once in a while will help them understand the amount of help that their workers might need to be able to provide them. There is a well-researched set of factors that can contribute to poor mental wellbeing at work (work demands, relationships, sense of control, role clarity, support, and change) and as an employer, it’s important to understand and manage these factors so far as possible to reduce the likelihood of work being a contributory factor in mental wellbeing issues. Look out for changes in those you manage. Periods of poor mental well-being are not always immediately obvious, but if you know what is typical behavior for your employees, then it’s easier to spot changes early on. For example, you may notice someone become upset, withdrawn, or distracted, start to produce poor quality work, or experience difficulties with relationships at work. Typically, changes in mental well-being can result in physical, emotional, cognitive (i.e. changes in thinking and decision making), and behavioral signs. Changes that are prolonged should prompt a conversation.
Mental health self-assessment tools should be made accessible to the staff in organizations and there should constantly be free or subsidized clinical screenings for depression from a qualified mental health professional, followed by directed feedback and clinical referral when appropriate. Provide free or subsidized lifestyle coaching, counseling, or self-management programs. Organizations should host seminars or workshops that address depression and stress management techniques, like mindfulness, breathing exercises, and meditation, to help employees reduce anxiety and stress and improve focus and motivation. Give employees opportunities to participate in decisions about issues that affect job stress and increase pay with high consideration of the economic situation and the times.
By Halima Imam and Andrew Agbogun
[email protected] / [email protected]
