The Silent Mental Health Epidemic

What if the next global health crisis is a mental health pandemic? It is here now. According to Gallup, anger, stress, worry and sadness have been on the rise globally for the past decade -- long before the COVID-19 pandemic -- and all reached record highs in 2020.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 41.5% of U.S. adults exhibited symptoms of anxiety or depression in early 2021. Globally, seven in 10 people report that they are struggling or suffering, according to Gallup.

Anxiety and depression disorders manifest in very different ways than physical illness does. While they can debilitate the individual, anxiety and depression disorders also can debilitate teams, families, schools and all institutions around them.

Anxiety and depression can destroy ideas, energy and eventually the economy -- and especially small businesses, which is where almost 50% of us are employed. Yet these aren't taken as seriously as physical wellbeing because we understand physical problems so much better than mental problems.

Mental wellbeing remains a medical blind spot compared with physical wellbeing, and mental health is a topic that affects virtually everybody, whether you have been afflicted personally, you have family or friends who are living with mental illness or you are working alongside somebody who is impacted. And remember — mental health isn’t discerning; it can affect anybody regardless of age, gender, nationality, wealth or career.

Sheltering during COVID-19; daily fear of job loss; daily fear of a compromised loved one dying from COVID-19; kids at home in "remote school" whose learning is set back while they're also cut off from friends; dramatic changes in how and where work is done -- and the big one, unimaginable anxiety from not knowing what comes next -- all of these create a health injury as or more serious than the virus.

What if pandemic anxiety and depression change the culture of humankind more than COVID-19 has? It is now. It doesn't make the news because the definition and measurement of anxiety and depression have such fuzzy edges compared with the absolute diagnoses of COVID-19 and other diseases.

What Leaders Can Do: Awareness and Prevention

1. Normalize the conversation around mental health
Stigmas come from misguided views, misconceptions and stereotypes. In the case of mental health, one end of the spectrum often portrays people with mental illness as violent and dangerous while the other end dismisses the behaviour as attention-seeking. The negative connotations associated with these (incorrect) ideas can lead to prejudice or discriminating behaviours, be detrimental to mental well-being and prevent individuals from seeking help. As a leader, you can set the precedent for removing problematic words and phrases from your vocabulary and embodying positive mental health language.

A second aspect of normalizing the conversation is to create a culture of psychological safety, where people feel comfortable discussing various aspects of mental wellness. Engage in open dialogues around mental health challenges, and if you feel comfortable, share your own experiences.

2. Lend an ear… and some support
It can be easy to get wrapped up in the demands of work and deadlines, especially in a remote environment where the lines between work life and personal life are so easily blurred. I’ve found that one of the best ways to connect with my teammates is to reach out and check in by asking three simple words: “How’s it going?” If you’re already aware of somebody’s struggles or challenges, without prying into personal details, you can ask, “How can I support you?” These types of open-ended questions are about providing an opportunity for people to speak up or ask for help and letting them know that somebody cares.

3. Raise awareness of resources
Education and awareness are critical factors in changing attitudes toward mental health and encouraging employees to leverage the resources that they may or may not know even exist. Consider spearheading a workgroup that strategically develops and promotes mental health programs. Share information about support groups, services and tools that are available to employees. Host or moderate a seminar or workshop on a wellness topic that you have experience with.

4. Model the behaviour
As a leader in the company, you are responsible for setting precedents around how mental health is discussed, managed and accepted in your workplace. Be mindful of what you say and how you say it. Acknowledge the challenges that employees are facing, and be flexible with work hours and taking mental health days. Model a healthy work-life balance and share with your team how you make time for your leisure activities, personal interests and family obligations. And especially with the prevalence of “Zoom fatigue” in the remote world we currently find ourselves in, you can encourage your colleagues to build some down-time into their day — take a walk, play fetch with the dog, grab a cup of coffee. Employees look to their leaders for inspiration and guidance, so that top-down support is key in mental wellness initiatives.

Mental health is a serious issue, and addressing it in the workplace needs to be a strategic priority. As leaders, the steps outlined above can really make a difference: Your company may be able to increase employee engagement, retention and productivity; your team may experience a deeper sense of community and belonging; and you may even save a life.

© Forbes and Gallup

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