Mental Health and You

This week, we're going to talk about a very critical subject, your mental health.  Each episode, I talk about subjects that can help you advance your career and understanding and addressing your mental health is an important one.  If you aren't able to be focused on your work because of things happening in your personal life, it's going to impact you.  So, let's take a look at what you can do about it.

First, I want to start by saying, no matter what anyone says, your health and your mental health are far more important than any work that you do.  It's kind of like the statement that when the oxygen masks come down in an airplane, you should put your mask on before helping anyone else.  It wouldn't do you or anyone else any good if you were unable to help them because you had passed out.  The same is true when it comes to your health and your mental health.  If you are facing personal stressors, it is better to address them than to ignore it and focus on work.

It is important to identify the signs of mental stress.  Denying that they exists can delay any treatment and likely find them compounding.  If you find your work performance falling off or if you have trouble concentrating on your work for an extended period of time, you may be experiencing mental stress.  Another sign could be changes in appetite or sleeping patterns.  Lastly, if you find yourself reacting strangely to normal situations -- overly aggressively, too lackadaisically, being touchy or sensitive -- these types of reactions can be because of how you bring your personal stressors into other aspects of your life.

If any of these signs apply to you I would recommend reaching out for help.  If available to you, professional help is going to be your best option.  Many companies have EAP programs - Employee Assistance Programs.  These programs offer counselling services to employees, often by phone so that they are available any time night or day.  These services can also refer you to local mental health professionals for in person session.  If your company does not offer an EAP program, there are still online websites that are fairly affordable and can serve the same role as an EAP program.  I have no affiliation with them and I do not know which countries they are available in, but a site like BetterHelp.com offers online counseling.  And if you find yourself having suicidal ideations, most countries have suicide hotlines that you can call -- for example in the US, you can call 988 from any phone at any time to talk to someone at the National Alliance on Mental Health who can help.  You can also reach out to the Crisis Text Line  at CrisisTextLine.org for issues other than suicide; they have local numbers in several countries including 741741 in the US.

After the initial assessment, your mental health professional will often work with you to establish strategies that will help you cope with whatever stress you are experiencing.  This could be something like mindfulness and meditation where you sit quietly, perform slow, steady breathing, and focus on the immediate.  For some, becoming more involved in religion can give them the focus they need to calm their mental state.  For others, vigorous exercise may be a way to alleviate stress.  There will also be instances where medication is suggested -- this is not a stigma, if there is a chemical imbalance in your body, often medications can help regulate them.  Regardless of the technique, it takes time; it doesn't have an immediate effect.

Once the root cause has been addressed, the next step is to address any triggers that may cause your stress levels to increase.  If the triggers are from aspects of your work, have an honest conversation with your leaders to try to change your assignments.  Remember, your health and mental health is the most important thing.  Taking on less stressful duties will ensure that you can continue to perform your best which is good for both you and your company.

Everyone faces stress and handles it differently.  If you find yourself in a situation where that stress is beyond what you can handle on your own, reach out for help.  Personal health, including mental health, is important.