Mental health may not be a new topic, but it’s certainly a hot one – especially when it comes to the mental health of employees. Their state of mental health is driven by negative outcome parameters such as workplace stress, long-term absence from work and the overall impact it has on their whole health. Mental health is ranked the most important pillar of whole health, according to our 360 Well-being Survey. In addition, 40 per cent of employees are looking for mental health support from their employer, yet only 24 per cent of employers provide it. With prevention key to creating healthy behaviours to avoid mental health issues from occurring at all, it’s time for employers to take action.
Mental health is widely spoken about but do we really understand it? Let’s take it back to basics to fully appreciate what is meant by mental health.
It does not matter who we are, or what stage we are in life – from childhood to adulthood, our mental health helps us manage stress, change, life’s challenges and to help us make decisions and informed choices. Mental health can affect our emotions, thoughts and behaviours and, if unmanaged, can even manifest into physical symptoms – from unexplained aches and pains to weight loss/weight gain and fatigue, amongst others.
Unfortunately, there’s no on and off switch for mental health and it is more than just the absence of negative emotions. Mental health is a vast range of wellbeing possibilities from feeling really well, where resilience is high and pro-active healthy behaviours exist, to mental ill health where low resilience, depression, anxiety and more are present. Different risk factors can put a strain on mental health – finances, physical health, home life, family and work. And, since no two people are the same, levels of resilience and coping mechanisms vary from person to person. Meaning, what works well for one person in managing their mental health, will be completely different for someone else.
With all of these contributing factors, it can be challenging to truly understand the impact that all states of mental well-being have, not just on our physical health, but also our overall whole health.
Even with mental health being widely discussed in the media and with high-profile ambassadors across the globe, mental health conditions and opening up about emotional wellbeing, unfortunately still have an unwanted stigma attached. False beliefs about mental health can cause significant problems for anyone who is already trying to manage and live with a mental health concern. The lack of understanding from friends, family and co-workers can make someone feel like they don’t have a support network and left feeling reluctant to speak out or seek help or treatment. This is a spiralling situation which only causes more anxiety, further contributing to existing mental health worries.
This lack of understanding and reluctance to access treatment gives more opportunity for physical symptoms of poor mental health to manifest. Mental and physical problems often co-occur and can strongly influence each other. Physical health problems significantly increase the risk of developing mental health problems, and vice versa. Yet traditionally both physical and mental health are treated separately.
When this happens, it can result in sub-optimal care and can cause numerous disadvantages for those living with mental health issues, leading to wider social and environmental determinants of poor health, including poverty, unemployment, homelessness and incarceration, stigma, discrimination, social isolation and exclusion, increased behaviours that pose a risk to health such as smoking and poor diet and a lack of support to access health and preventative care. It can also result in physical symptoms being overlooked and considered part of an existing mental health diagnosis.
There’s a need for a more integrated approach when it comes to looking after mental and physical health. It begins with helping people recognise the value of healthcare solutions and at the same time, empowering them with the right tools to help address the many stressors that occur in their immediate environment and to improve their overall health and wellbeing.
Workplace wellbeing offerings have moved on from a ‘nice to have’ employee benefit. It is a business imperative and is rapidly becoming a boardroom conversation. Looking after mental health is a critical component of any drive to improve whole health in the workplace.