What To Do When You Can’t Talk About Mental Health In Your Career
In recent years, mental health has generally become a more acceptable topic to discuss. More people have realized that their mental state is just as important as their physical health.
But that doesn’t mean it’s accepted everywhere. Unfortunately, stigma is still surrounding mental health. Especially in certain industries, some will consider it completely off-limits. It’s a topic that is brushed underneath the rug by employers and employees alike. But what can you do if this applies to your industry and you or someone you work with is struggling with their mental health?
Talk To A Coworker You Trust
It’s almost a given that you’ll become friends with someone you work with. While your friendship may have started because of working together, you may find yourself getting closer to them outside of work.
If you find that you are closer to certain people at work that you talk to regularly, try to talk to them about mental health. Issues such as anxiety and depression are unfortunately on the rise in recent years. With world events and personal life stressors, there’s a chance that they’ll be going through something similar.
You certainly don’t have to divulge all of your struggles with mental health in the workplace. But talking to someone else in the industry who gets it can help you not feel so alone.
Start Breaking The Barriers
Part of the reason why mental health is stigmatized in certain industries is that no one wants to talk about it. This can be either from feeling as if they are alone in their struggle and that no one else could understand.
It’s time to start breaking these barriers. If you have the sense that someone you work with is more down lately, do a little check-in. You can find gentle ways to ask them if they are okay. You don’t have to specifically call out their mental health. But questions such as, “You seem a little off lately, is everything okay?” can go a long way.
Talk To HR
Sometimes, certain industries just won’t pay attention to mental health. Not because they don’t want to, but because they don’t realize it’s a problem that many in their company are struggling with.
It’s not a guarantee, but there’s no harm in talking to your human resources department. You can suggest wellness programs that could help people find ways to de-stress during the work day or after work. Even if your idea gets denied, at least you will know that you tried.
Find Ways To Help Everyone Feel Less Stressed
It’s common to feel overwhelmed at work. You are trying to balance your personal life with the demands that your career brings.
If you notice that your department or company is struggling with a certain workflow or time management, don’t be afraid to bring this up. There is always room for improving processes and having better management overall. With a few coworkers or management, brainstorm some ideas of ways you can improve certain aspects of internal operations.
Even If It’s Off-Limits In Your Industry, That Doesn’t Mean It Is In Your Personal Life
If you aren’t comfortable with talking to human resources or feel you aren’t in a position to suggest changes, that doesn’t mean everything is hopeless. There is always hope. Even if you can’t do much about it in your workplace, you still deserve to feel supported with your mental health.
Mental health may be taboo in your industry, but it doesn’t have to be in your life. Don’t be afraid to reach out to a therapist to begin discussing your struggles. Anxiety therapy or depression treatment can be a powerful tool that can help you transform your life. Contact us soon to get started.