Mental Illness at Work: Don’t Ignore It
Mental illness is often overlooked and ignored, often due to social stigmas to even admit you are dealing with one. Not getting the help needed can lead to worsening mental illness symptoms and feeling even more anxious, depressed, and isolated. Knowing what mental illness is and how it can affect you can help you seek out treatment. Your mental health should be a priority throughout your life because it can impact your overall wellbeing, physical health, and your work life. Some signs of mental health issues include:
- Extreme mood swings
- Excessive worries or fears
- Inability to cope with daily stress
- Detachment from reality (delusions), hallucinations, or paranoia
- Excessive anger, hostility, or violence
- Feeling sad or down
- Inability to concentrate or confused thinking
- Withdrawal from friends and activities
- Sleep problems and fatigue
- Major changes in eating habits
- Suicidal thinking
Feeling apprehensive about your work finding out about your mental health issues is normal. For most of us, it can be easier to put on a facade and pretend that everything’s okay. However, struggling with mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and PTSD can greatly affect your personal and work life. If you are not taking care of your mental health, your work will eventually be affected. Mental health disorders that go untreated can lead to:
- Social isolation
- Family conflicts
- Relationship difficulties
- Problems with substance abuse
- Missed work or school
- Lowered performance at work or school
- Legal and financial issues
- Self-harm or harm to others, including substance abuse and addiction
- Unhappiness and overall dissatisfaction with life
- Weakened immune system
- Heart disease and other medical conditions
While you may feel alone and sometimes even embarrassed admitting you are mentally struggling, taking care of your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Getting appropriate mental health treatment and implementing self-care techniques can help you improve your physical, emotional, personal, and work life greatly.
Click here for job protection & behavioral health, call Union First today at (855) 215-2023.
Disclosing Mental Illness at Work
It is understandable to feel that admitting you’re struggling mentally is showing a sign of weakness and that you’re the only one with these issues. However, 1 in 5 American adults are experiencing a mental health condition and talking to your supervisor, co-worker, or employer about your struggles can create an honest and open environment. Disclosing mental illness can reduce feelings of loneliness and arrangement can be put in place to help you reach better mental health.
Although the conversation can be awkward, it can only improve things. The number one thing you should know is that it is illegal to be discriminated against because of mental illness and the law also allows you to be appropriately accommodated. You cannot be penalized for opening up about a mental health disorder.
Here are some steps to help you talk to about your struggles:
- Consult with others. Speaking to a co-worker you trust or someone in HR can help you figure out what to say to your boss and support you through the process.
- Evaluate your needs. Think about why you are disclosing this information and what kind of support you need from your workplace, such as fewer responsibilities or longer deadlines.
- Find the right place and time. Try to meet in a place where you are able to talk calmly and privately. You may even suggest going somewhere outside the workplace or take a walk together to talk.
- Be clear. Communicate how your mental health challenges are impacting your work or how work is impacting your mental health. As much as possible, suggest how you could be better supported and what changes or resources would help.
You should know though that under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you have the right not to reveal you suffer from mental illness as long as it doesn’t affect your ability to do your job. However, if you need special accommodations at work, you may need to disclose your condition.
Dealing with Mental Illness at Work
Keeping up with your job can be difficult when you struggle with mental illness. When your mental illness is triggered at work, it can be challenging to know how to cope and react. Here are some ways you can deal better with mental illness at work:
- Check in with yourself daily and notice how you are feeling. If you struggle day after day, reach out for mental health treatment.
- Make a list of your priorities. When there’s too much work it can be overwhelming and kick in your mental illness. Write down your top priorities and when each needs to be done.
- Ask for accommodations if needed. Let your boss know you need more time on deadlines, a private quiet area to work, a longer lunch hour for a walk to clear your mind, or whatever else that will help you feel less overwhelmed.
- Take care of yourself. Practice self-care techniques at home such as exercising, eating well, and getting plenty of sleep.
- Take time off when needed. Just as when you are sick, taking time off for mental health reasons is completely valid as well.
- Don’t compare yourself to co-workers or try to keep up with them. You may feel like others are having an easier time than you which can be frustrating; however, you do not know their internal struggles.
- Don’t take on more than you can handle. We may want to work to our fullest; however, working long hours or overdoing it may trigger your mental illness.
- Find a safe space. When mental illness symptoms are unbearable, it can be difficult to deal with them in a public space. Have a place in mind you can go to take a break when your mental illness flares up.
Click here for job protection & behavioral health, call Union First today at (855) 215-2023.
How Union First Helps Members Access Behavioral Health Treatment
Union First is an employee assistance program for union workers, public service employees, and their families to find mental health treatment, including help for substance abuse, in their area while protecting their job. Our program can help employees struggling with personal and mental health programs get the appropriate behavioral health treatment they need and live healthier, happier lives. Through an assessment of your case, we will match you with behavioral health treatment within our network of trusted treatment providers who meet your needs and take your insurance.
Members also have job protection services which aim to help employees take time off from work for mental health and substance abuse treatment without losing their jobs. Our team of experts know how to use federal and state labor laws to ensure your job, salary, and benefits are kept the same while you seek treatment. When individuals know their job is protected, they are more likely to seek out treatment sooner, which improves mental health treatment outcomes.
Our members can also take advantage of our telehealth services which gives them access to a private network of over 40 counselors. Members can get an appointment within 24 to 48 hours with a counselor who meets their needs and takes their insurance instead of waiting weeks for an appointment while their symptoms only deteriorate more. Telehealth services can provide more privacy, access, and affordability.
If you or your family members are struggling with mental health issues, please do not hesitate to call us. We are available 24/7 to help you find the right behavioral health treatment and get you back to living life at its fullest.