Communication is key
In my opinion, one of the best ways to deal with mental health is to talk to someone about your worries and concerns and offload them from your mind.
Through my motivational speaking, I’ve discovered that getting my troubles and anxieties off my mind and into speech, or even onto paper, really helps me to both process and analyse my feelings.
When you talk to people about mental wellbeing, whether that be a counsellor or even a friend, they often ask questions about how you’re feeling. This is what makes us go deeper into our thoughts and ultimately enables us to understand them better.
Talking not only provides us with a sense of relief, but it allows us to both question and understand how we are feeling, enabling us to process our current state of mind and to help us move forward.
Fears of opening up
One of the most important things I’ve had to learn on my mental health journey is that speaking up is not a weakness; it is something that only makes us stronger.
If you see and hear others speak openly about their mental health and know that they have the confidence to talk, this can help those around you have the confidence to open up about their feelings too, acting as a ripple effect.
It’s important to acknowledge that, sometimes, when people explain their feelings and emotions and have built up the courage to do so, the person listening may just not ‘get’ it. Perhaps they’re not listening or giving you the full attention that you were hoping for. You may have been listened to but not heard.
Sadly, when this happens it can significantly impact upon you, especially if it’s taken a lot to get to the stage where you felt able to open up, leaving you feeling unimportant, alienated, or misunderstood. Even with the best intentions, it can often be a friend, family member or healthcare professional who ends up making someone feel alone.
Anxieties such as ‘do other people speak about these things?’ and ‘what would other people think of me?’ often arise. However, with one in four people in England experiencing a mental problem of some kind each year in England, it’s important to remember you are not alone when it comes to your mental health.
Finding the strength and confidence to open up makes you a better leader and better person in the long run.
There is often a stigma attached with speaking about mental health, and it’s easy to worry that people will start to perceive you in a different light or judge you for being emotional.
Comparing yourself to others is one of the biggest wastes of time, especially when it comes to your mental state. It doesn’t matter how big or small your problem might seem compared to others, but if it’s having an impact on your life and mental health then it’s crucial to address the issue and speak about it.
Breaking down the barriers
Becoming more open and speaking about my own mental health has changed my perception on the importance of talking about how you feel.
Once you have broken down those barriers and stopped worrying about what others may think, you realise you are not alone. It makes you stop and acknowledge that you aren’t the only one who is feeling this way, and there are so many others who feel depressed or anxious.
Whether you speak to your work colleagues, a friend, or a counsellor, reaching out for help is the first step towards solving the problem.
I have learned over the years not to expect too much from the initial conversation when you do speak to someone about how you’re feeling. Understanding mental health and processing someone’s feelings can take some time, especially for friends and family, so it’s sometimes a good idea to prepare yourself for how they may react.
Some people may react badly at first and feel quite shocked and saddened by how you’re feeling. The key in situations like this is to give people time to process what you have told them.
If you can, try to come back to the conversation with them again after they’ve had some time to process it to give you both more opportunities to explain what you’re going through.
What can employers do to help their staff?
The January blues are real and winter months always prove challenging when it comes to mental health. BrightHR always sees a spike in absences this month, and the 3rd Monday of January isn’t called Blue Monday for nothing. This year their absence management software recorded a 50% increase in sickness on 17th January compared to the average day in 2021.
Ensuring staff feel supported mentally is essential, not only for their mental wellbeing, but also because it will help your business with employee engagement, staff retention, and minimising absenteeism.
Encouraging employees to take regular breaks from their computer screen and getting some fresh air at lunchtime helps boost mental health and increases productivity.
It’s important for businesses to understand that not all employees want to open up to their employer. They may worry about it having an impact on their employment, however supportive the employer is.
Ultimately when you invest in your people, you invest in your business, that’s why having an employee assistance programme (EAP) is often a good idea.
The EAP offers confidential support for employees whenever they need it with trained experts available 24/7 to offer support, whatever challenges someone is facing.
And remember an EAP isn’t just for work worries- it’s a great way to help employees with all sorts of personnel problems including stress, anxiety, and depression.
Having an EAP helps to improve employee morale, reduces costs due to poor performance, and helps reduces staff turnover.
With 792 million people affected by mental health issues worldwide, always remember that you are never alone. Let’s help break the stigma together.
