Mental health is something that we all possess. When we feel well, we have a sense of purpose, direction and feel that we can cope with everything.

As our physical health fluctuates, it also influences our mental health. We all go through times when we feel worried, confused, or down. 

When you feel unmotivated every day, it could be a sign that you need treatment. Mental health can affect daily living, relationships, and physical health.

In this article, we explain what people mean by mental health. We also describe how it affects employees, including their early signs and how to treat them.

What Is Mental Health?

According to WHO, mental health is a state of well-being in which individuals realize their abilities, cope with the everyday stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to their community.

Mental health is fundamental to our collective and individual ability as humans to think, emote, interact with each other, earn a living, and enjoy life. On this basis, the promotion, protection, and restoration of mental health can be.

Mental illness includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act as we cope with life.

It also helps to determine how we deal with stress, connect with others, and make choices. Mental well-being is essential at every stage of life, from childhood through adulthood and aging.

They also emphasize that preserving mental problems is crucial. It is more than an individual basis but it also throughout different communities and societies the world over. In the United States, the National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that almost 1 in 5 adults experience mental health problems each year. In 2017, an estimated 11.2 million adults in the U.S., or about 4.5% of adults, had a severe psychological condition, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Employee And Their Mental Health

Mental illness is complicated. It will review the changing way of a thinking process, feel and act. Multiple social, psychological, and biological factors determine a person’s mental health at any time.

Certain aspects of the workplace can affect the mental and physical health of the employees. These factors include demoralization, depressed mood, anxiety, burnout, etc.

It increases the possibility that someone will be stressed. Therefore, it can be developing or worsening a mental disorder.

Besides that, mental illness patients face numerous environmental, institutional, and attitudinal barriers to finding and keeping work. Social exclusion is typically accompanied by feelings of shame, fear, and rejection.

Stigma surrounds people with mental health, and it hinders the healing process. In this case, workplace factors could influence a mental disorder more likely, make an existing disorder worse, and impede effective treatment and rehabilitation. 

Stigmatization can hinder vocational endeavors. Besides, many professionals experience stigma-free employment difficulties.

A mental well-being issue can place a heavy burden on those who suffer from them and their families. On the other hand, a healthy work environment will reduce the onset, severity, impact, and duration of mental illness.

Common Mental Health Disorder

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) helps mental disorder professionals diagnose mental illnesses. They also found many types of mental illness disorders. Almost 300 different conditions are listed in DSM-5.

These are some of the most common mental illnesses affecting employees:

• Anxiety is an intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Things like a racing heart, shortness of breath, sweating, and feeling tired can happen.
• Depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think, and how you act. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. Fortunately, it is also treatable.
• Panic attacks are intense fear or anxiety and physical symptoms, based on the threat of danger.
• Sleep problems are conditions that affect the ability to sleep well regularly. Whether they are caused by a health problem or by too much stress.
• Stress is our body’s response to pressure. Many different situations or life events can cause stress.

Early Warning Sign

It is often triggered when we experience something new, unexpected, or threatens our sense of self or feel we have little control over a situation.

There is no physical test or machine that reliably indicates whether a person has developed a mental illness. However, you can see warning signs that should look out for the following as possible signs of a problem.

• Having insomnia or sleeping too much
• Extreme highs and lows, or mood swings
• Numbness – not feeling any emotions at all
• Being unable to complete daily tasks, such as getting to work or cooking a meal
• Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared.
• Relying heavily on alcohol, drugs, or sex

Reach out for help if you notice any signs or anything else that seems unusual or not “normal” for you. Although mental problems are not necessarily present, support can help you on your path to mental wellness.

Workplace As A Mental Health Protection

A workplace can be a suitable place to educate and raise awareness of mental well-being concerns. A safe work environment also can prevent mental illness from developing.

Mental well-being promotion involves actions that improve psychological well-being.  It may include creating an environment that supports mental health.

Additionally, HR policies that aim to increase employees’ mental well-being can be considered part of human resources management. Occupational health care services can support early detection and identification of mental health difficulties in the workplace.

Also, reducing work-related stress and promoting good mental health in the workplace can help prevent mental disorder problems from arising. In general, individuals will return to work after recovering from mental illness.

Besides working on mental health promotion at the workplace, there are various methods for managing mental disorder problems. Individualized treatment works for some people but not for others.

People who have a chronic mental illness may select different lifestyle options over time. They must work closely with a doctor to identify their needs and provide them with suitable treatment.

Treatments can include:

• Psychotherapy, or talking therapies
• Medication
• Self-help

Conclusion

It’s important to remember that mental health is complex. Someone who appears to be well may have a mental health condition. Tackling mental health includes providing a range of resources to employees in addition to offering a well-being program.

Bear in mind, you may be struggling with depression or anxiety, but they are treatable conditions, and effective treatments are available.

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