A lot is being said about mental health.  Everywhere you look there is dialogue about work-life balance, the costs of depression and mental illness to society, and Employers are beginning to take note and take action.

“A large proportion of working Canadians have unmet mental health care needs that prevent them from performing to their utmost and our report shows this has serious consequences for the Canadian economy,” said Louis Thériault, vice-president of public policy for the Conference Board, which released a new study in 2016 on this subject.

Your Benefits plan may offer Mental Health Treatment, take advantage of it.

Treatments are available for depression and anxiety, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that people are aware of their eligibility or are seeking treatment.  There is still a stigma associated with mental health; though thankfully it is getting smaller and the active participation of celebrities like Lady Gaga and Princes William and Harry is helping raise awareness.  Some studies indicate as many as 50% of depression and anxiety patients don’t seek assistance.   People do not want to admit they need support, or they don’t know how to access help.  Even worse, they may have tried and felt they were not benefiting from treatment or could not get the right treatment so they have given up.

However, mental illnesses can be treated effectively in many cases, and if not completely resolved at least made much less debilitating.  Once depression is recognized, receiving appropriate help can make a difference for as much 80% of people who are affected, allowing them to get back to their regular activities.

A wide variety of treatments are available and can include therapy, medication, self help groups and, stress reduction activities such as yoga or other means. Simply having an enlightened policy of acceptance and openness to working with and helping employees who are suffering from mental health issues can be a significant benefit. No one wants to be sick be it mental or a more physically focused illness, but even worse than being sick is being sick and feeling alone and helpless. You’re not!

Studies show that over a third of adults will experience some form of mental health issue during their working lives. If you are lucky enough to not suffer from a mental health problem, you most certainly know someone who is, or has, or will.

What are some of the signs of Depression?

Signs of depression include, but are not limited to: sadness almost every day, the loss of enjoyment in things you used to enjoy -  feelings of worthlessness, thoughts about death or suicide, sleeping too much or too little, and difficulty making decisions.

For more stats on this major issue, check out the Canadian Mental Health Association's Fast Facts about Mental Illness at http://www.cmha.ca/media/fast-facts-about-mental-illness/#.WQIfrtLyvIU

What can employers do to support mental health in your workplace?

Larger employers can implement wellness initiatives, health fairs, fitness challenges, and so on… but what can smaller employers do to identify a problem in their workplace and begin to solve it?

Start an Employee Assistance Plan, it’s a great investment in your employees

Any attempt to promote healthy eating and exercise will help create awareness of general health issues.  A good start for tackling the mental health aspect is to establish an Employee Assistance Program for your workforce, and promote it widely and frequently.

Did you know you can implement an Employee Assistance Program for as little as 10¢ a day per employee?  If you want to explore this option and what it can do for your employee morale and well-being, give us a call.