How to Talk About Your Mental Health at Work When Everything is Stressing You Out
CNBC shares 4 strategies on how to communicate about mental health and stressors in the workplace.
Emotional support and communication from colleagues and like-minded individuals are the keys to surviving the remainder of 2020. According to Alison Holma, a professor at UC Irvine who studies trauma-related mental and physical health, more individuals are experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, and other symptoms related to mental health as we enter month nine of WFH. Her high-level suggestions are:
- Decide what you’re going to share.
- Remember: Having mental health issues is not a weakness.
- Say something besides “How are you?”
- Create space for others to share.
It has become the new normal to stare at the computer screen for hours a day and have little-to-no in-person human communication. CNBC shares strategies on how employers can create a work environment that supports employees’ emotional, mental, and physical health during these unpredictable and stressful times.
As an employee, it’s important to determine what you want to share at work. Always remember, no matter what, that mental health is not a form of weakness. Sharing that you struggle with your mental health shows that you are resilient and strong. If you want to ask someone how they are, try phrasing the question along the lines of “What is your current state of mind or how is your mental health right now?” These few strategies can make the biggest difference when creating a safe space for others to share.
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