As I’m sure a lot of us would have known and seen, it was World Mental Health Day on Thursday, and I’m always in two minds as to whether to talk about the subject or not as I feel like there is a bit of a stigma around it. I think at some point it became an accessory to have, and I feel social media has played a part in that. If you are someone who has or is struggling with mental health, trust me, it’s not an accessory you want. With it having this stigma, it can make things difficult to be taken seriously. 2 million people in the UK are currently stuck on waiting lists for NHS mental health services. Many are on the brink of crisis. We desperately need to see change around this. I don’t speak about this. However, I sadly lost a friend to suicide last year, and it was a shock and a lot of what-ifs. How many more people do we have to lose in this way before the government starts looking at this more seriously? Although we have mental health day, mental health problems aren’t just limited to one day.
In August, I opened up a bit in a post about the struggles I was having. I never really followed up on it after that, but things did get better. Recently, though, I have found myself in a bit of a similar place again. I think there’s just a few things that have come up unexpectedly, and I just feel completely drained. I’m really not sleeping well at the moment, I think I have about 3 hours a night and because of that I’m just lacking energy and have probably cried most days this week because of it and everything else. Part of me just wants to shut myself away, and I feel like I’m trying to force myself to not do that because I know that’s not the best way to deal with things. One thing I do know is, I know I can get through this blip I have done in the past, I just have to figure things out. Life constantly challenges us, and as much as we want it to be good all the time, it can’t be, but that’s how we learn and grow. I feel like I’m in such a different place to what I was so many years ago and so I feel mentally I’m a lot stronger to face these sorts of things now and can recognise when things are going a bit down.
This years theme for world mental health day was “It is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace.” One of the most pressing issues in a workplace is burnout. Burnout can take hold before you’re truly aware of it. It’s gradual, and workplace stress can be the root that causes it. Before I talk about my experience with burnout, I just wanted to quickly share that I’m trying to be more open about things that have happened to me and push myself but also to be more comfortable talking about myself and this blog feels like a safe space to do that. So, my experience with burnout came from my previous workplace. I took over managing a department in a very messy situation. With several people leaving, it left the department very short staffed and we had a ridiculous amount of orders, me and a few others ended up doing no end of overtime and for about 9 months I was working 6am-6pm/7pm, plus working Saturdays. I was actually going away for courses, driving back to work after and staying on to do overtime. It was awful.
It did really take it’s toll and I became overthinking, I was emotional because I was exhausted. It was tough, but not only for me but for my team as well. I was under an enormous amount of pressure. However, I knew it would work out in the end. My director was very supportive and checked up on me a lot, even the days he wasn’t at work. I don’t think I’d have gotten through it without him. I can’t help but feel like there could have been more support for everyone, though. In the 9 years I was there, I think it was only the last year we had an appointed mental health member. As much as it’s a step forward, I know people in my team felt that they wish there was a male and female, as not everyone felt comfortable to be able to speak about things to a male. When I look at my current company, they really do go above and beyond. There are workshops and various virtual sessions we can attend, and a lot of people we can talk to. When I look at that and compare it to my previous job, there is clearly work to be done, and I can see how lucky I am.
Depression and anxiety alone result in the loss of approximately 12 billion workdays each year. More companies need to look into how they can make a more supportive working environment. One that provides purpose and stability. Poor working conditions, discrimination, low paid or insecure jobs often lead people to being more exposed to psychosocial risks. I think one of the things that could help with mental health in a workplace is training managers to recognise and address when they think someone may be struggling. Having just one person in a company I don’t think is enough. Having the option of more people to go to would be beneficial as it gives the option of someone being able to confide in with someone else they feel comfortable with. Every conversation counts, and together, we can break the stigma surrounding mental health. Reach out, listen, and be there for each other. If you are someone struggling, remember you are not on this journey alone.
Be kind to your mind.
Amy x
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