“How can I possibly manage all my responsibilities? No matter what I do, it seems that every minute of every day is always scheduled for something, and I don't have any time for myself!” If this is a familiar theme running through your mind, know that you are not alone, and support is available for this common feeling of being overwhelmed. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and presents a perfect opportunity to support wellness in the workplace.
 

Experts in the field, such as the U.S. Surgeon General, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Psychological Association (APA), have weighed in on the importance of mental well-being. The U.S. Surgeon General links mental health as a priority for public health (Agarwal & Darling, 2024); WHO defines mental health as the ability to manage normal life stressors and to have a productive work life (Sarkar, Menon, Padhy, & Kathiresan, 2024); and APA (2021) reports that mental health has been in a crisis since the COVID pandemic impacting the workforce like no other time in recent history. All this said, employee mental health is and should be a priority in today’s workforce.

Mental health or mental well-being can be described as emotional steadiness, a balance among the competing forces of work life and personal life. Stress is often seen as the cause of disrupting this balance. Stress can come from any event that makes a person feel frustrated, angry, or nervous; it is the feeling of being pressured, overloaded, tense or exasperated. Left unchecked, chronic stress can become a more serious mental health issue, such as depression or anxiety. Life events can impact well-being as well and may include family crises or life transitions that make it difficult to balance life’s responsibilities; considering these crises or transitions, an underlying mental health issue may surface or be exacerbated.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 in 5 adults experience a mental health disorder each year (NAMI, 2023). Depression and anxiety are commonly experienced with young adults ages 18-25 years old having the highest prevalence of depressive disorders. Other mental health disorders include substance abuse, trauma-related disorders, grief, and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Of course, this is not an exhaustive list, but it does highlight some common issues that could be addressed and often are not.

Mental Health America (2022) reports that almost 50 million adults have a mental illness; about 25% of those adults with a mental illness have not received the services that they need.

What may stop a person from seeking help for a mental health disorder? Stigma is often associated with a failure to seek help. Stigma refers to a negative evaluation made towards a person who has a mental health disorder; the result is that the person feels shame and/or judgment. Mental health stigma often deters people from self-disclosing problems as they fear discrimination or limited potential employment opportunities. Gains are being made toward acceptance, and stigmatization is decreasing, as supported by a survey completed by APA (2019), reporting that people share that there is no shame in having a mental health disorder. This is encouraging, yet more can be done to reduce stigma and increase overall mental well-being.

Here are some considerations:

1. Self-Awareness: Assessing your own comfort level with mental illness is a good place to start. What are your life experiences or preconceived ideas? Preconceptions are opinions formed before obtaining adequate evidence and result in bias or prejudice, whereas misconceptions are mistaken beliefs or wrong ideas. Both preconceptions and misconceptions should be examined so that you do not negatively respond to others.

2. Education: Learning more about mental health disorders can help build a sense of ease, acceptance, and familiarity with a disorder. APA (2019) reported that approximately 42% of people who had no familiarity with a mental health diagnosis said that they felt scared around people who did have a mental health disorder. The percentage drops in half for those people who knew of someone who had a mental health disorder. Education and promoting mental health awareness through informational sessions help reduce stigma.

3. Communicate Openly: Striving to have supportive conversations promotes an overall positive experience for everyone, especially for those who have a mental health disorder. Within those open conversations, topics around access to mental health resources such as counseling services, helplines, and employee assistance programs (EAPs) should be encouraged. These services are confidential and provide meaningful help for those who do reach out. Checking in with others to assess their well-being provides support and promotes acceptance.

4. Connect with Others: Connecting with others helps to create a shared sense of community and well-being. Peer support networks offer a place where employees can connect with colleagues who may be experiencing similar challenges. This can create a sense of community and reduce feelings of isolation. In a virtual work world, this can be even more critical. Virtual team building, virtual coffee breaks, and virtual communities all serve to provide a sense of connectedness.

5. Self-Care: No discussion on mental well-being should lack a self-care plan. Taking care of yourself might include healthy eating, getting enough sleep, and engaging in regular physical activity. Taking walks, reading a book, or listening to your favorite music all fall under making time for yourself. No matter how hectic or stressful life gets, it is important to make time for yourself -- even if it's just simply taking a break.

Implementing these approaches can create a supportive environment where people feel valued, understood, and empowered to prioritize their mental well-being. There is no better time to consider the importance of mental well-being than during Mental Health Awareness Month.

References

• Agarwal, G., & Darling, T. (2024). IGNITE: Operationalizing The US Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being. Psychiatric Annals, 54(1), E9. https://doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20231130-01
• American Psychological Association. (11 March 2021). Stress in America 2021 One year later, a new wave of pandemic health concerns. American Psychological Association Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2021/one-year-pandemic-stress
• American Psychological Association. (October, 2020). Stress in America 2020 A national mental health crisis. American Psychological Association Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2020/report-october
• American Psychological Association. (2007) Stress Tip Sheet. American Psychological Association Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2007/10/stress-tips
• American Psychological Association. (May, 2021) Survey: Americans becoming more open about mental health. American Psychological Association Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2019/05/mental-health-survey
• Elbulok-Charcape, M. M., Mandelbaum, F., Miles, R., Bergdoll, R., Turbeville, D., & Rabin, L. A. (2021). Reducing Stigma Surrounding Mental Health: Diverse Undergraduate Students Speak Out. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 35(4), 327–344. https://doi.org/10.1080/87568225.2020.1737853
• Mental Health America (2022) Adult Data 2022. Retrieved from https://www.mhanational.org/issues/2022/mental-health-america-adult-data
• National Alliance on Mental Illness. (April, 2023). Mental health by the numbers. National Alliance on Mental Illness Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-by-the-numbers/
• Sarkar, S., Menon, V., Padhy, S., & Kathiresan, P. (2024). Mental health and well-being at the workplace. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 66, S353–S364. https://doi.org/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_608_23

Author Bio

Dr. Mary Jo Trombley serves as the Associate Dean of Psychology and Human Services for the University of Phoenix. She is a licensed Psychologist in the state of California and also serves as the co-director/clinical supervisor at the University Counseling Skills Center. Dr. Trombley earned her doctoral degree from Howard University in Washington D.C.

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