How to better deal with mental health in the workplace
Something insane happened to me last week — something that I never thought would happen to me in the course of my life. Something so anti-capitalist I’m starting to wonder if I was recently knocked out only to wake up in a Marxist utopia led by a fierce but cold-looking Bernie in a pair of mittens driving forth a new and bold social democratic Canada — but no, in reality what happened was that I took a paid mental health break from work. A week off of work — a PAID week — for my mental health. Yup, so nice I had to say it twice. And you want to know the best part about it? I was like, totally honest with my employers about it, and they were like, totally cool and supportive about it. I know — I was shocked too. This type of luxury has never, in my 10-year stint as an active member of the workforce, been available to me. So from the comfort of my bed, as I nurse my psychological wounds, here are my unasked for, totally unqualified tips for dealing with mental health in the workplace.
There are many nuances to mental illness that can prevent someone from coming forward about their illness. For example, anxiety can be kind of a bitch. It can convince you that if you show an ounce of weakness everyone will think you are a loser — even worse, you will think you’re a loser. These are symptoms of mental illness. Showing weakness is one of the strongest things you can do, and it’s necessary when asking for help with a mental illness. Our society has treated mental illness like the obnoxious, racist uncle at Thanksgiving dinner — something we all know is there but try to ignore and discount as someone else’s problem. Here’s the reality: just like how your racist uncle can not and should not be ignored, neither should mental illness. Now look, I’m not comparing mental illness to your racist uncle — well maybe I am in a figurative sense — but the point is there. Toxicity left to fester will only get worse and spread. It’s like an infection or cancer. Treat it before it gets worse, and be honest about it.
The first step is to be real with yourself. It’s important to try and be conscious of how you’re feeling and label difficult feelings for what they are. Feeling worthless, hopeless, and having little energy are symptoms of depression. Not being able to stop thinking and worrying about something, feeling physical tightness, and having tension in your muscles can be symptoms of anxiety. Go to a doctor or counsellor so that they can assess you from a medical standpoint; try not to self-diagnose, but rather be conscious about persistently negative or difficult feelings so you can explain those feelings to a professional and get their opinion rather than jumping to the worst conclusions. Get to know your illness so you can better describe your symptoms to others, including your employer and doctors. If you’re having trouble with this, UFV counsellors are always available for an appointment. If you’re not comfortable with that, try using the Daylio mood-tracking app to check in on your moods throughout the day. There is a spot below your entry to make notes about how you are feeling. Gradually assessing yourself may be less overwhelming than trying to reflect on your feelings from the past few weeks or months all at once.
Brainstorm ideas on how your employer can best accommodate you in the workplace. What do you need that you’re not getting right now? Do you really need time off? Do you need to reduce your hours? Change positions in the company? Or is there harassment and a toxic work culture present that is impacting you? Try to build your case to your employer as well as coming in with possible solutions, if you can. (And don’t feel bad if you can’t think of solutions — that’s your employer’s job.)
Coming forward to speak about how you feel can be daunting and scary, especially if you’re approaching your boss or supervisor, but I encourage you to take the risk and be honest if you feel you really need a change or just some help. You might be surprised by your employer’s response. If you’re nervous about face-to-face or phone conversation, send an email. Communicating how you feel is the biggest step, so make sure you do it in a way that you feel comfortable with.
If your employer does take it the wrong way, well, you might just have to hit them with the law — under the Canadian Human Rights Act, it is illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of mental health. This act also holds employers responsible for responding to concerns about mental health in the workplace. I encourage you to read through this Act, as it outlines the responsibilities that your employer has in altering the workplace to suit your needs.
The world seems to be spinning on its axis at an off-angle lately, and it comes as no surprise that us little humans are having a hard time coping with and processing it. So be gentle with yourself, and let’s be honest with each other going forward. COVID-19 has opened up many conversations around mental health, so let’s keep opening these conversations with each other and use it as an opportunity to build a better post-COVID-19 world.
(Celina Koops/The Cascade)
Darien Johnsen is a UFV alumni who obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree with double extended minors in Global Development Studies and Sociology in 2020. She started writing for The Cascade in 2018, taking on the role of features editor shortly after.
She’s passionate about justice, sustainable development, and education.
