World Mental Health Day 2017

Welcome back to another one of my blog posts on mental health.  This blog post is helping to promote World Mental Health Day 2017.  The theme for World Mental Health Day is Mental health in the workplace. World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues

To watch the video version, please click video below

The World Federation for Mental Health founded the awareness day in 1992 and since then people all over the world continue to celebrate world mental health day every year.

logo

The theme for World Mental Health Day 2017 is workplace well-being

Why is workplace well-being important?

We all want to perform well, the workplace is no different, but it becomes a problem when pressured to perform exceeds our ability.

Tired business woman with headache at seminar

When well-being is not practiced or understood at work, there are many ways this can affect the worker.

– Increased irritability, poor concentration, reduced productivity

– Feeling negative, depressed and anxious

– Deteriorating personal or work relationships, including bullying behaviours

What is worse is how the workplace reacts when someone becomes unwell.

– They may single out the worker for even more harsh treatment

– Office gossip can isolate the stressed worker

– If mental health wellbeing is not understood, those who state they are unwell, could risk loosing their jobs due to discrimination.

There is a lot you can do do to promote World Mental Health Day 2017.

1. I tend to use a lot of social media, so on twitter or facebook you can use the hashtag #WorldMentalHealthDay

2. You can put up banners at work (ask for permission first) in order to spread awareness.

3. Visit events, speak at events or ask what your workplace, hospital, MP are doing to promote wellbeing or reduce MH stigma at work.

There are many more things can be done to spread awareness. One last thing you can do is make a pledge, for me I feel that “A mentally healthy workplace is….Understanding”

I hope my message has made you at least think about workplace wellbeing.