Today is “World Mental Health Day”.
The word mental health is often misunderstood as something only the famous people talk about.
But in reality, below are the facts as per WHO.
✅ 1 in every 8 people in the world live with a mental disorder.
✅ Mental disorders involve significant disturbances in thinking, emotional regulation, or behaviour.
✅ There are many different types of mental disorders.
✅ Effective prevention and treatment options exist.
✅ Most people do not have access to effective care.
In 2020, the number of people living with anxiety and depressive disorders rose significantly because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stress can originate from various sources, encompassing personal challenges like conflicts with loved ones, feelings of isolation, financial constraints, and concerns about the future. It can also emanate from workplace issues, such as disputes with colleagues or an excessively demanding or unstable job environment. Additionally, stress can be exacerbated by significant community-level threats, including violence, diseases, and economic hardships.
If you’re going through a period of stress, please know that you are not the only one. At this moment, numerous individuals within your community and across the globe are also grappling with stress.
When in distress, talk, meditate, go out, reach out to people who care for you.
Organizations can be instrumental in providing valuable assistance to individuals facing distress:
- Encourage leaders to set an example by demonstrating open communication and a willingness to be vulnerable.
- Offer training programs focused on enhancing active listening skills and providing constructive feedback.
- Implement unambiguous policies addressing issues such as bullying, harassment, and retaliation.
- Establish channels for anonymous employee feedback to allow individuals to express concerns confidentially if needed.
- Acknowledge and incentivize behaviors that contribute to creating a psychologically safe environment.
- Cultivate a culture that emphasizes ongoing improvement and continuous learning.
“Doing What Matters in Times of Stress: An Illustrated Guide” by WHO serves as a stress management resource designed to assist individuals in dealing with challenging situations. Its primary objective is to provide people with practical skills for effectively managing stress.
Devoting just a few minutes each day to these self-help techniques can be sufficient. You can use the guide independently or in conjunction with the accompanying audio exercises.
You can access the guide here.
If you need help, reach out – anand@agiledevops.coach.
