Mental Health and Well-being

What is mental health?

NHS Health Scotland describes good mental health as a:

 “basic component of positive health and well-being.  It is necessary to help us manage our lives successfully, and provide us with the emotional and spiritual resilience to allow us to enjoy life and deal with distress and disappointment."

Mental health fluctuates during our lifetime and we all have periods when we might feel low or challenged. It is important that we know how we can protect and look after our mental health to ensure we get the best out of live. Things to do to look after your mental health include: being active, eating well, sleeping well, spending time doing things you enjoy, building good, supportive relationships with others and sensible use of alcohol.

How does it affect our working lives?

All employees have mental health needs and nearly three in ten employees will have a mental health problem in any one year (The Office of National Statistics 1995).  While there are many different causes of mental ill health, a positive working environment and appropriate support at work have a significant impact on employees.

• 1 in 6 adults at any one time is experiencing mental illness (Mentality 2002)
• 1 in 4 people will experience mental health problems during their lifetime (WHO 2001)
• Mental illness is the second biggest category of occupational ill health after musculo-skeletal problems (HSE, 2000).
• Stigma and discrimination affects at least one third of those with mental problems in Scotland (Scottish Executive 2002)

Costs of not improving mental health.

Mental ill health costs the UK £26 billion each year (Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health). Specific costs for employers include:

• £15.1 for reduced productivity
• £8.4 for staff absence
• £2.4 to replace staff
• Each individual case of work related stress leads to an average 30.6 days off work

What can workplaces do to address mental health?

Promoting the mental health and well-being of all staff by:

• Recognising that all staff have mental health needs
• Raising awareness of what people can do to look after their own and others’ mental well-being
• Identifying and addressing the factors that affect mental health in the workplace

Offering assistance, advice and support.  This should include:

• Building a working culture in which mental health issues are not taboo
• Providing support options which are confidential and non-stigmatising
• Employment practices should be reviewed to ensure that staff with a history of mental health problems are not excluded.

Take an organisational approach to mental health:

• Consider the stressors in your workplace, eg high work demands, poor communication or constant change. Conduct a stress risk assessment and implement an action plan to address the priorities
• Deliver training for all line managers to ensure they are knowledgeable and supportive
• Implement a mental health policy, incorporating all of the above,  to demonstrate your organisation's commitment to mental health.

Other useful websites include:

Why not visit the Scottish Government's Steps for Stress programme.  This website offers self help materials, relaxation techniques,  practical tips for reducing stress and information and quizzes in relation to our knowledge of and spotting the signs and symptoms of stress.  www.infoscotland.org.uk/stepsforstress

Take a look at the  mental health foundation podcasts that you can download and listen to.  They range from 7-15minutes in length and cover a variety of issues including overcoming anxiety to reducing stress.  Go to www.mentalhealth.org.uk/information/wellbeing-podcasts/