Workplace Mental Health

Are your co workers at work working? Does your staff work to their full potential? Or are your employees full of worry, stress, anxiety and depression? The answer is right there in your statistics: what are your numbers for absenteeism, WCIB claims, staff turnover and sales? By recognizing workplace mental health you can witness your employees working to their full potential, see your WCIB and sick leave decrease and your staff morale and team functioning improve. With this proven process named P.A.T your work environment can go from sickness to success.
P: Build procedures and plans on managing workplace mental health. Do you train your new employees in WHIMMIS, First Aid and CPR? Do you offer an orientation package and training session? Is mental health training part of this orientation? Usually not, and yet 1 in 5 will experience mental illness in their lifetime and this does not include the anxiety and depression that we all work through or those that are not diagnosed due to stigma. Prepare procedures to manage mental health in the workplace.
A: What is your company's attitude around mental illness? If you have an employee off due to a broken leg are they treated differently then someone away due to bipolar illness? When you have a friend, co worker or employee away for a physical injury many of us send flowers, take a meal and offer support; have you done these same gestures to an individual at home for depression, bipolar, or stress? Why should it be any different? All illnesses have the same characteristics, symptoms, treatments, and hope for recovery. Even mental illness! Change the attitude, stop the stigma, and show that you are a company that cares.
T: Do you offer training to all staff on identifying mental illness? Do your managers know how to identify mental health issues compared to laziness or defiance? Do your employees know how to work with a customer with a mental health issue? Training opens discussion which will uncover solutions to workplace absenteeism, accidents, mistakes, poor morale and poor productivity. Training teaches tools, which will provide outcome to a productive, positive and prepared workplace.
P.A.T offers hopes to companies that have been concerned about staff turnover, sales and service. P.A.T offers hope to those sitting at their desks worrying about their families, finances, and future. Take a moment to see how you manage health in the workplace. Speak out and stop the stigma, not only will it make a difference in your statistics at work but it will also make a difference in all aspects of your life.

Sarah Hilton, Mental Health Specialist has over 20 years experience working in the world of mental health. With proven processes, positive presentations and an understanding of how mental health make a difference in our society, Sarah brings life to this world of stigma. Contact Sarah at or http://www.bartimaeus.com.

Moody, Bluesy, Depressed Are All Signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder

 

By Esther Bartkiw

A little known fact about me...I get SAD
Yes, it's true. Every year around this time and extending to mid March I get SAD, seasonal affective disorder. For most of my life I was clueless that my winter blues were something more then just the blahs. Once aware that SAD was a real issue that many people faced, I was in utter denial that it affected me. After all I was running a program of, "That happens to other people not me. I am strong not weak.I don't have a disorder." I believed that having Seasonal Affective Disorder was a weakness in self and character. As soon as I accepted that SAD was a part of my life and had no bearing on who I was, I took conscious control of it. Now I experience winter in a whole new way.
According to statistics from the Canadian Mental Health Association, between two and three percent of Ontarians may have SAD. Another 15% have a less severe experience described as the "winter blues." Another CMHA study suggests that potentially 750,000 Canadians may be affected.
What is SAD?
Seasonal affective disorder ("affective" is a psychiatric term for mood), describes people who get moody, sad, bluesy and often depressed during the autumn and winter seasons. During the spring and summer, they feel upbeat and energetic. SAD can be triggered by reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter days which begin in the fall and last until spring time.
What are the symptoms of SAD?
Common symptoms include oversleeping, fatigue, increased appetite with carbohydrate and sweet cravings, overeating, and weight gain, decreased energy, avoidance of social situations, feeling anxious or despair sometimes resulting in depression. People who experience more severe episodes, may have suicidal thoughts.
What can I do if I have SAD?
My first suggestion is to admit that you have it. It is not a sign of weakness and it can be managed effectively. Seek help from a health care professional. Consult with your doctor, naturopath, nutritionist, herbologist, hormone doctor, and a therapist or counselor. There are physical and emotional issues at hand which need attention. Spend time outdoors in the sunshine. Wear sunscreen protection and get outdoors.
Try light therapy. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, research has shown that many patients with SAD improve with exposure to bright, artificial light, called light therapy, or phototherapy. As little as 30 minutes per day of sitting under a special fluorescent light box results in significant improvement in 60% to 70% of SAD patients. Google light therapy for more information.
Exercise. Moving your body is beneficial to anyone at anytime. Get moving and boost your endorphins, the feel good hormones. Eat nutritiously. I am particularly conscious of my nutrition in the winter making sure I consume healthy foods that help my body run optimally. Salmon, vegetables, fruit, nuts and hearty soups are my favorite. I also use Isagenix products which provide high quality nutrition.
Take Supplements. Please consult with your health care practitioner to help you choose the best ones for you. I consume vitamin D and C, extra omega 3's and essential fatty acids, adrenal support, full spectrum vitamin B's and my beloved Ionix Supreme to get all of my essential trace minerals and herbs.
Engage with people. I know it can be challenging to get out and socialize when all you feel like doing is wrapping a blanket around you and plopping on the sofa. Be strong consciously and give yourself a push to mingle and be with people. You will feel better. I promise. If you can swing it go on a warm sun filled holiday.
Now that I have accepted that I get SAD and have implemented measures to help me get through it, winters have turned into a pleasant time of the year. And my friends and family would agree that I have become a more pleasant person to be around when the cold dark days set in.

Esther Bartkiw is a Core Belief Engineering Practitioner, Channel, Speaker and Author. She can be reached at 905-630-4471 or visit her website at http://www.changefromwithin.ca. Blog: http://www.whispersfromthesoul.com

Factors Affecting Mental Health

   Mental health must really be watched for intensely and it should be taken cared of completely. If you want to avoid mental health problems from occurring, it is important that you know the factors that can lead to it. Here are some of the factors:
Abuse or violence: Abuse or violence is one of the most serious factors that really affect mental health. Abused individuals are more likely to experience some mental disorders or mental illnesses. Abuse may vary. It can be physical, psychological or sexual abuse. These kinds of violence may not be that evident in just one look. Unlike for physical abuse, this can be easily recognized. You can really see some real evidence for this case. You can actually see bruises, wounds, scratches and all those evident proofs for such abuse. Experiencing abuse or violence can greatly lower one's self-esteem and self-confidence. It can also cause severe depression and anger as well. This will hinder an individual's happy life, thus making it more miserable. This will later result to mental deficiencies in the future.
Broken family: When you belong in a broken family, it can greatly affect your mental health. Broken family comes in a form of separation or divorce between parents. It can also be through a death of a parent or any family member. This situation can be very devastating and frustrating. Anyone who might experience this kind of situation will undergo severe depression and loneliness. When these feelings are extremely acknowledged inside a person's life, it can definitely cause some mental disturbances or mental illnesses. It is important that you know how to cope with this kind of situation. If you cannot overcome this certain situation in your life, then there might be great tendencies of some mental health problems.
Disease condition: Unfortunately, there are also some disease conditions that can badly affect an individual's mental health. You may experience brain injuries due to some accidents, or brain damage due to some diseases. You may also experience mental disturbances due to drug abuse or drug addiction as well. These experiences can greatly affect the brain and can really result to some mental changes or worse, mental illnesses.
You see, there are so many factors that can greatly affect mental health. If you want to avoid these things from happening, consider these factors mentioned above and have a healthy life.

Elizabeth is a passionate writer. She has been writing online articles for three years now. You can check out her latest article girls leggings and toddler leggings on her website.