Promoting mental health and wellbeing involves taking proactive steps to enhance these components of one’s life.
The past few months have borne witness to several heart-wrenching stories of young people giving up their lives, losing the battle to anxiety and mental stress. “They didn’t look like they were having a bad time!” is what many say after they are gone. Those who committed suicide never ‘appeared’ to be under mental stress, thus confusing family and friends in most cases. So how does one really identify if a friend or an acquaintance is mentally stressed or on the verge of giving up on life? Looking at past cases, it can be said usually, there is no way to identify it.
Mental well-being is the emotional and psychological state of an individual and the quality of their mental health. It involves more than just the absence of mental illness, it encompasses a positive state of functioning and feeling good about one’s self and one’s life.
According to the Mental Health Statistics 2023 (Forbes):
- Females are diagnosed with serious mental health conditions at higher rates than males, 7 percent to 4.2 percent respectively.
- Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of people suffering from anxiety and depressive disorders has grown significantly. Depressive symptoms grew from a base of about 193 million people worldwide to 246 million, which is about 28 percent. Anxiety disorders grew from about 298 million people affected to 374 million, an increase of nearly 25 percent.
In Nepal, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, more than 4 percent of the population of 29 million people (i.e. approximately 1.1 million individuals) are estimated to be currently experiencing mental disorders, with an additional 5.2 percent of 13 to 18-year-olds. The situation has worsened post-Covid.
An article published in The Kathmandu Post in January 2023 mentioned, ‘data provided by the Nepal Police show 6,792 people committed suicide (that is over 18 people on average each day) in the fiscal year 2021/22. The number was lower than the previous fiscal year 2020/21 when 7,117 (over 19 each day) took their lives.’ The article also mentions WHO data that 800,000 people die by committing suicide every year across the globe while six million people attempt to kill themselves.’
Promoting mental health and wellbeing involves taking proactive steps to enhance these components of one’s life. This may include practicing mindfulness, engaging in regular physical activity, seeking professional help when needed, nurturing relationships, pursuing hobbies and interests, and adopting a positive and growth-oriented mindset.
An article published in reliefweb.int in January this year, mentions how children in Nepal are also victims of mental health. The article speaks about an 8-year-old child in Nepal, going through anxiety which was affecting his day-to-day activities.
While some of us may ask “Why is this so important?” There are several reasons why mental health and wellbeing must be of primary concern to individuals, their relationships, society as a whole, and the workplace which eventually affects the organization as well. Overall, mental wellbeing is a fundamental aspect of human flourishing and contributes to the holistic development and functioning of individuals and societies. It plays a critical role in enabling people to lead fulfilling lives, contribute to their communities, and navigate life’s challenges with resilience and grace. Pointing out to a few areas that are affected are as follows:
- Quality of Life: An individual’s quality of life is affected significantly due to mental wellbeing. Experiencing positive emotions, feeling fulfilled, and having a sense of purpose are effects of the mental status of an individual which results in satisfaction and happiness thus resulting in progress.
- Physical Health: Increased stress leads to dysfunction of several organs of the human body including a weak immune system, heart disease, and in some cases obesity. A healthy mind is a healthy body – is something we have heard always.
- Interpersonal Relationships: People with good mental health are able to communicate and interact better with others in comparison to a person going through mental stress. Their thinking skills are more effective and are found to adapt comfortably to circumstances.
- Productivity: At work, productivity and performance are affected due to decreased job performance and maybe absenteeism too, thereby impacting the personal growth of employees and the performance of the team/organization.
- Economic Impact: Poor mental health can affect productivity resulting in a decrease in income as well as cause health issues which increase healthcare expenses. The impact depression and anxiety have on the global economy is $1 trillion in lost productivity each year.
At the workplace, mental health and wellbeing refers to creating an environment that supports and promotes mental health as well as the overall wellbeing of employees. It involves ensuring employees feel valued, respected, and psychologically safe while carrying out their day-to-day responsibilities. Mental wellbeing at the workplace is not only important for the overall wellbeing of the employee but for the organization as a whole which is affected if employees are not taken care of.
Practicing a culture that supports the mental health and wellbeing of employees will create a win-win situation for the employees and the employer. Through the integration of wellbeing in all work activities, systems, and practices, a positive environment can be created that is compatible with promoting staff engagement, performance, and achievement. A few practices that are essential for an organization to develop this culture are as follows:
- Creating an environment of conscious mental awareness in the organization.
- Encouraging open and regular conversations about mental health and wellbeing. A culture where everyone feels comfortable to speak openly about it.
- Ensuring availability of support if/when needed. Such support should be made available keeping privacy in mind.
- Providing employees with proper physical, emotional, mental, and social working conditions further ensures everyone has a healthy work-life balance and opportunities for development.
In an organization, the role of a line manager (in addition to the role of colleagues) is critical in building a positive environment for mental health and wellness. They are the closest point of contact for the employee and can have a significant impact on the wellbeing of a team member. They can help by recognizing signs of distress through changes in behavior which could indicate that the employee could be going through distress. Being accommodating and flexible by making convenient work arrangements, modified job loads, and adjustments to responsibilities when the employee is in need. This accommodation also supports the employee in maintaining a work-life balance when needed, which could be practiced by setting clear work times and discouraging working overtime or late. Addressing conflicts in the team and resolving them in a timely manner is another way of balancing mental wellness in the team. Regular check-ins are the most effective in managing mental wellness within the team. Line managers conducting regular one-on-one meetings/catchups with the employee helps the line manager to identify areas the employee is struggling in. Overall, line managers play a crucial role in creating a workplace culture that prioritizes mental wellness, reduces stigma, and supports employees in maintaining their psychological wellbeing. Similarly, colleagues also play a vital role in creating a supportive and mentally healthy work environment. Small gestures, acts of kindness, and fostering a sense of community can collectively contribute to improved wellbeing for everyone in the team.
In conclusion, wellbeing refers to the practice of protecting employees from any psychological harm or ill health that may occur as a result of any work-related activities. When people are in a state of wellbeing at work, they are able to develop their potential, work productively and creatively, build positive relationships with others, cope with the normal stresses of life, and make a meaningful contribution. The most important thing is to LISTEN and show EMPATHY and UNDERSTANDING, without making assumptions about what they are experiencing. “How are you, really?” should be a question asked meaningfully rather than just a formality to start a conversation.
Koirala is Head of People & Organizational Development at WaterAid.
