According to the National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 in 8 women experiences depression in their lifetime; twice the rate as men. Workplace stressors can contribute to the situation in many cases.
Mental Health and the Surrounding Stigma
Stigma of psychiatric conditions will prevent many women from seeking help, and for those that take the brave step to get treatment, the resources provided in this article may be helpful.
If a worker is fortunate enough, some medical insurance plans cover different treatment options. Even luckier, an understanding employer will make every accommodation they can to assist women who desperately need outside help. At the end of the day it is not a shameful thing to have major mental health issues. It is also important to remember that the women who experience mental health problems are often people who contribute a great deal to the workplace.
What Can Be Done
There are many free self-help groups that one can join in the community to find help. Inquire if your company offers an employee assistance programs (EAP) that enable individuals to get therapy in a timely manner and can help treat their problems.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/groups/depression/tx/san-antonio
https://nami-sat.org/support-groups/
https://www.meetup.com/topics/support-groups/us/tx/san_antonio/
There are also available apps you can download. Whatโs My M3, offers mental health screening, tracking and crisis information. NAMI Air is anonymous and provides support as well as encouragement. Crisis Text Line is an immediate response that you can access via text by typing START to 741-741 and a live counselor with training in active listening skills will respond.
Not everyone experiences mental health issues, but finding solutions to mental health problems in the workplace involves everyone. No one is immune to problems in life and everyone can relate to them. Finding a common ground between coworkers and employers to openly discuss issues in an effort to seek help is recommended. No one should have to face these problems alone, so if you or a coworker is experiencing mental health issues it is important to reach out and explain what is going on before it gets worse.
If your present workplace prevents this, finding outside help on your own with the help of a friend or family member is also another great step anyone can take. Seeking help from a church or religious organization is another avenue some may wish to explore, as great therapeutic value can be found in such pursuits. STCH Ministries (stchm.org/family-counseling) is an excellent resource.
Sometimes a person canโt handle their problems on their own, and this is not a weakness. Compassion for oneself is key; self-care and self-help books and videos are also options one can take to make sure that lifeโs difficulties donโt get the better of us. Bottomline: no one should be afraid to find the help that they need. May is mental health awareness month, and women in every workplace need to be aware of what they can do to take care of themselves and help out their coworkers. Talking about things such as suicide prevention and mental health awareness should not be taboo. Steps can be taken in anyoneโs life to get the help they need. A brave woman should not be afraid to ask for help.
โYour illness should not define you. Your strength and courage does.โ
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