Overcoming the silent stigma

Originally posted on nationalpost.com

Partners for Mental Health, a national, charitable organization, is dedicated to transforming the way Canadians view the issue of mental health and support people living with mental illness.

Struggling with the sadness that crippled her mind and body, Kristin Bower was overwhelmed by the fear of workplace discrimination when she was diagnosed with chronic depression 20 years ago. “To tell your employer, ‘I can’t get out of bed, I feel hopeless, there’s no point to my life, I can’t stop crying,’ that was just impossible,” Ms. Bower, 43, says. “It sounds ironic to say this but it plays with your mind — and there’s also the physical side effects. And just when you need to draw on your inner strength, you’re so sick that you can’t, and sometimes you equate that with being weak.”

Things have changed. With the help of therapy and medication, Ms. Bower found her strength. She works in human resources and is a champion of the cause.

“I have to grow from this experience and if I can I give [others] comfort: someone who is feeling alone and literally thinks they are, and let them know they’re not. It’s an illness like any other illness, and you don’t need to suffer alone,” Ms. Bower says.

Her story is not unique.

Partners for Mental Health reports seven million Canadians will experience a mental health problem, and 54% of people believe that a mental illness will hurt their chances of being promoted in the next year. An estimated 500,000 people are absent from work each day for mental health reasons, costing an estimated $51-billion per year.

Partners for Mental Health, a national, charitable organization, is dedicated to transforming the way Canadians view the issue of mental health and support people living with mental illness.

“Certainly, stigma accounts for part of the problem; we tend to stick our heads in the sand around this issue,” says Jeff Moat, president of Partners for Mental Health. “For individuals with a mental health problem or issue, it’s a real concern. They’re looked upon differently, passed up for a promotion, not taken seriously, and some assume these individuals are lazy and don’t want to work.  There often isn’t the same level of support given to people experiencing mental health issues or illness as that given when one experiences a physical disability or illness.”

Consultant Mary Ann Baynton says mental illness affects a significant percentage of the population, and cautions that everyone has to be mindful of mental health and well-being.

“Having a psychologically healthy and safe workplace is not just for people who have a diagnosis, it’s for all of the workforce,” says Ms. Baynton, also co-chair of the committee for the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety. “But, those with a diagnosis are more vulnerable; like someone with asthma, they are more vulnerable to chemical exposure. And people with mental health issues can be more vulnerable when exposed to hazards that relate to extreme stress.”

On May 9, the Not Myself Today campaign launches, and it encourages companies to invest in mentally healthy workplaces. It aims to implement a more supportive system between employers and employees by engaging in conversation with promotional tools and events, and invites people to share stories at notmyselftoday.ca.

“It’s as important as it was for us to understand a safe work environment that will cut down on physical injuries,” Ms. Baynton says. “So many people are no longer working with their backs — they’re now working with their minds.”

Calgary’s Nexen, an oil and gas company, is working to be “proactive, not reactive.”

“If you look at it reactively you’re too late, and that’s not really helping our employees or our business,” says Phil Milford, general manager, health, safety and environment, and Marie Sopko, manager, occupational health and industrial hygiene. “Healthy employees make [for] a healthy business, and by looking after our employees from a mental health aspect, it’s decreasing absenteeism, improving employee morale and employee retention — we link it to good business.”

Nexen begins an ongoing mental health lunch-and-learn series this spring, and will have a number of special events for the Not Myself Today campaign including a Not Myself Day @ Work for continued employee and employer engagement.

Companies and individuals can learn more and sign up for the Not Myself Today campaign at notmyselftoday.ca.