Nudge (Part 2)

Last week I attended a meet-up called “Destigmatize” that was organized by my friend, Martin Hauck.

The meet-up is about mental health in the workplace.

Last week was the first meeting of this meet-up.

Lots of stories were shared.

My story is that I’ve always been interested in health and mental health.

I don’t have personal experience with mental health, but I am empathetic.   

Any time there is a story in the Toronto Star about mental health, I’d read about it like this Doctors’ Notes article called “How ‘Maestros of Mood’ Control the Way You Feel” (January 30, 2017).  

Bell Let’s Talk Day is an annual initiative that promotes mental health awareness.  It was held this year on January 25, 2017. Howie Mandel encourages everyone to talk about mental health in this Bell Let’s Talk Day video testimonial.   

In the meet-up I attended, one of the observations was that people have no problem in talking about a physical ailment (like cancer) yet there is a stigma to talking about a mental ailment (like depression).

In a work context, maybe a part of the reason why people feel compelled not to talk about mental health is the reaction that they get when they talk about it. For example, an employee may not feel able to come to work today because they are experiencing depressive symptoms, but if they disclose the reason, the employee may feel that they will not be believed.

If someone were to say to me that they were feeling depressed today, my natural reaction would be to listen, be respectful and ask what I can do.    

I would love to take a mental health first aid course to learn what to do in specific situations.

There are mental health first aid courses available in Ontario, but I think even more courses could be offered.

First aid training is a requirement in Ontario workplaces. 

Why don’t we make mental health first aid training a requirement in Ontario workplaces as well? This would promote mental health awareness in the workplace, and it would equip workers with the knowledge of what to do if a colleague requires mental health first aid attention.  

As mentioned before I’d read articles about mental health, but I really didn’t do anything to show my interest. 

By showing up at last week’s meet-up, I show my interest.

By writing this post, I show my interest.

I commit to learning more about mental health.

I will start by reading everything there is to read on the Mental Health Commission of Canada web site. 

I am going to familiarize myself with the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, because it provides a framework on what to do about mental health in the workplace.  

In time I will explore Great West Life’s web site called “Workplace Strategies for Mental Health” (workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com).   

My long-term goal is to know enough about the subject so that I can give a 15-20 minute lunch and learn to my employer or any other interested parties.  

Maybe if one of my colleagues in the Destigmatize meet-up is interested they can come with me to a lunch and learn and share their personal experience with mental health.    

    

Thanks to Martin Hauck for forming the Destigmatize meet-up. 

This meet-up was just the nudge I needed to set me on a path of learning more about mental health and to share what I know to interested audiences.

Attending this meet-up reminded me about the importance of having a face-to-face conversation whether it’s in the workplace or in any other context.  

By taking the time to sit with someone to talk, to share what’s important to us and to listen, we learn so much.  

And we are richer for the experience.

Also Published on LinkedIn on February 11, 2017

Image Credit:  Pixabay