Mental health is a privilege | Mental health awareness month

Last year, we shared our series on the different types of privilege, including mental health privilege.

So, as it’s the last week of our mental health awareness month series, we thought we would resurface this article.

Yes, Mental Health Privilege Exists…?Here is how you can help?

This type of privilege is often forgotten and misunderstood.

In many cases, a person who lacks or has mental health privilege do not even realise whether they have it or not.

However, the number of impacts that the lack of mental health privilege has on a person’s life is ever-growing.?

Mental health privilege does not have a?specific?definition.?It could be defined as advantages that come with having a healthy mental state. It is often viewed as a subtype of health privilege which can be defined as advantages that come with having no health issues.?

So, the best way to explain mental health privilege is to look at the specific disadvantages that are caused by mental health challenges.

Here are some examples of what this looks like:?

• Facing discrimination or prejudice in and outside of the workplace due to stigma around having a mental health illness
• Facing anxiety of whether to tell your boss, friend, potential employer, or new relationship partner about your mental illness due to fear that they will not accept you - which could easily rip away new opportunities?
• Being fearful that you may be labelled as a “bad friend” due to missing events, and/or having to cancel events at the last minute due to a mental health condition
• Being fearful that you may be labelled as a “bad employee” due to missing deadlines, having to ask for help, or asking for extra time.?
• Worrying that you may be labelled as “trouble” by the criminal justice system due to a mental health condition
• Not being able to work a regular job or a 40- hour week job
• Not being able to handle workload at school or at work
• Increased risks of developing more than one mental illness
• Fear of financial impacts due to payment of therapy and/or medications
• Having to take time off work due to mental health, but making it worse because of the fear of falling behind

These are just?some?of the everyday thoughts, pressures, and overall disadvantages a person may face when experiencing a mental health challenge.?

Along with mental health privilege, the access to mental health care is a difficult and long process which only creates more disadvantages for those with a mental health condition.?

For example, In the UK, the mental health sector receives just 13% of NHS funding, yet mental ill-health accounts for a massive 28% of the overall disease burden.

Many people with mental illnesses are put on a waiting list, in which 64% of people must wait more than four weeks between their initial assessment and second appointment, 23% wait more than 3 months, and 11% wait longer than six months.?

The long waiting times often increase the severity of a person’s mental health condition, creating a longer list of disadvantages which further increases anxiety and frustration over the lack of finance to get the help they need at the time, which ultimately creates an extremely vicious cycle.?

As previously touched upon, the lack of mental health privilege can have a huge impact on work. From fear of judgement by colleagues, to missing out on a new opportunity, to falling behind and getting a bad reputation.?

Experiencing a lack of mental health privilege can feel like power is completely out of reach.

So, those who have access to change the system that creates the fears that those with mental health challenges may face, (such as CEO’s, HR managers, and business leaders), we believe should be able to step in before the vicious cycle becomes too dangerous and in more severe cases, irreversible.?

So, how can you improve the workplace for those who lack mental health privilege??

• Offer mental health first aid training?
• Always have mental health first aiders on hand
• Train managers and team leaders on what to do if they see signs of mental health conditions
• Include mental health coverage as part of the health care plan?
• Reduce the stigma through events, fundraisers, posters, and communication
• Have access to emergency contacts such as Samaritans?
• Encourage employees to talk in a safe, confidential environment
• Enable working from home if necessary?
• Make changes to break times and enable flexible hours when necessary?
• Have quiet zones for people to de-stress and reflect?
• Relax absence rules and limits to those with mental health issues?
• Allow time off for appointments and short notice leave
• Create a mentor programme to provide employees with someone to talk to