Session 14 - Getting Help

Over the last six months we have looked at every element of our mental health and what we can do to protect ourselves while working in the FMCG sector. There is no doubt that our industry is a very high pressure environment to work in and it is therefore not surprising that burnout and poor mental health are common.?

So what if, despite all of our efforts, the pressure of life is starting to get the better of us? Who can we turn to to get help if we are feeling that we are no longer able to cope?

Getting Help

When it comes to getting help there are two things we must first understand.

1. There is absolutely no shame in admitting that we need help. We all have mental heath, sometimes we are well and sometimes we are poorly. Getting help with our mental health is no different to seeking help for a physical ailment. We now understand more about mental illness, and the conditions that can develop, than we ever have done before. At any one time 25% of the population will suffer symptoms of poor mental health and it is therefore completely normal to seek support.
2. Don’t wait until you reach crisis point before reaching out for support. The earlier we get help, the more likely it is that we will make a full recovery - if we had an infection under our finger nail, we wouldn’t wait until our finger dropped off before seeking help, and mental health is no different - seek help before things get serious!

Where to get help

There are many different types of support available and I would categorize them under three broad headings - ‘First Aid’, ‘Professional help’ and ‘other support’.?

First Aid

If we fell off a ladder and hurt ourselves or had a car crash, the first person we might turn to could be a First Aider, someone who had a basic training and could support us in that period between having the accident and professional help being available. A Mental Health First Aider provides the same level of support for someone in mental health crisis and would be the first person we could turn to for help. They are trained to assist in a crisis, be able to listen to your concerns without judging you, give you appropriate information and support, and signpost and assist you to get the appropriate professional help or other support. Any conversation that you have with a First Aider will be confidential - they are not allowed to discuss what you have talked about with anyone else without your permission.

Having physical health First Aiders is a mandatory requirement for business in the UK but as yet organisations don’t have to have Mental Health First Aiders, so you may not always have access to a suitably qualified person in that moment of crisis. However, if you do have Mental Health First Aiders in your organization, they would be your first line of support - talking to a First Aider could be all you need to get things into perspective and feel more positive, but if not, they will support you in getting professional help.

Professional Help

There are different sources of professional help depending on your needs. By ‘professional’ we mean someone who is qualified in their field of expertise, such as a GP, Counsellor, Psychiatrist or Psychologist.

In the first instance, most people will contact their GP for support. GPs are generalists and act as the gatekeeper for all aspects of specialist services including mental health support - they can help you organise counselling and prescribe medication as appropriate and are obviously completely confidential. Your GP knows your medical history and will be able to offer you support and advice that is personal to your individual needs.

However, GP appointments are not always immediately available. Some organizations have an Employee Assistance Programme’ (EAP). This is likely to be run by an external provider who specialises in occupational health and is paid for by the employer. EAPs are completely confidential and offer support for a wide range of ailments including poor mental health for the employee and their immediate family. They often provide fully funded face to face counselling services and can provide assistance in getting further help. To access your EAP, contact your line manager, Occupational Health or HR - you do not have to give a reason why you need to contact them, this is a completely confidential service and they will not discuss your personal health with the business.

You can also speak to your organization’s Occupational Health service (OH). OH are healthcare professionals who are bound by the same levels of confidentiality as any doctor or nurse. They are often registered nurses who have specialized in OH and who also understand the pressures of the business. They cannot and will not discuss your specific health or circumstances with the business, but they can make recommendations to line managers around taking time off, phased return to work plans etc. OH are patient centered and act as a conduit between the company and the individual in the interest of both parties.?

Other Support

There are many other types of support that you can utilise to compliment professional help, including :

1. Speaking to family and friends?
2. Self help books
3. Local support groups
4. Agencies such as The Samaritans?

Local agencies who supply specific types of support for different conditions can be found by following the Hub of Hope link below.

Mental Health Support Network provided by Chasing the Stigma | Hub of hope

Summary

When I was struggling I didn’t know that help was available and very quickly descended into a debilitating anxiety based crisis - please don’t allow this to happen to you.?

If you feel as though life is getting on top of you, it is important that you seek help as soon as possible to prevent matters getting worse. Simply chatting about how you feel with a MH First Aider or a friend or family member who you trust and who will not judge you could be enough for you to gain perspective and restore balance. But if not, it is important that you get in touch with your EAP, OH or GP. Help is available, recovery is both possible and likely and there is no shame in admitting that you are struggling right now. In short, it’s OK to get help!

In our next session we will focus on how we can take everything we have learned over the last six months and use it to build a mentally healthier workplace, where it is perfectly normal to openly discuss our wellbeing and help to prevent people from ever descending into crisis. In the mean time, please take care of yourselves, show yourself some compassion and continue to make 2023 a positive and happy year

Best Wishes

Simon

Simon Burrow

[email protected]

0797 928 7745

(Simon Burrow is a qualified Mental Health First Aid Instructor, accredited by MHFA England, and runs Mental Health Awareness and Mental Health First Aid training for industry. With 35 years experience of working in FMCG manufacturing as an Account Manager, Account Controller, Account Director and Commercial Director, working with all the major UK supermarkets at Category Director and above, he now specialises in providing Mental Health First Aid and Awareness training to the FMCG Sector. For more information and to discuss training your commercial and supply chain teams, please contact Simon on 0797 928 7745 / [email protected])