Staying encouraged when surrounded by discouragement

It’s no secret that we have all been surrounded by a ton of negativity lately.? From the long string of layoffs and work upheavals to personal issues, the mental health of the world population feels like it’s at an all-time low.?

This is supported in the United States both directly and indirectly by a recent ABC News article, citing a survey conducted by West End and Gallup, which states:

• 3 out of 4 Americans believe mental health conditions are not properly identified or treated
• 60% of Americans gave a poor or failing grade to how mental health conditions are treated
• 22% said their mental health was so poor that it interfered with their normal activities

To complicate matters, the more serious the mental illness, and the longer you go untreaded, the shorter your lifespan.? According to this Medscape article citing a study published in The Lancet Psychiatry, investigators found that individuals with severe mental illness have a twofold increased risk for physical multimorbidity versus those without.?

For leaders, it’s always a challenge to address the mental health of both the people on their team, as well as their own. ?As with team members, it’s likely they believe that exposing themselves and talking about their situation will make them look weak.? Leaders on the other hand, have a whole different exposure to workplace pressures, whether keeping a team motivated, balancing the bottom line, or preserving business.? That said, both potentially could lead to the same effect, in degrading mental health, and when you potentially face other issues, such as a staffing cut, it only makes things worse.

With all of this being said, people should take stock in the fact that they are not alone.? Many people have faced both professional and personal issues in their lives.? It’s harder though, to admit that your mental health has been affected by those issues.? So the first step, is to admit to yourself, and the people that surround you, that you are facing that issue…whether stress, depression, anxiety, or otherwise.

Second, you should talk about the situations that are bothering you.? For some, that means going to therapy while for others, it means confiding in family, or your professional or personal friends. ?Writing down your issues as well, whether in a blog, or on your own, and reading it back, can also to an extent, help you compartmentalize your problems.

Third, it’s perfectly normal to exert your emotions.? For some people, going to the gym helps to take what is bottled up and route it to a workout.? For others, a mental health day to reset yourself can be the best option. ?To the point of taking a day off, thinking that you will spend 5 minutes in a day fixing something, to avoid 5 hours of work is a good philosophy.? But it does not always pan true.? ?If you have the days, take the days.? You will never get another chance.

And finally, to reiterate the first point, understand that you are not alone.? We all go through situations where we feel hopeless and depressed.? There are many cases where you are in control of your situation, and you might not even know it.? Take stock in the positive accomplishments you have had in your life, the people you have helped, the positive you have brought to the world, and the positive you will continue to bring to your life, as well as others.? We tend to always gravitate towards the negative.? But we always forget about the positive.? Let's shift the narrative during Mental Health Month and help each other.?

Do you have a story you would like to share with others about your mental health, or something positive that has happened to you?? Leave a comment below and let's talk.?

Disclaimer: This blog and viewpoint represents my opinion only, and does not represent the viewpoints and opinions of any entity that I am affiliated with.