One of the things that is on my mind a great deal is mental health.
Most of the following is something my Employer had posted.
Micro-aggressions negatively affect the individual’s mental, emotional, and physical health.
Some examples of micro-aggressions that people experience in relation to their mental health:
· “I saw them shopping at the mall, if they can shop they can work”
· “Well if they just tried harder they could get over it”
· “You can’t really be depressed if you are able to work. I couldn’t get out of bed or take a shower when I dealt with depression”.
Some examples of micro-aggressions that people experience in relation to their mental health:
· “I saw them shopping at the mall, if they can shop they can work”
· “Well if they just tried harder they could get over it”
· “You can’t really be depressed if you are able to work. I couldn’t get out of bed or take a shower when I dealt with depression”.
Over time, these micro-aggressions create inner conflict and chronic stress; this only increases risk for the onset of traumatic stress symptoms and depression. People who regularly deal with micro-aggressions may also experience confusion, anger, anxiety, helplessness, hopelessness, frustration, paranoia, and fear, which lead to negative coping mechanisms, such as denial, withdrawal, and substance abuse.
Do not compare your episode of mental illness to others, everyone copes differently and requires different work accommodations. We all have different feelings, life experiences, and coping mechanisms. At work, employees who are returning from a short-term or long-term disability leave need time and patience from colleagues when they are transitioning back to work; healing psychological conditions is not the same as a physical one.
My thoughts... Sometimes rather than asking “how are you doing?,” which can be difficult to answer, you could ask “what made you smile today?” or “how can I best support you today?” This is something we can all do, regardless of our job title.
Do not compare your episode of mental illness to others, everyone copes differently and requires different work accommodations. We all have different feelings, life experiences, and coping mechanisms. At work, employees who are returning from a short-term or long-term disability leave need time and patience from colleagues when they are transitioning back to work; healing psychological conditions is not the same as a physical one.
My thoughts... Sometimes rather than asking “how are you doing?,” which can be difficult to answer, you could ask “what made you smile today?” or “how can I best support you today?” This is something we can all do, regardless of our job title.
Think about how you can take better care of your own mental health, and how you can reach out to help someone going through a tough time.
