Daily Times

Mental health has never been given priority in comparison to health issues of the body due to its intangible nature. As such, a day has been dedicated to draw global attention towards mental health issues. One of the intended functions of this day is to advocate against the deeply embedded social stigma regarding mental illnesses prevalent in our society.10 October 2017 marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of ‘World Mental Health Day’. In some countries like Australia, a whole week is devoted for this cause. This year’s theme is “Mental Health at the Workplace.” According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in five individuals suffers from mental health issues caused by stress at the workplace.

In the past, mental health problems were always kept under the carpet. But this year’s World Mental Health Day is quite different as today we see a positive change as to how the world at large views mental health challenges. All this is credited to the endless struggles by hundreds of organizations and interventions by high-profile public figures to increase awareness regarding mental health.

Prince Harry, having spent ten years of his life in the armed forces, has teamed up with Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) to hammer out new mental health policies and strategies for armed forces personnel and veterans. Speaking on 9 October 2017, at the launch of this collaboration in central London, Prince harry said: “The military has faced the challenge of dealing with things like post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression. But, like so many of you in this room, I have come to realize that we can all do more to promote the positive management of our mental health and, in doing so, help prevent some of these issues before they develop.”

Weighing in at three pounds, the human brain has the distinction of being the most complex and least understood organ of the body. Despite the fact that the human brain does not have a single pain receptor, mental disorders have the ability to cause intolerable pain and agony. From being imprisoned to being able to soar vast limitless skies, the human brain stems from diversity. The victims of mental disorders always find themselves trapped in a body foreign to them where everything is shrouded in darkness and logic is non-existent. They are forced to view the world through the bottom of a wine glass.

A major portion of our lifetime is spent within the confines of the workplace where problems such as inequality, gender-discrimination, demanding workload, over-stretched working hours, conflicts in roles, low compensations, harassment and bullying at the hands of senior members may take a toll on the mental wellbeing of employees and ultimately pave way for disorders like depression and anxiety

A major portion of our lifetime is spent within the confines of the workplace where problems such as inequality, gender-discrimination, demanding workload, over-stretched working hours, conflicts in roles, low compensations, harassment and bullying at the hands of senior members may take a toll on the mental wellbeing of employees and ultimately pave way for disorders like depression and anxiety. Workplace stress follows employees to their homes which disrupts family life. Globally, more than 300 million people are victims of depression which makes it a leading cause of disability. At least 260 million are living with anxiety-related disorders and a vast majority of these people also suffer from depression.

Managers who take initiatives to promote mental health of the labour force enjoy increased productivity at work. A team member at work who often looks tired, has started to miss deadlines, is avoiding social contact, is underperforming without any apparent reason or has strained relations with his colleagues should be identified by managers and given immediate attention. If the mental stability of employees is ignored then issues such as prolonged absenteeism from work, increase in workplace disputes, reduced productivity and increased costs are inevitable. Data collected by Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) shows that every two out of three cases of workplace sick leaves are due to mental health problems.

World Mental Health Day was also observed in Pakistan at the federal and provincial level. According to some estimates there are around 50million people suffering from mental disorders in our country, with 15 to 35 million adults and approximately 20 million children. There are no statistics available regarding the prevalence of mental health patients in our workforce as we still live in a society where psychiatric diseases are looked down upon. This compromises the importance of psychiatric care. The abysmally low number (that is below 500) of specialised psychiatrists in Pakistan is evidence of this.

While it is the government’s duty to run awareness campaigns and adequately fund mental health services, employers and clinicians share responsibility in regards to the state of mental health. Employers should assist in providing professional mental healthcare at work and clinicians should make effective use of government funding.

A WHO study says that investment of every single dollar for improving the treatment and access to treatment of anxiety and depression leads to a return of four dollars in terms of better health prospects and ability to work. Mental health stability promotes positive physical health, which ultimately leads to better communities and flourishing economies.

The writer is a medical doctor based in Islamabad. He tweets at @rajakhalidshab

Published in Daily Times, October 15^th 2017.