Last week was Mental Health Awareness Week, which inspired
me to revisit the below blog. I actually wrote it a few weeks ago but I
questioned whether I should publish it.
Last week saw thousands of people open up about their
experiences with mental health, and it’s really good to see how things have
changed over the years and that people feel more comfortable being more open
and honest. So here’s my two cents
worth…
A few months ago, I was really struggling with my mental
health but thanks to the support of friends, family and colleagues, things are
looking up.
This horrible dark shadow infected every part of my life – my family,
my relationships and my work. As someone who always strives to work hard and be
the best press officer I can be, seeing my work slip was devastating. So I got
medical assistance and told my boss – two of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
Mental health will affect one in four of us at some point in
their lives, so I’ve jotted down a few points to consider if you‘re a PR
professional (or indeed anyone) struggling with your mental well-being in the
workplace.
This is entirely based on my own experience and I’m not a
medical professional of any sort – this is meant to offer food for thought and
a bit of support to anyone who may need it.
Tell your colleagues
When I told my colleagues what was going on, I was surprised to discover how many of them had had similar issues themselves. Initially I was terrified they would think less of me, but everyone was very supportive and together we looked at ways to make my working life easier.
When I told my colleagues what was going on, I was surprised to discover how many of them had had similar issues themselves. Initially I was terrified they would think less of me, but everyone was very supportive and together we looked at ways to make my working life easier.
Shout if you’re
struggling
For me, the worst thing about mental ill-health is that there are no physical symptoms, unless you count uncontrollable weeping for no reason. There’s no limbs hanging off, no horrible cough, no nasty rash - you look just as you always did. This can make it hard for colleagues to know if you are struggling, unless you tell them. The hardest thing for me was opening up about what I was feeling and whether I needed to work from home for a day or two, but once it was out in the open, it all started to feel OK.
For me, the worst thing about mental ill-health is that there are no physical symptoms, unless you count uncontrollable weeping for no reason. There’s no limbs hanging off, no horrible cough, no nasty rash - you look just as you always did. This can make it hard for colleagues to know if you are struggling, unless you tell them. The hardest thing for me was opening up about what I was feeling and whether I needed to work from home for a day or two, but once it was out in the open, it all started to feel OK.
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| When someone tells you they are struggling, don't be the person on the right! |
Talk to your GP –
when YOU’RE ready
This is a tricky one. I didn’t ask for medical help for a long time, but
something clicked one day and I went – I’m so glad I did. This is probably
something anyone dealing with a mental health issue should do, but it’s
something you have to be ready for. No-one can force you to go until you’re
ready. If you’re not ready, don’t worry, but when you are, just go – it can be
the first step to getting better.
Be kind to yourself
I found this very difficult. Not only did I feel like I had no right to feel the way I did, I also felt I had let everyone down by letting it get as far as it did before I sought help. Hindsight is a beautiful thing, but you can’t spend your time wishing you had done anything differently. Imagine if your friend told you they were depressed or anxious, you would immediately rally around to support them and offer kind words of encouragement and hope. Try and do the same for yourself. Don’t beat yourself up – you’re only human.
And finally, always remember....
I found this very difficult. Not only did I feel like I had no right to feel the way I did, I also felt I had let everyone down by letting it get as far as it did before I sought help. Hindsight is a beautiful thing, but you can’t spend your time wishing you had done anything differently. Imagine if your friend told you they were depressed or anxious, you would immediately rally around to support them and offer kind words of encouragement and hope. Try and do the same for yourself. Don’t beat yourself up – you’re only human.
And finally, always remember....
Posts
Good morning, i saw your post through an old school friends account. I wanted to say thank you, thank you on behalf of anyone who like me, relates to your every word in your blog. Sadly being ill led me to loose my job of 22 years due to their ignorance and stigma. But i went on to support and raise awareness of both mental health and domestic abuse. Thank you again! Shoosh No More! Sara
ReplyDeleteHi Sara, thank you for your kind words. I'm really glad to hear you were able to take positives from your experience and raise awareness :)
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