With the tragic passing of Charlotte Dawson over the weekend it seems appropriate that we raise the subject of Mental illness in the workplace.

Talk about Mental Illness

While media campaigns such as the John Kirwan series on depression have done a wonderful job of breaking down some of the stigma that was once attached to Mental illness, it is still not always an easy subject to broach for many Kiwi’s. The reality is that 1 in 5 New Zealanders are affected by mental illness each year, but how often do we talk about it?

Over my career I have had several personal experiences dealing with mental illness in the workplace with employees and or situations where family members of employees are suffering with mental illness which in turn has had a knock on effect to that person’s performance with the increased stress.

Much like physical illness every situation is different but the first step is always to talk about it, the second is to seek the appropriate medical or professional support.

Work Stress

With the right support and quick intervention most people can be back on track and performing again in no time.
Below are some links to website that are able to provide information, tools and resources for dealing with Mental Illness in NZ

www.mentalhealth.org.nz
www.depression.org.nz
www.thelowdown.co.nz

by Michelle Connor