Mental Health at Workplaces – Is Depression a thing in Tanzania? (Published in The Guardian – 05/04/2016)

My column today is prompted by an intriguing question I came across on the social media – “Is Depression a thing in Tanzania or is it laughed off as a foreign thing”?

As reported by Dr Kaaya, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at MUHAS, an analysis of facility based data by diagnosis collected from 20 Regions in Tanzania from 2006-2007, showed that depression accounted for 7.5% of all reported (89,045) patients with mental disorders. So, yes – depression is a thing along with other mental disorders in Tanzania. We need to get rid of the stigma and improve access to mental health services, especially since many severe emotional disorders have onset in young adulthood with serious implications for lost productivity.

Emotional Health in the Workplace

Work is important to our well-being. In addition to the income it brings, it is a big part of our identity and how we understand our skills and capabilities towards contributing to something bigger. Emotional health can have a big impact on the way we work.

The results of a recent analysis of three years’ worth of global Employee Assistance Program (EAP) data conducted by Workplace Options of USA, paint the picture very clearly – employees are seeking help for more significant and more severe emotional health issues than ever before.

The research looked at a very stable population of more than 100,000 employees across Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North America and South America and was collected from 2012 – 2014 and showed that:

• About 4 out of every 10 cases over the three year period were related to emotional health issues
• The number of cases dealing with employee depression increased 58% between 2012 and 2014
• The number of cases dealing with employee anxiety increased 74%
• The number of cases dealing with employee stress increased 28%
• Combined, employee depression, stress and anxiety accounted for 55.2 % of all emotional health cases in 2012 compared to 82.6% in 2014

The geographic breakdown of the results of this analysis shows a consistent pattern emerging from regions around the world.

Percentage Increase in Reported Emotional Health Issues Between 2012-2014

Region                             Depression                       Stress                           Anxiety

Asia                                        73.0%                                       20.1%                            32.1%

EMEA                                    41.7%                                       27.1%                             84.2%

N America                             25.6%                                     32.7%                             71.2%

Central & S America            55.3%                                     40.9%                            22.9%

What this shows is that instances of reported emotional health issues like depression, stress, anxiety are on the rise. As this happens, businesses need to carefully consider whether they have the right support structures in place to help their employees prosper – both personally and professionally.

How does emotional health impact workplaces?

People who experience an emotional disorder many doubt their abilities or appear less confident. A person may have a hard time concentrating, learning and making decisions. Someone who can’t concentrate may then think that they can’t do their job well or they worry about losing their job. It’s easy to see how these changes affect work performance.

Emotional disorders can also have a big effect on relationships. People who experience an emotional disorder may withdraw from others, act in unexpected ways, take a lot of time off, or appear less productive than usual. This can strain both personal and professional relationships.

What can be done?

The good news is that mental illnesses are treatable. Early recognition of emotional health problems, referrals to the right resources such as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and adequate treatment can help people get on the path to recovery and go back to their usual work quickly. Employees can and do reach their full potential, when they have right supports in their life, including those at their workplace. Some emotional health problems in the workplace can also be prevented when organizations take steps to create emotionally healthy workplaces for all employees.

A healthy workplace is one where individuals feel valued and supported, provides a positive workspace and shows respect for other aspects of a person’s life.