Mental Health at Workplaces (As published in The Guardian of 30/08/2016)

Last week, one of the leading newspaper reported that a lady in Arusha, set her own house on fire due to a dispute with her husband and when caught and imprisoned, committed suicide. In addition, I have been alarmed by cases of mental disorders over the past few weeks within my professional network, which has prompted this article.

The most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses in Tanzania are depression and anxiety – known to lead to suicidal tendencies. As per the Tanzania Health Profile, suicide deaths reached 7,228 or 2.02% of total deaths – It is indeed alarming that Tanzania ranks #10 in the world

In her 2014 report on Mental Health Service Systems in Tanzania, Professor Syliva Kaaya, Dean School of Medicine and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences has raised an alert regarding potential magnitude of mental ill health due to persistence of AIDS epidemic and its psychosocial impact and increasing prevalence of NCDs with mental disorders.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. Around 450 million people suffer from such conditions, placing mental disorders among the leading causes of ill health and disability worldwide.

WHO defines Mental Health as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to her or his own community”.

• Poor mental health is associated with rapid social change, stressful work conditions, gender discrimination, social exclusion, unhealthy lifestyle, risks of violence and physical ill health.

• Mental health problems affect many employees during their prime working years – a fact that is usually overlooked because these disorders tend to be hidden at work.:

• Mental illness directly affects employees at some time, through a family member, friend or a colleague;

• Mild depression, which is influenced by life stressors within and outside of workplace, is particularly common and is costly to employers given its high prevalence and high aggregate productivity loss;

Many days of work can be lost or disrupted by mental illness. In certain industries, improperly managed mental conditions also can affect employees’ safety. Mental health disorders often go unrecognized and untreated – not only damaging an individual’s health and career, but also reduced productivity at work. Mental disorders increase the risk of getting ill from other diseases such as HIV, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and vice-versa. Adequate treatment, on the other hand, can alleviate symptoms for the employee and job performance. But accomplishing these aims requires a shift in attitudes.

Most people spend almost 60% of their waking hours at workplaces. With an understanding of the financial and human costs of workplace mental health, employers are well positioned to improve both employee well-being and the bottom line

A growing number of HR professionals recognize that early detection and treatment of mental illness can often prevent a crisis and reduce employers’ health care costs down the road. Early identification and treatment can be important to productivity and recovery.

The stigma attached to having a psychiatric disorder is such that employees may be reluctant to seek treatment out of fear that they may jeopardize their jobs. At the same time, managers may want to help but are not sure of how to do so.

Employers and HR professionals are in a powerful position to help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. After arming themselves with facts, they can use this knowledge to educate others and address workplace needs related to mental health.

Reply back to bhakti@impactafya.com with your feedback and we welcome your suggestions for corporate wellness issues you’d like to see covered in our future columns.

Bhakti Shah, MPH is the Founder and Managing Director of ImpactAfya Ltd, collaborating with Workplace Options and Mayo Clinic, USA to provide Corporate Wellness and EAP Solutions in East Africa. Bhakti is also the Immediate Past President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Tanzania and the Chair for Health Concerns for Rotary District 9211.