Mental Health - What Is the Cost of Mental Health? Is That the Right Question?
10 February 2022
Do we only value and prioritise the visible and measurable? Does it require financial impact to promote attention and action? Are Mental Health (MH) issues best kept hidden and undiscussed? Is the language of MH for the self-seeking minority, who should get a grip and pull themselves together like the rest of us do? Has “yes” been in your head as you’ve read?
MH may have become more newsworthy, but labelling can do more harm than good. Harm to individuals as well as their organisations success criteria, reputation, and budget.
MH is complex because people are. Ignorance and lack of support is frequently breath-taking. I have been CEO, DDE and Headteacher with responsibility for many employees and students. Despite the roles, I had much to learn about MH issues and their impact. That’s before I had Traumatic Brain Injury with time-off, experience, and motivation to learn more. It is better to learn truths that benefit all, before a crisis point. MH can influence all, even the great Winston Churchill called depression his black dog.
Schools have received funding and advice on MH and wellbeing from the Department for Education. Staff need to be trained and aware. I have found First Aid training for MH informative and extremely beneficial. The statistics are frightening and unwise to ignore. Mental Health First Aid England offers training courses to help attendees support adults and children. Long established First Aid provider, St John Ambulance, offers Mental Health Workplace Responder courses. It is very important to get information from a trusted source because there is too much misinformation in circulation.
Do your published values claim that you care for people? Does the workplace model these values in reality? Are there systems and time periods to support MH management? If you have published values, do the leaders demonstrate them by valuing themselves as well as their team? What is the workplace culture? Is being a workaholic something to be proud of? Beyond crisis point, even the most passionate and caring leader may be unfit and unable to continue to support their staff.
We need to learn more, be open to discussion and know where and when to get help. Be prepared.
Useful links:
Mental Health and Well-being support in schools (DfE)
Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA)
Mental Health Workplace Responder (St John Ambulance)
How to access Mental Health Services (NHS)