Mental Health in the Workplace

Imagine a colleague at the office suddenly becomes very dizzy. How would you react? You’d probably help her lie down, raise her legs and get her a glass of water. If she also experienced symptoms such as nausea, severe headaches or even difficulty speaking, you would (and should!) call a doctor. It’s the kind of response most of us learn either from people around us or in a first-aid course.

But how would you react if the same colleague had seemed unusually down for several weeks, you noticed that she was struggling to concentrate and was visibly finding it difficult to make decisions? Would you know how to respond and how to support her?

At Oseon, we regularly take refresher courses in first aid for physical emergencies. But those courses don’t teach us how to respond to mental health crises. To close that gap, Oseon has introduced certified Mental Health First Aiders. I had the opportunity to take one of these courses, and here are my key takeaways.

In most Western countries, almost half of the population will experience a mental health condition at some point in their lives. In Germany, one in three people experiences one or more clinically significant mental health disorders within a given year. That means there is almost certainly someone affected in your own circle, too. If you don’t know anyone, it may simply be because they are good at keeping it to themselve

People affected by mental health conditions often face additional stigma and discrimination. Because mental health conditions can be difficult to recognize, they can lead to negative judgments in the workplace, for example when colleagues perceive someone as unable to cope with pressure. It is therefore understandable that people may feel the need to hide their mental health condition. One way to counter this is to make sure as many people as possible understand mental health conditions and know how to recognize and respond to them.

Expressions like “you’re crazy,” “are you nuts?” or “that’s insane” are unfortunately still part of everyday language. While often used casually and in completely unrelated contexts, language like this can reinforce stigma around mental health. That’s why we should think twice about the words we use. Education and awareness are key to changing this. And each of us can help spread that awareness.

People experiencing psychosis in particular often face significant prejudice. This stigma is reinforced both through everyday language and through media narratives, for example when people with psychosis are portrayed as violent, even though the risk of violent behavior is more closely linked to alcohol and substance use than to psychotic disorders. Yet these are precisely the people who need support, as people experiencing psychosis face an increased risk of suicide.

In Germany, suicide is one of the leading causes of premature death, meaning death among people below the age of 65, 70 or 75, depending on the definition used. Almost 90 percent of all suicides are associated with a mental health condition. To provide appropriate support, it is important to find out whether someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts. If they do not bring it up themselves, the only way to find out is to ask them directly. In this situation, the exact wording matters less than approaching the conversation with empathy.

Some people may feel uncomfortable asking directly about suicidal thoughts. But asking the question openly gives the person an opportunity to talk about what they are going through. As a Mental Health First Aider, your role in such a situation is to work with the person to help keep them safe, support them and talk through options for professional help, such as psychiatric services or emergency helplines.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please seek medical or psychological support immediately. Please contact your nearest psychiatric hospital or, in an acute emergency, call 112. TelefonSeelsorge offers free, anonymous and confidential support 24 hours a day by phone, chat or email. You can reach them at 0800 111 0 111. Further support and counseling services have been compiled by the Aktionsbündnis Seelische Gesundheit.

If you are elsewhere, please contact your local emergency services or a suicide crisis service in your country.

Mental Health First Aid focuses on early intervention, bridging the gap between a person’s mental health and their recovery from a mental health condition. Mental Health First Aiders act as a link between people experiencing a mental health crisis and professional support. For this to work, it is important that as many people as possible know where to find help and can support those affected in accessing professional care.

Alongside nationwide services such as TelefonSeelsorge, there are various regional support services. In Hamburg, for example, there is the Hamburg Crisis Helpline. City, municipal and district websites also generally provide information on local crisis services, such as the Hamburg Social Welfare Authority’s overview of mental health support. These organizations often make information about local services available in printed form as well, so it can be shared with others. You could, for example, make it available at your workplace.

Mental health conditions can be just as seriously disabling as physical illnesses. That makes it all the more important to expand our knowledge and understanding accordingly, and to treat people experiencing mental health conditions with the same care and respect we show people with visible physical illnesses.

The evidence-based program “MHFA Ersthelfer – Kurse für psychische Gesundheit” provides people with the knowledge and skills they need to recognize mental health problems early and know how to respond. I believe that having more trained Mental Health First Aiders in the workplace can be vital. As people who are close to those affected, colleagues can help make it easier to access professional support, reduce stigma and discrimination, and provide the respect and support people need. For employers, this goes beyond their responsibility towards their employees. It also has another important dimension: people can only perform at their best when they are mentally well.

If you would like to become a Mental Health First Aider in Germany, you can find upcoming courses, both online and in person, here: https://www.mhfa-ersthelfer.de/de/.