Bell Let's Talk Day

[killer_carlson]

Everyone able to talk about mental health today?

Even if on the internet?

At my office we buy lunch for everyone and get into a boardroom and talk about work stressers and so on. I think it's important we talk about it and have the whole group together to do so. We're small so it's a bit easier for us.

I'd encourage everyone to speak to their friends. Even if you aren't directly affected, perhaps they are and could use someone starting the conversation.

[undercoverbrother]

I found out today that a friend of mine was struggling, but didn't tell anyone.

He reached out to Big Ern online and he met up with him for coffee and helping him get back on track.

I now keep a closer eye on my friends.

[Puppet Guy]

Don't hold it in. People will help.

[Ashasx]

I notice that almost a majority of the hashtags I'm seeing on twitter are #BeIlLetsTalk, with the first L in Bell being the letter I.

What's the deal here?

[killer_carlson]

We try to bring mental health up regularly at our office meetings because we think it's important to note it's not just one day of the year.

[OMG!WTF!]

There is fairly easy to access, one on one therapy at the South Calgary Health Center in Sundance...


https://www.albertahealthservices.ca...lityID=1018206


It's quite an amazing free service. Also they have mental health crisis counseling at the emergency walk in there from 7-10 I believe. Kind of a life saver.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

We try to bring mental health up regularly at our office meetings because we think it's important to note it's not just one day of the year.

The issue with this sort of policy is that while you obviously mean well in doing this, people will tend to conflate "mental health" with things like "feeling stressed out" or generally being sad, and the people who are struggling with things like staying alive on a day to day basis tend to get the message that this isn't really the environment for that discussion. Not to diminish the importance of talking about work stress in a workplace environment, but there's just so much noise on this topic that it's really hard to have an effective conversation about what are some pretty discrete and distinct issues.

[Sliver]

I can't think of a less appropriate environment to open up about mental health struggles than a boardroom with your coworkers. Work peers aren't equipped to help somebody in that setting and asking people to bring their challenges up in front of a group of colleagues is a really strange approach imo.

People in need of help are best off working with a professional. I mean, you wouldn't ask people to open up about their physical ailments in a group (that's what a doctor is for), so I'm not sure why you'd want them to open up about their mental struggles that way. Actually, the thought of it is quite shocking the more I think about it. What a terrible idea.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I can't think of a less appropriate environment to open up about mental health struggles than a boardroom with your coworkers. Work peers aren't equipped to help somebody in that setting and asking people to bring their challenges up in front of a group of colleagues is a really strange approach imo.

People in need of help are best off working with a professional. I mean, you wouldn't ask people to open up about their physical ailments in a group (that's what a doctor is for), so I'm not sure why you'd want them to open up about their mental struggles that way. Actually, the thought of it is quite shocking the more I think about it. What a terrible idea.

I don't think it's as much about getting counselling from your peers in a boardroom, as it is to simply get the message out about mental health, and possibly things at the workplace that could contribute to problems.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I can't think of a less appropriate environment to open up about mental health struggles than a boardroom with your coworkers. Work peers aren't equipped to help somebody in that setting and asking people to bring their challenges up in front of a group of colleagues is a really strange approach imo.

People in need of help are best off working with a professional. I mean, you wouldn't ask people to open up about their physical ailments in a group (that's what a doctor is for), so I'm not sure why you'd want them to open up about their mental struggles that way. Actually, the thought of it is quite shocking the more I think about it. What a terrible idea.

I have dealt with employees' mental health issues.

While I agree it isn't the forum to bring up specific issues, I would suggest it is certainly the forum to bring up the resources that are available to your employees.

[Wormius]

I took it that don't talk about their mental health issues amongst themselves, they just remind people to be mindful of theirs and that others might be struggling?

[Dion]

How to Change the Conversation

All of us can help chip away at the stigma of mental illness one conversation at a time. Here are a few things you can do to help start a conversation that could change someone's life:

Talk about resources. Mental illness is treatable, but people need to know where to turn for help. Online screening tools, hotlines, and support groups are free of charge and available for everyone. If someone needs therapy or medication, talking to a physician is usually a good place to start.

Discuss strategies for building mental strength. Practice mental strength exercises that help you deal with uncomfortable emotions and negative thinking. Share your strategies with others, and ask how they handle issues of self-doubt, feelings of guilt, or anxiety.

Incorporate conversations about mental health into the workday. Mental health issues affect everything in the workplace from productivity to health insurance costs, so it's a great incentive for leaders to open the door to conversations about how to recognize and treat problems as well as how to take preventive measures.

Think about mental health as a continuum. Rather than assume you're either mentally healthy or mentally ill, acknowledge that we all have ups and downs in life, and there are times when your mental health will be better and times it will be worse.

Talk about the way mental illness is portrayed in movies and media. Unfortunately, many stories involving crime reference the perpetrator's mental illness. Movies, TV shows, and video games tend to portray people with mental illness as dangerous. Talk openly with others about the fact that most people with mental illness are not a danger to anyone.

Share your story. Talk openly about periods in your life when you've felt depressed or anxious. Make it clear to anyone listening that you believe mental illness can happen to anyone and it's important to seek help.

Offer to help others. Sometimes, people with mental illness struggle to recognize when they need help. Others don't know where to turn or what to do. Offer to help someone schedule an appointment with their doctor and offer to take them to the appointment. That type of support could be just the help someone needs to reach out to a professional.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/b...einforcing-the

[killer_carlson]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

The issue with this sort of policy is that while you obviously mean well in doing this, people will tend to conflate "mental health" with things like "feeling stressed out" or generally being sad, and the people who are struggling with things like staying alive on a day to day basis tend to get the message that this isn't really the environment for that discussion. Not to diminish the importance of talking about work stress in a workplace environment, but there's just so much noise on this topic that it's really hard to have an effective conversation about what are some pretty discrete and distinct issues.

Yeah, we don't sit in a room and diagnose each other's ailments.

We talk about the importance of taking care of mental health. Talking about it in a constructive way destigmatizes the embarrassment that some people have as an impediment to seeking treatment. We talk about the suicides and struggles within our profession - we don't hide from it. We also point to resources available through benefits, through community programs, and otherwise. We want to make sure that those resources are known.

[killer_carlson]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I can't think of a less appropriate environment to open up about mental health struggles than a boardroom with your coworkers. Work peers aren't equipped to help somebody in that setting and asking people to bring their challenges up in front of a group of colleagues is a really strange approach imo.

People in need of help are best off working with a professional. I mean, you wouldn't ask people to open up about their physical ailments in a group (that's what a doctor is for), so I'm not sure why you'd want them to open up about their mental struggles that way. Actually, the thought of it is quite shocking the more I think about it. What a terrible idea.

i'm trying to be polite in responding to you, but some times you make it very difficult.

Having a constructive discussion about resources and that it's ok to seek help is the very essence of this entire movement. You have jumped to a conclusion which is not only wrong but underscores the challenges facing people from being comfortable asking where to go for help.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

The issue with this sort of policy is that while you obviously mean well in doing this, people will tend to conflate "mental health" with things like "feeling stressed out" or generally being sad, and the people who are struggling with things like staying alive on a day to day basis tend to get the message that this isn't really the environment for that discussion. Not to diminish the importance of talking about work stress in a workplace environment, but there's just so much noise on this topic that it's really hard to have an effective conversation about what are some pretty discrete and distinct issues.

Feeling stressed out and feeling sad are mental health problems. Why wouldn't you want your colleagues to talk about that and try and get resources to make them less stressed.

What a bizarre take.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Feeling stressed out and feeling sad are mental health problems. Why wouldn't you want your colleagues to talk about that and try and get resources to make them less stressed.

What a bizarre take.

In a broad sense, they are, yeah. Mental health is a massive umbrella term that spans a rather large gamut of conditions. But they're mental health struggles that everyone faces. Meanwhile, there are people suffering from diagnosed anxiety disorders and bipolar disorder and depression, and that's a very different animal. It doesn't mean that one's important and one's not, it's that it's hard to talk about both of them effectively in the same context. For me, the persistent conflation of these very different issues makes it really tough to have a conversation about the latter, which are far less prevalent and probably less well understood by a lot of people.

To put it bluntly, if mental health is the topic and people are talking about causes of stress at work and good ways to deal with it, that's important and valuable, but it really is not a context where someone is likely to talk about how their frequently consider ending their own life, or being functionally paralyzed by a neurotransmitter imbalance. Those people are going to remain "in the closet", so to speak.

I'm not trying to come down on anyone, I'm just trying to illustrate that this is an incredibly difficult issue to address in a way that actually achieves the stated goal to increase awareness and normalize discussions about mental health issues. It's all too easy to take measures that are good and helpful to a lot of people, but leave some of the most vulnerable and affected people suffering from serious conditions feeling just as - if not more - isolated, because the impression is that even the day dedicated to mental health isn't really for them.

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

The issue with this sort of policy is that while you obviously mean well in doing this, people will tend to conflate "mental health" with things like "feeling stressed out" or generally being sad, and the people who are struggling with things like staying alive on a day to day basis tend to get the message that this isn't really the environment for that discussion. Not to diminish the importance of talking about work stress in a workplace environment, but there's just so much noise on this topic that it's really hard to have an effective conversation about what are some pretty discrete and distinct issues.

Stress and sadness are the things that can definitely become more serious diagnosed mental health conditions. They're not at all distinct issues. Trauma isn't always bodies splattered in front of you. Lots of everyday workplace issues will lead to the type of illness you're thinking of.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

In a broad sense, they are, yeah. Mental health is a massive umbrella term that spans a rather large gamut of conditions. But they're mental health struggles that everyone faces. Meanwhile, there are people suffering from diagnosed anxiety disorders and bipolar disorder and depression, and that's a very different animal. It doesn't mean that one's important and one's not, it's that it's hard to talk about both of them effectively in the same context. For me, the persistent conflation of these very different issues makes it really tough to have a conversation about the latter, which are far less prevalent and probably less well understood by a lot of people.

To put it bluntly, if mental health is the topic and people are talking about causes of stress at work and good ways to deal with it, that's important and valuable, but it really is not a context where someone is likely to talk about how their frequently consider ending their own life, or being functionally paralyzed by a neurotransmitter imbalance. Those people are going to remain "in the closet", so to speak.

I'm not trying to come down on anyone, I'm just trying to illustrate that this is an incredibly difficult issue to address in a way that actually achieves the stated goal to increase awareness and normalize discussions about mental health issues. It's all too easy to take measures that are good and helpful to a lot of people, but leave some of the most vulnerable and affected people suffering from serious conditions feeling just as - if not more - isolated, because the impression is that even the day dedicated to mental health isn't really for them.

I think you make valid points. Feeling Stressed isn't the same as having Borderline Personality Disorder and when people conflate them, it's frustrating.

That said, it does create a greater atmosphere of "man, you never know what people are going through in their lives, so maybe we can just all be a bit nicer to each other"

My place of business is quite progressive about these things and while it's not perfect, I've been impressed with the overall approach.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

This is a bit of an interesting issue, I was in a relationship with someone who was abusive towards me and had a significant history of mental illness and cluster b personality traits. Having been physically threatened, demeaned, and emotionally abused for a period of time I decided that I needed to leave for my own well-being. Now this person obviously has mental health issues that I tried to help with, but was unsuccessful in doing so (refused to see a therapist/psychologist or engage in any form of assistance, and me asking her to do so was putting too much pressure on her).

Where does someone draw the line between someone who is a jerk and abusive and someone who has a mental illness and I should feel empathy for? Are they mutually exclusive? Does the gender of the parties make a difference? Do people consider cluster b diagnoses to have the same weight/magnitude?

[metallicat]

Your own personal limits and boundaries are perfectly acceptable. Having a mental illness doesn't mean you have to accept the abuse and it is ok to want to leave. People need to want to get help for the most part, and I think if you tried to get her help and she refused there really isn't a lot you can do.

I work for 211, and deal with mental health issues every day at work. I talk to people that have friends and family members that are dealing with mental health issues about their own boundaries and how it's ok to have them.

I've talked about 211 a little bit here before, but if anyone needs resources or information for themselves or anyone else, feel free to reach out.