Each year, millions of Americans struggle with their mental health, and this past year, those numbers have increased significantly. So, while we keep the conversation about our mental health front and center year-round, we are joining in the national movement to raise awareness about mental health and decrease stigma during May.
That Feeling You’re Having is Called Languishing
While the primary focus has been on treating the physical symptoms of COVID-19, this focus completely bypasses the emotional impact this global pandemic has had on many.
As a result of the pandemic, many employees are experiencing lasting feelings of anxiety, depression, and burnout. We even see ongoing fatigue, stagnation, and feelings of emptiness – this isn’t your traditional burnout; it’s called languishing.
Many people are struggling with the emotional experiences of the pandemic. Unfortunately, it hit some of us unprepared as the intense fear and grief of last year faded.
– Adam Grant, NYT, “There’s a name for that blah feeling: it’s called languishing.”
Physical health concerns are often normalized, while mental health concerns are stigmatized. It’s important to recognize languishing and understand you’re not alone in feeling this way. With COVID-19 vaccines becoming widely available, a post-pandemic reality feels in sight. We must shift our views around mental health – just because a person isn’t clinically depressed doesn’t mean they don’t need support to break out of the emotional fog.
May 2021 – Hot Topic – Shifting our View on Mental Health
This month’s Hot Topic is with one of Aduro’s Mental Health Coaches, Atalie Ferring. Atalie is also a mental health ambassador for the Make It OK organization and is certified in Mental Health First Aid. The focus of the conversation is understanding that we all have mental health, being aware of the stigmas around conversations on mental health, and ways we can shift our understanding to better support ourselves and others.
Every month, Aduro’s Content and Media Labs team produce a Hot Topic podcast. The podcast is a sample of what our members experience through their employee wellness program to support their overall well-being and mental health. In addition, Aduro creates interactive digital content for our members that resonates, motivates, and engages them towards making impactful positive changes in their lives.
Key takeaways to support your employees:
- There are many stereotypes and stigmas related to mental health that make it hard to talk about. But when we begin to talk about it, we can start to support ourselves and others.
- Becoming aware of your views on mental health can help you break down any unhelpful beliefs and opinions so that you can start to see mental health as a regular part of being human.
- Stigmas surrounding mental health impact more than just us, it impacts everything around us as well.
- You can shift the conversation about mental health by opening up to others, making it easier to talk about mental health and well-being.
The most important thing to remember is everyone has mental health. Understanding the stigmas is the first step to shifting the conversation.
Learn more ways to promote mental health in the workplace in our latest eBook, A Guide to Promoting Mental Health in the Workplace.
If you missed April’s session about building lasting, healthy relationships, click here to listen to the podcast.