Whether it’s in line at the airport, on the construction site, in the break room or driving piece of equipment—employees don’t get to choose when or where a mental health episode will take place. It just happens.
Mental health issues become more pronounced when a person takes a moment to just be. It’s at the point—when they are still (in body)—that allows them to realize all the fears, frustrations and negative mental chatter running through their head.
It’s certainly not uncommon in the construction industry to be very busy; especially with project deadlines, penalties and contracts being top of mind. What creates a problem is when being “busy” becomes an excuse to not give the mind the time it truly needs to process thoughts in an intentional and learning-focused way.
It can be a frightening realization for many construction professionals to be in the presence of their thoughts—a place where their stressors seem to compound moment by moment.
The Symptoms Are Easily Hidden
Mental health issues come with a variety of symptoms—yet most are easily hidden behind a false smile (even with a tightly clenched jaw). Most who suffer from mental health issues do a tremendous job of covering up the symptoms—which is why mental health initiatives within the corporate setting have only recently gained traction. Employers truly didn’t know that their team members were suffering with mental health issues.
Recent statistics regarding mental health in the United States certainly sheds light on the fact that indeed, many are struggling. According to Mental Health First Aid USA:
- in the United States, almost half of adults (46.4%) will experience a mental illness during their lifetime; and
- 5% of adults (18 or older) experience a mental illness in any one year, equivalent to 43.8 million people.
When there are few outward symptoms, it’s easy to become immune or complacent that so many individuals are struggling with mental health. It is difficult to piece all the symptoms together until it’s too late. That is, until the aftermath of a mental illness is on social media or the news—another suicide, lost job, accident or shooting.
Knowing that a seasoned mental health sufferer will most-likely try to hide their illness, consider looking for or recollecting common physical symptoms of stress, which are often precursors to the formation of a mental illness:
- fatigue;
- headache;
- irritability;
- upset stomach;
- muscle tension;
- change in appetite;
- grinding teeth; and
- feeling dizzy.
When a coworker complains about any of these symptoms, consider intervening or having an appropriate person, such as a manager, supervisor or HR director, reach out to the individual to see if a larger issue may be building.
If appropriate action is taken and stressors are mitigated or resolved, the individual will most-likely start to see reduced physical symptoms and will continue to remain more aware of their wellbeing.
The Quadruple Threat: Control, Battle, Battle More, Conceal
Those suffering from mental health issues often battle day-by-day, minute-by-minute or even second-by-second. They may be fighting the mental health battle on many fronts. Their first threat is to control, limit and mitigate the onset of the illness. They can make the day flow smoothly so that nothing triggers the illness, but how does a mental health sufferer do that? They plan, prep and try to control as much of their day as possible—which inevitably leads to a mental health crisis when their day doesn’t go as planned.
Next, they battle the symptoms that develop when the mental health crisis occurs. Humans are blessed with a “fight-or-flight” response, which occurs as a result of the sympathetic nervous system being engaged by stress. The carefully orchestrated yet near-instantaneous sequence of hormonal changes and physiological responses helps someone to fight a threat off or flee to safety.
For mental health sufferers, the fight-or-flight response symptoms only compound their fears. As stress sets in, the body responds:
- breathing quickens;
- heart pounds;
- intense pressure may be felt on different areas of the body; many sufferers develop a deep pressure on their forehead that can extend all the way to the ears;
- sweat appears;
- eyes may become “glazed” with an inability to focus;
- muscles tense, fidgeting may occur; and
- dry mouth sets in. A panic or anxiety attack sufferer may grab for their beverage and drink every few seconds or uncontrollably.
Imagine feeling a bit uneasy about the day, and then having stress compound to the point where it starts triggering the fight or flight response. It creates a world of chaos for the individual. Furthermore, the fear of what may happen if the mental health event continues to grow starts to weigh on the individual. Having the thought that death is eminent is quite common during a mental health crisis. An attack feels like a medical emergency—a life or death scenario to many sufferers.
Mental health episodes can come on fast and furious. Something as simple as having an unpleasant thought can immediately initiate an attack, and the illness doesn’t that it’s an inopportune time to panic. It’s important to know that the emotional pain and fear from suffering with a mental health issue is, at times, unbearable.
If the battle doesn’t seem strong enough, the ego steps in to remind the sufferer that they will appear weak, incompetent, unworthy, unreliable and possibly even unqualified if anyone were to know they were struggling with stress and potentially developing a mental health issue. The thought of losing control during an anxiety or panic attack and having others find out about the illness would be devastating to most sufferers (not all). So, what do they do? They hide. They do all they can to escape from where they are at. Mental health sufferers frequently:
- don’t return calls;
- leave early or back out of social obligations;
- call in sick; and
- try to lay low until they feel the symptoms have gone away or until they feel they have the illness “under control.”
Listen Up
Mental health issues can be recognized not only by physical symptoms, but by verbal cues as well. Many who suffer from mental health issues will give clues to coworkers about their struggle. Although hidden in day-to-day conversation, the clues are often disguised or deemed as normal. Unfortunately, following a mental health crisis, the pieces are put together that easily could have been conveyed as a cry for help.
Here are just a few comments to listen for:
- “I wish I could sleep 24 hours per day, then I could sleep away the darkness and loneliness of anxiety”;
- “There really isn’t anything like the feeling of anxiety, it’s like you’re suffocating or being buried alive. People don’t understand the gravity of this disease and it’s sad”;
- “I’m having a hard time with everything and feel like a ball of anxiety and worthlessness”;
- “I don’t know how to be happy”;
- “Some days are so hard”;
- “I feel like I’m worthless”;
- “Nobody wants anything to do with me”;
- “I feel unlovable”;
- “I’ve been on Paxil, Celexa, Xanax, Ativan and now Wellbutrin. Will I ever find the right meds for me?”;
- “I feel like I was put on this planet to suffer”;
- “I feel alone”;
- “I need support”; and
- “Will life insurance pay out if it’s a suicide?”
Depending on the severity of their illness, employees who suffer with a mental health issue fight a constant battle with their thoughts, feelings and emotions, with (at times) very little attention being given to the professional tasks they’ve been assigned. When focus is given to the stressor, illness or the management of its symptoms, it’s not surprising that accidents, near misses and mistakes start happening or become even more pronounced.
Everyone has a role as it relates to mental health, whether that be to manage their own stressors and take care of themselves via stress management techniques, or to be aware of the safety and well-being of a coworker who may just be in a mental battle that’s slightly larger than they can handle.
The Art of Intervening
When an individual becomes more aware of a coworker who is exhibiting the physical and non-physical signs of having a mental health issue, it is imperative that they know the appropriate way to intervene by offering help or support. Having a “mental health strategy” on file for each employee is a great tool for employers to give personal insight into how to best help each employee during unique situations like a mental health crisis. Examples of mental health strategy questions include:
- What events or situations cause me to get stressed?
- How do I tend to react when I’m stressed?
- What physical symptoms do I have when I get stressed?
- What is the best way to approach me when I appear stressed?
- What questions can my supervisor or coworker ask me that may help to diffuse a stressful moment?
- Do I feel comfortable telling a coworker that I may be experiencing a mental health issue? If so, who?
- When I feel I may need a moment to regroup at work, where will I go?
- In general, what length of time do I need to “calm down” after a stressful event?
- How will I let others know that I am in the mental capacity to get back to work and focused on the task at hand?
Along with a mental health strategy, employers should consider incorporating stress management breaks and activities into the workday. Building employees’ awareness to the fact that life will always throw curve balls their way—in the form of unexpected bills, travel, relationship issues, etc.—will help to build their confidence and guide them to be in the appropriate head space to navigate the ups and downs of life. Examples of stress management activities would encourage employees to:
- allow for more flexibility in life;
- practicing gratitude;
- allow for quiet time to rest and reset the mind;
- practice forgiveness;
- limit expectations (beyond the professional setting); and
- do more things they enjoy.
The Greatest Asset
Mental Illness isn’t anything to fear. It isn’t taboo or something that shouldn’t be talked about. Discussing mental health is just as important of a conversation (if not more important) on the “health” of a piece of equipment or the financial “health” of the organization.
Thinking that no one in their organization is suffering from a mental health issue may just be the largest professional mistake an employer (or employee) can make.
Many successful business professionals—widely known and liked in the construction industry by their coworkers, clients and vendors—suffer with mental health issues. Anxiety, panic attacks and other mental illnesses can happen to anyone; it’s just not spoken about once the employee clocks in or gets the promotion they’ve worked years to obtain.
Employees are every organization’s greatest asset. Know when those greatest assets are about to break.
