Professional Help for Mental Health Issues During Career

Editor: Chandra Prakash Sharma on Dec 03,2024

 

Mental health is an important constituent of general well-being, but in the workplace, they are not considered. The environments at work are becoming tough because of the stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout. The responsibilities are many, such as managing deadlines, a very heavy workload, and trying to balance work and personal responsibilities. Navigating through career challenges is a part of life, but when it becomes too much, it calls for professional help regarding mental health problems. In this blog, we will talk about how one can seek professional help with mental health problems while at work. 

The Growing Need for Mental Health Support in the Workplace

If you are experiencing mental health problems at work, know you're not alone. There's no question that stress, anxiety, and depression significantly impair the ability to work and enjoy life. The World Health Organization estimates that mental health problems cost the world economy almost $1 trillion annually in lost productivity. The stigma around mental health slowly fades, but the weight of performing and succeeding at work remains heavy so it becomes extremely important for individuals to seek help when needed. 

Why Professional Help for Mental Health Is Crucial

The degree of performance that workers achieve in doing a specific job is directly dependent on mental health conditions. Mental conditions can interfere with the way one focuses or accomplishes specific tasks and selects specific things. Professional assistance in recovery can enhance the ability to work and enhance productivity.  Self-help strategies are very valuable, but professional therapy provides customized strategies addressing the root causes of mental health problems and long-term relief. Moreover, therapy will help you become aware of early signs of burnout and implement coping mechanisms to avoid complete emotional exhaustion.

Types of Professional Help for Mental Health

When it comes to managing mental health issues in your career, there are quite several professional routes you can seek. These range from appropriate therapy services to support programs offered by employers, and simply to get the right help is to be healed.

Therapy Services: A Personalized Approach to Mental Health

Probably the best approach for managing mental illness is through therapy. Trained mental health professionals, such as psychologists, psychotherapists, counselors, and others, will utilize a variety of techniques to help you work through workplace stress, anxiety, depression, and more.

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is a widely used technique that enables one to recognize undesirable patterns of thought and replace them with better ways of thinking. It especially benefits stress, anxiety, and depression.
  • Psychodynamic Therapy: This technique involves exploring previous experiences and unconscious thoughts as well as their impact on current behavior. The technique is useful for dealing with deep-rooted emotional issues.
  • Mindfulness-Based Therapy: It incorporates the methods of traditional therapy with mindfulness to reduce stress and anxiety issues. It enhances the sense of time and develops relaxation techniques.
  • Couples or Family Therapy: In most cases, workplace tension creates problems in relationships between couples or families. Under the guidance of a spouse or family, a therapist can conduct sessions of couples or family therapy to resolve communication and emotional issues caused by stress and anxiety at work.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): Work-Based Mental Health Support

Employee Assistance Programs can now be availed of by many organizations to support their employees. These EAPs are confidential counseling services, combined with mental health support, designed for the benefit of employees. These generally involve therapy sessions, stress management resources, and other mental health support.

Benefits of EAPs:

  • Confidentiality: This could be very helpful because support for mental health will not be stigmatized nor judged as EAP is usually anonymous.
  • Convenient Access: EAPs are always available, 24/7, so employees can always seek help when they need it and at any time.
  • Short-Term Counseling: The majority of EAPs offer short-term counseling to help employees with career stress, personal issues, or family problems.
  • Referral for Further Services: EAPs often refer the employee to an external mental health professional or therapy service in case more intensive care is needed.

If your employer offers an EAP, then that is a great step forward to seek professional help for any mental health issue. You may approach the HR department to get more information on the services provided.

Employee assistance program words written on blue wooden block with orange background.

Online Therapy Platforms: Accessible Mental Health Help

Telehealth services have made online therapy services popular among people in need of professional mental health guidance. Online therapy platforms enable one to access a licensed therapist through video calls, voice calls, or even messaging.

Advantages of Online Therapy:

Some of the benefits of online therapy are listed below:

  • Convenience: One does not have to take time off work or travel long distances to the therapist's office. Therapy can be accessed from home or the office.
  • Anonymity: People can talk about their problems with anonymity online, which reduces the stigma associated with mental health issues.
  • Affordability: Online therapy services are usually cheaper than traditional in-person therapy sessions.

Among the best-known online therapy sites are BetterHelp, Talkspace, and Cerebral. They usually offer several payment plans and a host of services that range from individual therapy to couples counseling, even therapy for workplace stress.

Creating a Supportive Work Environment

Work-related mental health programs enable employers to help create a workplace that supports and promotes the mental well-being of its employees. For example

  • Mental Health Days: Avail mental health days for them without tagging stigma or labels.
  • Workshops for reducing stress: Give your workers enough time to reduce their anxiety by training them in techniques of mindfulness, meditation, or relaxation techniques.
  • Flexible Work Hours: This can provide the flexibility of flexible work hours or even remote work, thus helping employees with the stress associated with personal life demands, which reduces their overall stress.
  • Mental Health Training for Managers: Train managers to understand when an employee is under stress, anxious, or burnout and take care of these employees to give good support.
  • Promotion of Work-Life Balance: Promote work detachment during off-duty hours to decrease the ill effects of work-related stress.

An organization that takes care of mental health and provides easy access to professional help would experience better morale, high productivity, and job satisfaction.

Managing Career Stress: How to Seek Help

If you are experiencing career stress and want to seek professional help, here are some practical tips to guide you through the process:

Identify signs of mental health problems

Admit to yourself those moments when you feel that stress or mental health issues are affecting you. Common symptoms include chronic fatigue, inability to concentrate, irritability, hopelessness, and an anxious state. The ability to recognize these early on prevents further deterioration and encourages the seeking of help sooner.

Be Honest with Yourself About Your Needs

Take time to think about your current mental health. Do you have work-related stress, personal issues, or both? Knowing what you are going through will help in deciding what kind of professional assistance is required.

Explore All Possible Sources

Do not limit your options. Leverage every source of support that you may be able to access: therapy services, EAPs, online resources, and work mental health services. 

Boundaries at Work

This is one very important way to maintain mental health: setting clear boundaries. Saying no to excessive work demands, personal time, or discussing with your supervisor to possibly manage your workload all contribute to long-term well-being.

Ask for Help

It can be a formal program, but it can also be just talking to colleagues or mentors. No one needs to go through mental health problems alone, and the most courageous thing to do about that is to ask for help.

Conclusion

It is likely for one to face mental health issues during their career. You need professional help as you are on your way to healing and maintaining your well-being. With resources as numerous as those from therapy services to workplace mental health programs or even EAPs, don't hesitate to tap into your many means of managing your career-related stress and sustaining the work-life balance. Getting help doesn't mean one is a failure; in reality, it can be an investment in achieving greater success and happiness. Invest in yourself today, and make that very important step forward in a career that promises more healthy and satisfying times. 


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