- It is estimated that 5% of the adult population suffers from depression and it is one of the main causes that lead to suicide.
- The exact causes that cause it are not known, but the main factors that contribute to its appearance are social, psychological and biological.
- It is a mental disorder so complex that it goes beyond sadness.
Mental health is just as important as physical health, although it is often ignored by people. The downside is that some problems like depression and anxiety have been normalized although it should not be so. Both are quite serious because they do not allow proper development and can be the beginning of other conditions.
The severity of the problem
For their part, the Mental health conditions include mental disorders and psychosocial disabilities, as well as other mental states associated with a high degree of distress, functional disability or behavioral risk. People who suffer from them are more likely to experience lower levels of mental well-being, although this is not always necessarily the case.
The World Health Organization (WHO) mentions that throughout life there are multiple individual, social and structural determinants that can combine to protect or undermine mental health.
There are individual psychological and biological factors, such as emotional abilities, substance abuse, and genetics, that can make people more vulnerable to these types of conditions.
Now, the impact of depression and anxiety It not only translates into the mood of people but also in their work performance. In fact, both are estimated to cause a 12 billion working days lost each year, which translates into losses of almost a billion dollars in the global economy.
With this in mind, the WHO and the International Labor Organization called for take concrete steps to address mental health problems in the workplace.
The WHO global guidelines recommend a series of measures to address the risks associated with mental healthsuch as heavy workloads, negative behaviors, and other factors that cause distress.
For the first time, the health agency recommends training managers to learn how to avoid stressful work environments and care for workers who feel distressed.
A recent Global Mental Health Report revealed that of billion people living with a mental disorder in 2019, there were 15% of working-age adults who experienced those symptoms. The work exacerbates larger social issues that negatively affect mental health, such as discrimination and inequality.
It’s still taboo
Bullying and psychological violence, also known as mobbingis one of the main causes of workplace harassment that has a negative impact on the mental health. However, discussing or disclosing mental health issues remains taboo in workplaces around the world.
The guidance also recommends better ways to address the needs of workers with mental health problems, proposes actions to support their return to work and, in the case of severe symptoms, offers measures to facilitate return to paid employment.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted that “the well-being of the individual is reason enough to act, but poor mental health can also have a debilitating effect on a person’s performance and productivity. These new guidelines can help prevent negative work situations and cultures, and offer much-needed mental health protection and support for workers.”
Invest in a safe and healthy work environment
The second document, produced jointly, explains the WHO guidelines through concrete strategies for governments, employers and workers, and their organizations, in the public and private sectors.
Its objective is to support the prevention of risks caused by mental health, their protection and improvement at work, and support the participation and development of people who suffer from these symptoms in the workplace. For the application of these strategies it is indicated that investment and leadership will be essential.
As an example, COVID-19 caused a 25% increase in cases of anxiety and depression around the worlda fact that showed the lack of preparation of governments to deal with the impact of the disease on mental health and that also revealed the chronic shortage of resources to combat it worldwide.
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