For everyone who struggles with mental illness, work can be a difficult hurdle. Anxiety, depression, insomnia, and PTSD can all hinder your ability to keep a normal working schedule. It takes small, consistent steps to negate the effects on your life.
Sleepless Nights
Sometimes, it’s insomnia that keeps us awake at night. Other times, it’s a side effect of anxiety. Being unable to sleep is bad enough, but facing the day with not enough rest can be debilitating. Often, we’re faced with a choice between physical or mental health and our job.
While missing a lot of work isn’t ideal, taking a day off to rest is ideal. For those working hazardous jobs, it can be essential. It’s important to remember that sick days aren’t only for when our bodies are ill. It’s also good to establish a good line of communication with your superiors, and let them know you might need an occasional day off to recover.
When Work is the Cause
The source of your mental ailment could be work itself. Violence, harassment, and bullying are a sad reality in some work environments. A study showed that 11% of workers compensation claims in Victoria, Australia, were mental injury-related.
It’s not just a toxic work environment that could be the cause of your psychological harm. Many people who witness something traumatic on the job are unable to return to work.
Work-related stress or trauma is often difficult to establish, and even more challenging to seek disability payments for. According to Jason D. Mills and Associates, a physician must diagnose you with a ratable disability, which includes mental and behavioral disorder.
Burnout Syndrome
The World Health Organization now recognizes burnout as a legitimate syndrome. Burnout is similar to general stress, although it tends to present more subtly at first. Heavy workloads, long working hours, and constant deadlines can lead to the deterioration of mental health.
There are things you can do to combat it, however. Decreasing your workload and making time to relax can be enough. Sometimes, a much-needed vacation can help reset the stress meter. Even a single day off can help ease the emotional exhaustion associated with burnout.
Self-Care as a Priority
These issues don’t solve themselves overnight. They might not even solve themselves without the help of professionals, but they are issues that must be prioritized. It’s best for everyone in the long run, especially yourself, if you take a mental health day.
