Sharon Duffy Mental Health First Aider MHFA England

Sharon Duffy Mental Health First Aider (MHFA) England - Promoting Mental Health Awareness in The Workplace - Seminars/Workshops - Visitation Dog - Someone to Talk to Tel: 07710 026566 Email: sharonduffyuk@gmail. com

Mental Health First Aider (MHFA)England

The Role of a Mental Health First Aider To be a point of contact for an employee who is experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress. MHFAs are a recovery control, as workers must have developed and be affected by feelings such as anxiety and depression before they ask for help As well as in a crisis, MHFAs are valuable in providing early intervention help for someone who may be developing a mental health issue. Early referral to an MHFA, before the onset of a chronic condition, may mean subsequence medical assistance is applied earlier and has a better chance of being effective more quickly This interaction could range from having an initial conversation through to supporting the person to get appropriate help.

Benefits of Appointing MHFAs in The Workplace Is the boost to mental health awareness it can provide throughout an organisation Advocates for mental wellbeing Can help to reduce the stigmatisation associated with experiencing mental ill-health Benefits of an outsourced MHFAs Some workers might not want to seek help from a particular individual, a choice should be made available where possible

What is Mental Health Mental health is about how we think, feel and behave Anxiety and depression are the most common health problems. They are often a reaction to a difficult life event, such as a bereavement, but can also be caused by work-related issues Work can also aggravate pre-existing conditions, and problems at work can bring on symptoms or make their effects worse

What Is Stress is a reaction to events or experiences in someone’s home life, work life or a combination of both. Common mental health problems can have a single cause outside work, for example bereavement, divorce, postnatal depression, a medical condition or a family history of the problem. But people can have these sorts of problems with no obvious causes. Where stress is prolonged it can lead to both physical and psychological damage, including anxiety and depression •

Mental Health in The Workplace Right now 1 in 6 workers is dealing with a mental health problem such as anxiety, depression or stress Did you know that we say “I’m Fine” 14 times per week but mean it just a fifth of the time A staggering 70 million work days are lost each year due to mental health problems in the UK, costing employers approximately £ 2. 4 billion per year. Mental ill-health is one of the primary reasons for work absenteeism One in four people in the UK will have a mental health problem at some point in their lifetime Sadly, over 6, 000 people a year die by suicide in the UK

Why people don’t talk about mental health Many people who experience distress try to keep their feelings hidden because they are afraid of other people’s responses Too often employees are scared to tell their managers Less then half diagnosed with a mental health problem had told their manager Fear of discrimination and feelings of shame are among the top reasons people give for not telling their colleagues about their mental health problems A recent survey revealed that one in five people felt they couldn’t tell their boss if they were overly stressed at work

Employers legal responsibility to help their employees Work-related mental health issues must be assessed to measure the levels of risk to staff Where risk is identified, steps must be taken to remove it or reduce it as far as reasonably practicable

So, how to get people talking?

Marley

Dogs in the workplace can help to: Reduce Lift Boost Increase Encourage • Stress levels • Mood • Well-being • Productivity • Interaction and socialisation between employees

q Petting a dog for just 15 Minutes releases the feelgood hormones serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin, and it lowers the stress hormone cortisol

IOSH – Mental Health First Aiders: Workplace considerations

Sharon Duffy Mental Health First Aider (MHFA) England - Promoting Mental Health Awareness in The Workplace - Seminars/Workshops - Visitation Dog - Someone to Talk to Tel: 07710 026566 Email: sharonduffyuk@gmail. com