Blog Information supplied By Ann Girling, AGenesis
I use the phrase “Mental Health” and I see people shrink. But I refuse to couch it in any other terms. There is a stigma attached to the phrase that is unhelpful and unjust and we need to be challenging it. The national campaign “Time for Change” is aimed at doing just that. We often think that mental health problems or clinical illness happens to other people not to us. I thought that as well until it happened to me.
I have come through two years of stress, depression, therapy and anti-depressants stronger than I was before and now as a coach running my own businesses I want to make a difference to others. One way of doing that is through working with employers to offer coaching to intervene when someone is experiencing stress, depression or anxiety and workshops to enable individuals to manage their own stress.
So why is this important? I offer these statistics as evidence and there is no denying the seriousness of these figures and the need to do something about it:-
• Workplace stress is the biggest single cause of working days lost through ill health or injury
• 40% of all work absence is due to mental health problems20% of all mental health is caused by work stress
• 13 million days lost per year = £3.7 billion
• Absence cost £930 per year per employee
A show of hands would instantly demonstrate the knowledge and degree of commitment individuals have to their physical health but how many would be able to state how they look after themselves emotionally or mentally. It would be interesting to find out.
So I hope that blogs such as these, talking with people at networking and speaking opportunities will help raise awareness and help me to become the name synonymous with mental health promotion in Chester!
Blog Information supplied By Ann Girling, AGenesis
Tel No: 01244 300391
Mobile: 07787 568699
Email: ann@agenesis.co.uk
