By: Dr Mohd Aleem Siddiqui, MD (Psychiatry), DPM
Lifestyle changes like eating balanced food, adequate hydration, sleep and exercise also helps.
LUCKNOW: Mental health in the workplace is the theme of World Mental Health Day 2017. World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues and mobilizing efforts in support of better mental health.
The moment a child is born, largely parents try to give their best. The entire theme of parenting is on inculcating good values and success at later life. Success is largely determined by performance at work place which contributes majorly at the enhancement of self-esteem and confidence. Since most of the adult life is spent at the workplace so a healthy adjustment plays a crucial role at maintaining health. When the conditions are adverse, it results at stress. However, stress and anxiety at the work place are not the same as work pressure. Work pressure is a good thing, and can help to keep people motivated at a job and help them reach their goals.
“Stress is any uncomfortable emotional experience accompanied by predictable biochemical,physiological and behavioral changes. It is body’s reaction to a change that demands emotional, physical and mental adjustment. It can be any threat either real or perceived.
Work place stress is “the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them at work. Stress in itself is not an illness. If the pressure gets too much, it could lead to stress and anxiety, and eventually, ill health.
More than 4 out of every 10 employees in the private sectors are either depressed or have an anxiety disorder.For a few people, when the anxiety, worry and fear do not subside with time, it could indicate a more serious ANXIETY DISORDER including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder etc.
People who may have more serious underlying anxiety disorders may have other symptoms such as:
- extreme fear
- difficulty breathing
- rapid heart beat
- difficulty sleeping
- dizziness
- nausea
- trembling
Factors which contribute to stress and anxiety at work are increased work demands and work pressure, inadequate support and information from peers and seniors, unclear roles, having no control over the way they are supposed to do their tasks, being a victim of bullying or having poor relationships and being excluded from organizational changes.Other factors which play a role are: Skill and abilities, personality, experience, health and situations at home.
Anxiety can negatively affect psychological, physical and mental health. 83% of men and 72% of women said their workplace anxiety affected their personal lives. Also, 7 out of 10 said that it affected their relationship with their spouse.
Treatment is done pharmacologically with medications to help relax and reduce muscle tension and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help people train their thoughts and modify their behavior which helps to reduce the occurrence of anxiety, and helps manage an anxiety attack
Lifestyle changes like eating balanced food, adequate hydration, sleep and exercise also helps.
