Mental Illness and Addiction in the Workplace The workplace is often viewed as one of the environments that is meant to promote admirable co-existence with individuals from diverse backgrounds. However, the recent times have seen places of work being transformed into areas where members of staff are often diagnosed with one disorder or the other. This is often blamed with the work pressure as well as unrealistic demands of completing delegated tasks and assignments. Mental illnesses are quite common in the workplace and are frequently linked to the use of prohibited substances such as drugs or alcohol. The decline in productivity at the various places of employment can be linked to either mental instability or the abuse of various substances. Mental illnesses impair one’s judgment, such that they are unable to think or reason properly. Consequently, such people cannot relate to others properly and neither can they perform their duties diligently. This paper is an annotated bibliography that provides a brief summary of research articles that discuss about the relationship between mental illness and addiction in the workplace. Peters, H., & Brown, T. C. (2009). Mental Illness at Work: An Assessment of Co-worker Reactions. Canadian Journal of …show more content…
This is because illnesses associated with the mental state have become more prevalent within corporate organizations and institutions. At the same time, managers as well as business owners have very little knowledge and understanding when it comes to accepting that mental illnesses exist in most workplaces. The author goes ahead to explain that it is often difficult to diagnose or identify an employee who suffers from a mental illness at work. Most patients and victims of such ailments are not willing to confess their conditions and they will often hide it from the rest of the
Since it has become more understood better treatment plans have been created. There a various therapies and medications that can help manage mental health. However, there is an estimated 50 million people in America that has a mental disorder(s) and sadly only about 10 million will receive mental healthcare. Why is this? This happens simply because mental illness does not care who you are and how much money you do or do not have in the bank. Mental illnesses can effect anyone and it can be anyone of the numerous different psychological disorders. When mental illness effects a person it disrupts their whole life, this would include their daily living as well as effecting how preform at work. Take for instance, if they work a production job it can cause them not to make production. If they cannot function well enough to work at their required performance, then this could and probably would lead into them being fired from their job. Without a job they would not only lose their income but they would also have say bye-bye to their insurance plan as well. This would leave them without and mental healthcare. Did you know that if 50% of those with schizophrenia, 25% of those with anxiety disorders, 33% of those with depression are currently receiving successful treatment and the likely success rate will be around 80 to 90%? A number of people with
According to chapter twelve in “Work Accommodation and Retention in Mental Health” employers have an economic and a social interest in the mental health condition of their workers. There is recognition that the workplace environment can either help or hurt the productivity of long term employment which is why there has been a shift from a medical to social model of workplace health. As stated by Perez and Wilkerson “Fifty percent of those who miss work because of mental or emotional problems will take either 13 or more days off, or will never return to their jobs” (as cited in Work, 2010, pg. 295). Large multinational corporations like Johnson and Johnson have adopted ideas of keeping the workplace healthy with an understanding of the
Society's understanding of mental health has been revolutionized in recent decades. There has been increased research directed towards mental health, greater support for those who are affected, and a better understanding of it by the general public. In this current generation, mental illnesses are now viewed as serious conditions that need to be properly treated. Mental health is a vital component of an individual's well-being and how he or she is able to cope with the difficulties of life. When challenges arise, mental state is critical to overcoming those challenges. The ability of a person to maintain the integrity of their mental health is closely related to the extent to which honour and dignity can be maintained. The relationship between
...2011). Are you causing your staff mental injury? Canadian Business, 84(1/2), 71. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Database (AN: 57410420)
It absolutely and entirely is. Substance abuse issues do not only affect the abuser, the whole environment around them, families, friends and colleagues are all affected by this problem. Since we are examining a case at office, we might as well point out that work performance problems that could happen with an employee. It is also quite necessary to let the employees know it is expected of them to seek professional help if their problem is
An addiction counselor is a support system for someone that is having problems with drug and alcohol problems, eating disorders and other addictive problems they are having. They teach people how to modify their behaviors with the intention of a full recovery. One step at a time. One hour at a time. One day at a time. This talks about how the counselors are helping one step at a time, they are doing it one hour at a time, and they are doing it one day at a time, this is all helping the addicted person through it all. It is critical to have someone there for them at all times and addiction counselors provide this support that they need. After receiving the training one is able to enjoy this career with the great reward of helping others.
Even individuals who suffer from problems with their mental health are in need of jobs to maintain a standard of living, though it is not usually easy for them to obtain jobs. For example, certain employment programs and service providers require their workers to understand severe mental illnesses so that they can assist those in need keep their jobs (Cott et al., 2014). However, the jobs that they receive do not provide much opportunity for growth or career advancement. This inequality is due to the belief that those suffering from mental illnesses would be unable to succeed without immeasurable help from others (Cott et al., 2014). As such, the struggle to find jobs may harm certain individuals, as it is not an easy path for them, and they are discriminated against even while they are within the workforce. This may feed some mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, since the rejection from jobs could negatively affect their behaviour and feelings about themselves. Conversely, work itself can be detrimental as well. This is because the stress that accompanies a person’s work can significantly lower their mental health and cause them to suffer from illnesses such as burnout, reduced productivity, somatic illness and even mortality, to name a few (Griffiths, 2014). It can happen to anyone, despite the quality of their mental
Before I start to discuss the various ways to get control of substance abuse I
Substance abuse complicates almost every aspect of care for the person with a mental disorder. When drugs enter the brain, they can interrupt the work and actually change how the brain performs its jobs; these changes are what lead to compulsive drug use. Drug abuse plays a major role when concerning mental health. It is very difficult for these individuals to engage in treatment. Diagnosis for a treatment is difficult because it takes time to disengage the interacting effects of substance abuse and the mental illness. It may also be difficult for substance abusers to be accommodated at home and it may not be tolerated in the community of residents of rehabilitation programs. The author states, that they end up losing their support systems and suffer frequent relapses and hospitalizations (Agnes B. Hatfield, 1993).
When we think of a mental illness, the thoughts that come to mind can range within a variety of concepts: perhaps a person with imaginary voices in his or her head or someone whose emotions can alternate at the drop of a hat. While this is usually the case, not all—even these—are as dramatic as they seem. Mental illness presides as a main issue many people struggle with day to day. For this, there are people to help alongside their daily turmoil. These people are known as psychologists. Psychology is the science and knowledge of how a person’s mind and behavior work and a practice that is regarded as a diverse field filled with many job opportunities from the studies to the salary and job outlook.
Increasingly, good mental health in the workplace is an issue being raised. Job stresses are being recognized as affecting work performance and also an individual’s over-all well-being. There is a lot of information available about how to promote good mental health in the workplace but perhaps insufficient initiatives actually being used. Providing employees with information promoting good mental health alerts them to the problems but may not achieve the solutions. Within the larger society good physical health is overwhelmingly accepted as the first step to good mental health. Can mental health issues in the workplace be addressed in the same way, by
Let’s say you just got a new job and you are asking yourself whether you should disclose your mental illness to your employer or keep your mouth zipped. Or you’ve been at your job a while and have new mental health issues. What do you do? Well, while I believe it is important a person is open about their mental health in their daily lives, exposing your circumstances at work could leave you vulnerable. It’s a very touchy subject so do not take it lightly. Every patient and workplace is different so it is best to take it on a case by case basis.
There is many reason why it is difficult to find a job or keep the job for person with mental illness, According to The National Alliance on Mental Illness those are the some reason: “Frequent medical appointments, absences from work, medication side-effects, and difficulty communicating or interacting with others, trouble concentrating, problems following a particular schedule, stigma, prejudice and discrimination”
All in all, the cause of mental illness can be summarised as a complex combination of psychological, social and biological response to environmental stressors, responding behaviour, physiology and connected to social context (Savy and Sawyer, 2009). Mental illness has been developed primarily due to the cause of circumstances around the individual and way of individual’s action to tolerate the situation. Hence, the combination of causes outside and inside the individual results in mental illness. Individual preference such as drug and alcohol use also develops and worsens the mental health problems, in some cases.
Drug addiction is a very big problem in today’s society. Many people have had their lives ruined due to drug addiction. The people that use the drugs don’t even realize that they have an addiction. They continue to use the drug not even realizing that their whole world is crashing down around them. Drug addicts normally lose their family and friends due to drug addiction.