The workplace is the most important environment to discuss mental health and illness, yet people don’t talk about it. Employees are afraid of talking about with co-worker and bosses. They don’t want to lose their job and feel judged by their co-workers and learning about their illnesses. The stigma of mental illness keep them silent. About 85% of employee’s mental health conditions are not diagnosed or untreated. Mental health conditions cost employers more than $100 billion and 217 million lost work days each year.

The issue goes beyond making the workplace better. Here are more reasons why investing in mental health treatment and and discussing mental health in the workplace will benefit all of us and all parts of our lives:

Helping People Become Happier, Confident and more Productive

Let’s say an employee who has been diagnosed with a panic disorder. She’s working at the register at a retail store. Feeling overwhelmed with how busy it is and people are getting impatient with her because she’s new. The employee starts to have a panic attack during work. She runs to the bathroom crying. In an environment where she doesn’t feel comfortable about her panic disorder, the situation could become much worse. She might seek treatment, causing her performance to plummet. Her supervisor might consider firing her. To turn this situation around, the boss could recommend ways to cope with the panic disorder in the office. They could work together to create a plan that might allow the employee to improve her performance and become more valuable to the company. These results would improve her overall happiness and confidence.

Breaking the Stigma of Mental Illness

How would you feel going into work one morning and hearing a negative conversation about mental illness? I feel like no one talks about mental illness as if it doesn’t exist. At my previous jobs some of my co-workers didn’t have enough education to be sensitive. They accuse people of using mental illness as an excuse to be lazy or receive special treatment. When people wants to view their mental health issues in a positive way, they need encouragement and acceptance in all parts of their life. Inconsistencies or an absence of positive rhetoric in one environment can make it harder to fight the stigma of mental illness.

Less Stress and More Benefits to Bring Home

When people stress about their mental health problems at work, they bring that stress home. It then negatively impacts their life and relationships outside of work. Creating a working environment where people can openly discuss their mental health issues and treatment, can reduce the stress. This can improve people’s lives outside of work.

Decreasing Social Isolation and Making People Feel more Included

Employers can prevent isolation by encouraging employees with mental health issues to connect with other people who deal with similar issues. Creating an environment where people can discuss mental illness openly will negate this feeling of isolation.

Its time to break the stigma of mental illness in the workplace. Its good for employees and supervisors to have some education about mental health and a better understanding. Employees should feel comfortable talking about it and not feel judged by their co-workers.