My book STILLWATER was set in the 1950s. It was a time when people were ashamed to admit that they were depressed, anxious, and fearful. The stigma of mental illness was no joke for the person suffering from it or for their families. People tried to hide their feelings from their family and friends; many were afraid to seek help. And if they hid it from the people, they were closest to, imagine how hard they tried to conceal it with their employers.
But things have changed a lot since then, right?
I want to think so, after all, we have better treatments, medications, education, and people are more comfortable talking about their struggles with mental illness.
2020 has been quite the year. People are dealing with the pandemic; they’re afraid of getting the virus, losing their jobs, and they’re worried about the short and long-term effects on their children. Factor in the protest/riots, the mayhem in the streets, the upcoming election and the polarization of the country--it’s a very stressful time.
In today’s (September 14th) Wall Street Journal, a headline “Is It OK to Reveal Your Depression to Your Boss?” caught my eye. The article starts with the information that, according to the Census Bureau, during the pandemic the number of adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression went up 40.9% by mid-July. Last year the number for the same period was 11%. Quite a jump.
The workplace is different now, people are working from home on their computers instead of the office. It’s a completely different environment with different stressors and for a lot of people it’s overwhelming. Some bosses are sympathetic to their employee’s feelings, maybe even struggling themselves, but not all of them. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re hard hearted, they could be so caught up in trying to keep their businesses afloat that they’re oblivious to the pain of their employees.
What happens though if you’re in a bad spot? What if you’re grappling with depression or anxiety? Should you level with your boss?
“In some ways, the current crisis gives people cover,” says Jill Hooley, a psychology professor at Harvard. However, she urges her clients to be careful. “There’s more stigma out there than we would like to think. Less is more.” She also recommends that if her clients need to take some time off that they tell their boss that they’re dealing with a medical issue rather than a mental health issue.
On a positive note, there are businesses that are happy to honor accommodation requests from their employees with mental health issues. And there is more help and support in most workplaces and schools than there was in the 1950s, but it’s not perfect. We’re still fighting the stigma around mental illness.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide or struggling with mental health, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273 TALK (8255) or the National Alliance on Mental Illness at 1-800-950-6264.