World Mental Health Day

October 10, 2017

• One in five people in Canada will experience a mental health problem or illness in any given year, with a cost of over $50 billion to our economy.
• 70% of adults living with a mental health problem or illness say their symptoms started in childhood.
• 60% of people with a mental health problem or illness won’t seek help for fear of being labeled.
• 500,000 Canadians, in any given week, are unable to work due to mental health problems or illnesses.
• One in three workplace disability claims are related to mental health problems or illnesses.

— Mental Health Commission of Canada

October 10 is World Mental Health Day.

Established in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health, the objective of the day is to raise awareness of mental health issues and mobilize efforts in support of better mental health.

The theme for 2017 is Mental Health in the Workplace.

During our adult lives, a large proportion of our time is spent at work. Our experience in the workplace is one of the factors determining our overall wellbeing. Employers and managers who put in place workplace initiatives to promote mental health and to support employees who have mental disorders see gains not only in the health of their employees but also in their productivity at work. A negative working environment, on the other hand, may lead to physical and mental health problems, harmful use of substances or alcohol, absenteeism and lost productivity.

Depression and anxiety disorders are common mental disorders that have an impact on our ability to work, and to work productively. Globally, more than 300 million people suffer from depression, the leading cause of disability. More than 260 million are living with anxiety disorders. Many of these people live with both. A recent WHO-led study estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US$ 1 trillion each year in lost productivity.

What You Can Do

Commit your team to do your best at being proactive in promoting:

• Appreciation of employees and workers
• Creating of a supportive environment
• Identification of early signs of burnout
• Creating an organizational culture which reflects value systems and beliefs
• Stress management
• Building awareness and reducing stigma
• Mental health wellness and providing support for employees who need it.

(Source: World Federation for Mental Health)

Resources from the Mental Health Commission of Canada

LIS and Mental Health

Mental Health is a theme that continues to grow and evolve in LIS practice.

As the attempt to abolish mental health stigma increases and access to community resources and partnerships grows stronger, the sharing of experiences of information professionals, either personally or with respect to patrons, lends to best practices for training and the implementation of polices and programming.

Librarianship.ca is soliciting articles for a theme issue of Voices that reflect the theme of LIS and Mental Health both in the context of library and information management professionals and our patrons.

More information