This week attention has been paid for the Mental Health in the Workplace and the recommendations made by the World Health Organization to ensure mental health in the workplace.
According to the Director of the Mental Health Unit Dr. Chithramali De Silva, the number of Sri Lankans suffer from Depression will be significantly increased by 2030. There are 800,000 persons in Sri Lanka suffer from depression. A total of 3,263 had committed suicide last year (2017) in Sri Lanka. Out of this number 2,586 were males while 677 of them were females. In 2017, around 50 percent of suicides were due to hanging while 25 to 30 percent of suicides were due to ingestion of poisons. More males commit suicide than females. The current suicide rate of Sri Lanka is around 14 0r 15 per 100,000.
According to Prof. Ravin Hanwella there are around 157 or 158 mental diseases in human beings and five of them are very common. There are 26 characteristics in persons who do not have any type of mental disease and have an excellent mental health. The main characteristic out of those 26 is the ability to interact with others in a friendly manner. There are people who do not have any mental disease or good mental health. There are people who have mental diseases but have good mental health.
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According to the WHO the risks to mental health include:
* Inadequate health and safety policies;
* Poor communication and management practices;
* Limited participation in decision-making or low control over one’s area of work;
* Low levels of support for employees;
* Inflexible working hours; and
* Unclear tasks or organizational objectives.
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According to the WHOWork is good for mental health but a negative working environment can lead to physical and mental health problems.Depression and anxiety have a significant economic impact; the estimated cost to the global economy is US$ 1 trillion per year in lost productivity. Harassment and bullying at work are commonly reported problems, and can have a substantial adverse impact on mental health.There are many effective actions that organizations can take to promote mental health in the workplace; such actions may also benefit productivity. A negative working environment may lead to physical and mental health problems, harmful use of substances or alcohol, absenteeism and lost productivity. Workplaces that promote mental health and support people with mental disorders are more likely to reduce absenteeism, increase productivity and benefit from associated economic gains.
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According to a recent documentation done by the Mental Health Unit of the Health Ministry, One in every five Sri Lankan public sector employees suffer from stress. The number of persons who seek medical treatment for mental disorders shows an increase according to the same statistics. The people's mental stress and mental disorder have been increased due to the problems they have in their offices and homes. Busy and competitive lifestyle has also led to this situation. The impact of this negative trend is on the entire society.
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The public can dial hotline 1926 and obtain solutions / assistance for their mental problems.
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