Can a job ruin your mental health?

Although organizations have become more responsive to assisting workers who are battling with mental health issues as a result of increased awareness around mental health, certain workplaces are still making employees' mental health worse. And not only is it harmful to you on a personal level, but it may also hinder your productivity, capacity to build relationships, and future professional chances. This is because mental illness not only affects your mood but also your ability to think clearly. Therefore, in the event that your place of employment is having a detrimental impact on your mental health, here is what you can do.

1. Be aware of the ways in which your place of employment might influence your mental health.

To begin, it is essential to determine the numerous ways in which your location of employment or a poor choice of job might have a negative impact on your mental health. Here are some of the most common explanations.

When you're not happy in your work, it might seem like your life is passing you by.

Insecurities over one's professional future might be caused by a lack of job stability.

Your employment could be a stressful one due to toxic coworkers or unfavorable attitudes regarding the task itself.

A culture of bullying and a history of management playing favorites might leave you with the impression that you are worthless.

Being underpaid may lead to feelings of financial strain as well as a sense that one is not respected.

No matter how cohesively teams may work together, workplaces are complicated assemblages of people who are each working for their own unique objectives. This might result in a variety of unfavorable feelings among members of the team, which can then contribute to a poor atmosphere and personal challenges.

2. Determine the specific factors that are contributing to your deteriorating mental health.

Finding out the fundamental reasons behind your issues is the first thing you need to do on your road toward having a better connection with your job. In what specific ways does your job impact your mental health, and what factors contribute to these changes? This is not a question that has a simple response, but it is one that has to be answered nevertheless because of its significance. You may begin the process of finding solutions to your issues after you have determined what is causing them.

You may do this by maintaining a record of your feelings during the day and underlining the activities and interactions that lead you to feel depressed, anxious, lonely, or any other bad emotion. Keeping a journal of your feelings is one way to do this. Consolidating your sentiments and separating them into positive and negative categories, which you can then begin to address, may be facilitated by setting aside a little period of time throughout the day to think about how different activities and encounters make you feel.

3. Adjust the lens through which you see your professional life.

After doing some introspection, you may come to the conclusion that you need to revise the way you think about your profession and your position within the organization you now work for. If your mental health is suffering as a result of your employment, you should reconsider your personal connection with your employer. Start by considering what it is that you desire and determining if it is you or the work that is preventing you from achieving it. Does the sound of the alarm in the morning bring on an intense feeling of panic in you? Do conversations with your superiors give you cause for concern about the direction of your career? Are you more likely to get angry and agitated while working with other members of your team?

Anything about a job may have a negative impact on your mental health and make you more susceptible, including the pay, the hours, and the stress. On the other hand, it's possible that the way you think is leading you to an unhealthy conclusion. You may start to feel better and start figuring out how to get out of this situation if you were to treat things with a somewhat less serious attitude.

And if changing your mindset doesn't make a difference in your life or the way you feel, maybe switching careers would. Think about whether or not you are in the right line of work, and if you decide that you aren't, start making plans to switch careers. You should also think about if you are the kind of person who is motivated by their profession or whether you are the type of person who finds consolation in their hobbies. There is more to life than what we do for a living. It's possible that you won't find significance in what you do for a living, but you absolutely will in the activities you like doing in your spare time.

4. You may want to discuss this with your boss or HR.

It is my hope that the workplace in which you are employed has established channels via which you may discuss how you are now feeling with a colleague. Consider having a conversation about your sentiments and how they may be being influenced by work with a member of your company's Human Resources department if your place of employment has a comprehensive HR department. HR is not a substitute for therapy; but, HR representatives may be compassionate and pleasant faces who have a great deal of power inside your organization. There are instances when it is simpler to approach a more public figure than it is a loved one.

If you want to remain with the firm and are interested in advancing your career, you may want to investigate whether or not your employer is willing to provide you with paid time off for mental health days or the opportunity to take on a different position. Because being overworked and being in the incorrect job are two key causes of poor mental health in the workplace, it is important to investigate your choices whenever they are accessible to you.

You shouldn't let your dream role be ruined by bad colleagues or a work culture that is directly affecting your mood and ability to develop, even though it may be difficult to do this in rigid corporate environments or roles where companies haven't invested in HR. However, you shouldn't let your dream role be ruined either.

5. Be aware of the professions that have a high incidence of mental health problems.

Employees in every sector of the economy are at risk for mental health problems, although particular sectors have a greater prevalence of employees struggling with their mental health. If you work in a field where people often struggle with their mental health, it is important to realize that you are not alone and that there are probably services available to assist you. Or, if you're thinking about making a change in your professional life, you should be aware of the challenges related to mental health that are common in certain fields before you make the transition.

The medical sector is an example of one of these industries. Numerous medical professionals, such as doctors, nurses, orderlies, and others, struggle with their own mental health for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include the traumatic experience of witnessing the suffering of patients, the stress of working long hours with limited time for recovery, and other factors. Thankfully, there have been attempts made from inside the industry to reach out to professionals who are suffering and give some help, notably during the course of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Depression and anxiety aren't simply worries for college students; they're also difficulties for teachers and others who work in childcare settings. Education is another area where mental health issues often occur as a result. Surprisingly high numbers of individuals, particularly early-age care workers, are affected by mental health problems in the education and childcare industries. Some of the underlying factors that contribute to this problem include poor earnings, more labor outside of normal business hours, and inadequate benefits.

High rates of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and homelessness are a testament to the prevalence of these issues in military employment. Many veterans continue to report a lack of support and significant long-term effects once they return home from their service, despite the fact that efforts have been made to bring attention to the challenges faced by veterans and to help them cope with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In point of fact, due to the challenges that may be encountered while applying for VA benefits for injuries and mental health disorders, some veterans have been forced to depend on groups like as Vet Comp & Pen in order to get the financial support they need in order to keep their jobs.

In addition, the service sector is notorious for its long and stressful working hours, as well as a workforce that is mostly comprised of younger people who are attempting to juggle their professions with school and, in some instances, additional part-time employment. Because of this, there has been a rise in the usage of drugs in the sector, which has resulted in more people experiencing emotions of stress, worry, and depression.