This document discusses the importance of integrating mental health into workplace wellness programs. It explains that mental health involves mood and life satisfaction. Untreated mental illness can increase healthcare costs and reduce job productivity for employers. It can also negatively impact employees through higher personal costs, reduced life satisfaction, and increased risk of chronic disease. The document provides tips for self-assessing mental health and maintaining wellness through physical activity, self-checks, and seeking professional help if needed.

1. WHY MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE?
INTEGRATING MENTAL HEALTH INTO WORKSITE
WELLNESS

2. WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH?
Mental health…
Involves the ability to function well and
successfully
Includes mood and overall
health/satisfaction with life

3. WHY DOES YOUR EMPLOYER CARE?
Healthcare costs
Job productivity
Overall health effects

4. WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
Co-occurence with chronic disease
Personal costs
Life satisfaction

5. ES
R AR
U R SC
YO YE EASON
Y O TR
H L TAN
W P POR
MEE IM
E HR
T

6. WHY YOUR EMPLOYER CARES:
HEALTHCARE AND INSURANCE COSTS
Untreated mental illness has high costs to the
employer
High insurance costs
Loss of job productivity
Absenteeism and presenteeism

7. WHY YOUR EMPLOYER CARES:
PRODUCTIVITY
Work performance is negatively impacted
Lost days of work and productivity
Less effective/invested presence at work
Distraction and inability to focus
Less motivated

8. WHY YOUR EMPLOYER CARES:
OVERALL HEALTH
Mental health involves overall wellness
and physical health
Less likely to pursue healthy habits
High co-morbidity with chronic disease
Increased vulnerability to sickness and
accidents

9. RE
A
C ONS
U REAS
O NT
Y Y TA
HE POR
WHRE IM
T

10. WHY YOU CARE:
CO-MORBIDITY AND CHRONIC DISEASE
Mental health is linked to incidence of
chronic disease
 Mental illness can occur from developing a chronic
disease
 Mental illness can bring about the onset of chronic
disease
 Examples:
 Asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc.

11. WHY YOU CARE:
COSTS
Consequences of mental health include
high personal costs of time and money
 Decreased ability to concrete/accomplish tasks
 Develop habits that negatively affect health
 Affected by mental illness of other family members/in
the home

12. WHY YOU CARE:
LIFE SATISFACTION
Untreated mental illness impacts life
satisfaction
 Decreased enjoyment of activities, hobbies, etc.
 Detachment from social relationships
 Feelings of unworthiness
 Prolonged sadness, negative mood states
 Recurrent thoughts of death

13. L F
S E
UR
YO
S?
S OW
S E H
S ? AND
A HY
W

14. ASSESSING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH:
WHY SELF ASSESSMENT IS IMPORTANT
Untreated and undiagnosed mental
health issues negatively affect:
 Your lifestyle
 Your job performance
Assess yourself to improve your life

15. ASSESSING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH:
HOW TO SELF ASSESS
 Let the questions get you thinking
about the state of your mental
health
 You may want to start thinking about
addressing some potential issues

16. ASSESSING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Sleep Patterns:
 Have your sleep patterns changed,
resulting in too much or too little
sleep?
 Do you have difficulty getting out of
bed in the morning or falling asleep at
night?

17. ASSESSING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
View of Yourself:
 Do you find yourself thinking about
your flaws and shortcomings?
 Do you constantly think about mistakes
that you’ve made and focus on your
negative aspects?

18. ASSESSING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Interest:
 Has your interest changed in things
that you once enjoyed doing?
 Do you still find enjoyment in the
activities and people in your life?

19. ASSESSING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Energy Level:
 Do you find yourself to be restless and
need to pace around?
 Do you feel as though you’ve slowed
down, feel flat or dull, and have
difficulty getting through the day?
 Does it take great effort to do even the
simplest of things?

20. ASSESSING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Weight:
 Have you experienced a significant
weight loss or gain?
 Lost or gained five pounds in the last
two weeks for reasons unexplained?

21. LEVELS OF MENTAL ILLNESS
Severity of diagnosis differs
between individuals and mental
health issues
Depression
Anxiety Disorders
Substance Abuse (alcohol, drugs, etc.)

22. AVAILABLE & EFFECTIVE TREATMENT
Depending on severity, mental
health can be addressed with:
Improved lifestyle/health habits
Physical activity
Professional therapy
Medicine

23. S …
E P LN
ES
S
T E L
W
T S H E AL
TH
E X M
E NT
AL
N
G
IN
IN
N TA
AI
M

24. WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?
How to maintain mental health
wellness:
Introduce / increase physical activity
Perform monthly self-checks
See a medical professional

25. HOW TO MAINTAIN MENTAL HEALTH
WELLNESS
Introduce physical activity
Walk, fins local trails/paths
Take physical activity breaks during the work
day
Join a gym
Find fun exercise classes/sporting activities
Play active games with the kids

26. HOW TO MAINTAIN MENTAL HEALTH
WELLNESS
Perform monthly self-checks
Self-assessments
Track mood
Notice self-harming thoughts

27. HOW TO MAINTAIN MENTAL HEALTH
WELLNESS
See a medical professional
Counseling
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Medication

28. Shanna Rogers
o rt
S s pp
Adult Worksite & Wellness Coordinator
 2-1-1: www.211maine.org
E lth
207-795-5927~ rogerssh@cmhc.org
u (Emergency help hotline)
C ea
Rlh  Alternative Services Inc.:
O en U ta

www.asi-ne.org (In home support)
Common Ties Mental Health:
Sm
E al
www.commonties.org
R oc  Constellations Health Services:
www.yourwellbeing.org
L  Health Affiliates of Maine:
healthaffiliatesmaine.com
 NAMI Maine: www.namimaine.org
 St. Mary’s: www.stmarysmaine.com/
Community Clinical Outpatient
Counseling Services
 Sweetser: www.sweetser.org
 Tri-County Mental Health Services:
www.tcmhs.org