Recognizing And Responding To Mental Health Challenges

Tuesday, November 11
2-3 p.m. EST

As managers and leaders in the construction industry, it’s critical to recognize when an employee may be struggling with a mental health-related challenge. This session will help you feel more at ease approaching a coworker about their mental health as we walk through:

• Early warning signs of stress, anxiety, depression and burnout
• How to have a conversation with an employee about their mental health
• Available mental health resources to support your employees

Substance Use In The Workplace Awareness And Support

Tuesday, December 9
2-3 p.m. EST

You don’t have to wait until someone hits rock bottom to get them help for a substance use issue. In fact, if it’s addressed early enough, many people are able to self-correct their substance use without having to go to treatment. This session will address:

• The signs of workplace impairment
• Reducing stigma around substance use challenges
• How to respond compassionately and constructively when you’re concerned about an employee’s substance use

Peer coaches use evidence-based strategies and their lived experience to help you meet your wellness goals. Lived experience means that the coaches have overcome their own personal struggles with substance use, mental health, etc., or they are the loved one of someone who has overcome those struggles.

Peer coaches can directly empathize with the person they are coaching, which is critical because issues like substance use disorder (SUD) are often chronic conditions that get worse if they’re untreated.

Stigma often prevents people from reaching out. But if you reach out to someone who’s been there before, they don’t judge you. They know from personal experience that SUD is a disease and not a moral failing. That empathy helps break down the stigma that keeps people from getting help.

If you’re dealing with a substance use or mental health-related challenge, one of the best things you can do is ask for help. So why is it so hard to do?

We are often raised to be self-reliant, and asking for any type of help can make us feel weak or vulnerable, leaving us open to rejection or criticism. You may also think that asking for help makes you a burden or puts you in debt to someone. Additionally, there is a lot of stigma around mental health and substance use. It’s tough to ask for help in general, let alone for something that can feel as big and heavy as struggling with mental health or substance use.

The truth is, asking for help can be difficult, but it’s a sign of tremendous strength. It shows courage, resilience, and a drive to get better.

The latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) defines substance use disorder (SUD) as occurring when “substance use causes significant problems in someone’s life, such as health issues, disability, and/or not meeting responsibilities at work, home or school.”

I have been to the abyss. More than once. It sucks. It drains every ounce of joy and energy that you have. It paralyzes you. You can’t think. You can’t function. Even doing the most mundane things like showering, making food (because you have no appetite), going outside…all the things…are mountains that are just way too difficult to climb.

I sense that you, too, have been there at some point. Is this what this thing called “depression” feels like? Is it so paralyzing and polarizing that you become almost “zombie-like” in your day-to-day life? Notice I said I “have been there”…MORE THAN ONCE. So…here’s the thing…

The notion that seeking help for mental health issues is a sign of weakness is a pervasive stigma, particularly among men who consider themselves “tough guys.” But let’s be honest—trying to handle everything on your own is like trying to build IKEA furniture without the instructions. Sure, you might eventually get there, but it’s going to be a lot harder and probably involve a few unnecessary trips to the hardware store.

When one family member struggles with a mental health-related challenge, the whole family is impacted. The good news is that family can provide significant support when a loved one is struggling.

There isn’t one sign that will indicate someone you love is struggling with their mental health. What you do know about your family member is their baseline behavior: How do they normally act? How do they normally look in terms of appearance? What do they normally talk about? While a shift in these baseline behaviors may not mean your loved one is definitely struggling with a mental health-related challenge, it is a good opportunity to check in on them.