“With the stress of war, difficult economic times, and dealing with the loss of love ones, it’s hard for today’s employee to cope,” said Kathy Sawyer, Commissioner of the Alabama DMH/MR. “These stressful life situations can temporarily affect a person’s concentration and performance at work. Therefore, it is imperative that employees pay attention to their mental health needs and that the employer offer mental health support when needed.”

According to the NMHA, it is estimated that in the United States billions of dollars are lost every year due to reduced productivity, absenteeism, and premature death as result of untreated mental health illnesses. Stress and depression rank second and third as the most common issues facing employees in the workforce. Symptoms of depression may surface as impulsive or indecisive actions, irritability and anger, late arrival to work, and a tendency to avoid colleagues. Employees may also start to work more slowly than usual, miss deadlines, and frequently call in sick. Excessive stress may cause depression and if not addressed, could result in clinical depression, an illness caused in part by an imbalance of brain chemistry.

“Employees and their employer must learn to recognize and cope with depression or job-related stress,” said Darold Dunlavy, Executive Director of the Montgomery Mental Health Association. “Addressing these issues will help not only improve the company’s bottom-line, but also help improve the lives of their employees.”

RESOURCES

For further information regarding mental health and mental health services, contact the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation at (334) 242-3417 or visit www.mh.state.al.us.

For more information about Mental Health Month and mental health, contact the National Mental Health Association at 1-800-969-NMHA or visit NMHA’s web site at www.nmha.org.