Sure, my World Psychological Well being Day submit is late however – considerably mockingly maybe – my psychological well being has been so unhealthy just lately that, on World Psychological Well being Day itself, I couldn’t truly get off the bed or have interaction with anybody or something. However I did wish to share some ideas about at the present time earlier than we go away it too far behind…
I’ve been scuffling with the themes for World Psychological Well being Day for a number of years now and this yr turned out to be no completely different. When it was introduced that the theme was to be ‘Psychological Well being within the Office,’ I might barely suppress a watch roll. It’s, in fact, a sound trigger: anybody scuffling with their psychological well being ought to be capable of go to a chosen individual or division and get no matter assist they want. However, if I’m trustworthy, I really feel like that is one thing that ought to already be in place, one thing that ought to fall beneath the Equality Act. I can also’t assist pondering that psychological well being assist within the office isn’t an space that an consciousness day can truly create change round: that’s on every particular person office. So, on a societal stage, it requires little or no work (and, in my view, nothing is prone to change – as cynical as that sounds).
And this brings me to my ever-growing frustration with World Psychological Well being Day: it feels more and more performative. The themes and name to motion are imprecise at greatest and, at this level, the day itself is simply missing inspiration and innovation. So far as I can inform, there’s no marketing campaign, little or no effort to fundraise, and – truthfully – I wouldn’t even realize it was taking place if I didn’t have as of late famous in my planner. Then the day comes round and it’s all empty, performative platitudes on social media earlier than everybody forgets once more. Cynical, I do know, however that’s my expertise of World Psychological Well being Day each single yr.
I additionally really feel the necessity to level out that this yr’s theme feels, not less than, considerably ableist: there’s a large group of people who find themselves unable or who’ve by no means been capable of work as a result of psychological in poor health well being and this theme excludes them with out a second thought. The irony of this could be laughable if it wasn’t so miserable, contemplating how determined the UK authorities is to drive disabled and mentally in poor health individuals into the workforce – whatever the harm it can do to this group of individuals. This callous, single-minded strategy strikes terror within the hearts of each single individual I do know who’s a part of this group. That is an space the place a focussed, passionate marketing campaign from The Psychological Well being Basis might truly do some good. Money and time and energy put into enhancing the psychological well being providers and assist programs, and subsequently the psychological well being of these not at the moment capable of work, would permit so many individuals to work, whether or not it’s after day without work or for the very first time.
Earlier than we go any additional, I do exactly wish to observe that, personally, I believe that our present capitalist mannequin of labor is abusive and exploitative and damaging and that there are such a lot of different programs that might profit each the person and the business they work in however, for the sake of the theme and this submit, we’ll proceed on the premise that it isn’t as horrific as it’s (in any other case I’ll actually spiral right into a pit of despair).
The purpose I’m making right here is that I don’t know anybody who’s been unable to work as a result of psychological in poor health well being, whether or not that’s for brief or lengthy intervals of time, who doesn’t wish to contribute not directly, whether or not that’s to a particular office or business, to society as a complete, or just to the wants of their household and group. The variety of individuals on advantages who don’t really feel any inclination to work or who’re faking as a way to get advantages is lots smaller than we had been brainwashed – by The Conservative Occasion – to imagine. I absolutely imagine that human beings wish to assist and create and contribute and, if the psychological well being providers had been higher and allowed extra individuals to entry assist, extra individuals can be doing these precise issues.
However, in fact, serving to these with life-altering psychological well being struggles is lots tougher and requires much more effort and time and cash and, at my most cynical, I really feel like these areas are being prevented by organisations like The Psychological Well being Basis as a result of they require loads of all of these issues. Actual change requires greater than downloadable social media graphics and tweeting clichés.
I’m uninterested in the performances, of the empty guarantees. Possibly it’s my autistic, black and white pondering however I simply don’t perceive why enhancing the psychological well being providers isn’t a precedence since ANY enchancment would make a big distinction. This appears to be the obvious, best answer, even when it isn’t the quickest. Particularly, as I stated, ANY enchancment would create optimistic change. And the extra work that goes into these providers, the extra individuals they can assist and, subsequently, the extra individuals there can be returning to the office (provided that that appears to be the federal government’s final precedence, whereas mine is solely that extra persons are capable of entry assist and hopefully enhance their psychological well being, perhaps even recuperate from sure psychological sicknesses). I’m certain it comes all the way down to cash – as a result of it all the time does, doesn’t it? – however this looks as if such an apparent answer with such clear long run advantages. I simply don’t perceive and I’m uninterested in workplaces, healthcare professionals, organisations, and authorities caring so little about such an enormous group of those that they’re answerable for.
And since this has been a really cynical and miserable submit, here’s a image of my canine – everyone knows how good animals are for our psychological well being, even when just for a momentary increase…
