Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 is an annual event in the United Kingdom. It typically occurs during the second full week of May. The event is organised and hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, the UK’s leading charity for mental health. This significant week aims to raise awareness of mental health issues and promote good mental health for all, with a focus on providing help and advice.
During Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, various activities and events are organised. These encourage people to talk openly about mental health and break down the stigma surrounding mental health conditions. The official theme this year, as set by the Mental Health Foundation, is ‘Anxiety’. This theme will increase people’s awareness and understanding of anxiety. It will provide information on preventing anxiety from becoming a problem.
What is Workplace Anxiety?
Across the UK, over 8 million people people experience an anxiety disorder at any one time. It is considered the most common condition, affecting around 4 in 100 people. Workplace anxiety is a common phenomenon that affects individuals in different professions and positions. Avoiding certain situations can affect your confidence and lower your ambitions. Left unchecked, anxiety can sabotage your career prospects and mental health.
Workplace anxiety is a state of distress or worry related to work tasks and responsibilities. It is characterised by feelings of unease, nervousness, and tension. Some degree of anxiety can boost productivity. However, excessive levels can adversely affect mental, emotional, and physical health. In a recent mental health survey carried out by the Mental Health Foundation found a quarter of adults said they felt so anxious that it stopped them from doing the things they want to do some or all of the time. Six in ten adults feel this way, at least some of the time.
How Can I Manage Workplace Anxiety?
Workplace anxiety is common in roles where there are unclear expectations placed on you, if you have a workload that is impossible to achieve in the time you have available, if you are working with difficult personalities or have high levels of responsibility with limited support. Continued workplace anxiety may erode your confidence over time, causing you to ignore your strengths at work so that you focus only on your limitations and underestimate your ability to cope with difficulties if they were to arise.
Alternatively, talking about your workplace anxiety and the way you have been feeling with friends, family, a therapist, or your GP can be a huge relief. It can help you to offload, detach from your experience and see your difficulties from a new perspective. If you don’t have anyone you feel comfortable talking to, you can call a helpline such as the Samaritans. If you feel that there are individual factors which are increasing your anxiety, such as an unmanageable workload, toxic workplace culture, or unreasonable deadlines which doesn’t encourage taking time off, make a list of these issues and schedule time to speak to a manager to address your concerns.
Coping Skills
It’s no secret that coping skills are an important part of our mental health. Learning how to recognise the factors that are contributing to your workplace anxiety can help you manage these difficult feelings. If you are feeling overwhelmed or out of control, you might want to try different methods to help your body and mind calm down. This could be going for a walk, writing down your thoughts and feelings, or practicing focused deep breathing.
Resources
You may also have access to resources or mental health and wellbeing programmes provided by your organisation. It is important to be aware of your workplace policies and support options available. Many businesses provide support for workplace anxiety and personal problems through employee assistant programmes (EAPs). According to The Workplace Health Report, only 10% of employees are seeking mental health support. An EAP offers direct, confidential contact with experts who can support individuals with anxiety and emotional distress, from work-related problems to ill mental health.
How Can Wellity Support You?
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders worldwide. Yet many people aren’t sure exactly what anxiety is, nor how it affects the mind and body. This means it can be difficult when it comes to dealing with an anxious mind.
This Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, Wellity offers training around this significant topic is ‘Addressing the Anxious Mind’. This session teaches attendees why people experience anxiety and how it affects everyday life. The session will explore different types of anxiety and why changes in the brain can make it difficult to process what is happening in a more rational way.
Objectives:
- Learning the physiology of an anxious mind
- Establishing the different types of anxiety
- Tracking trends and triggers
- Identifying short-term and long-term management strategies
For more information on the training titles we offer surrounding Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, contact us at hello@wellityglobal.com.
