ARE YOU MENTALLY HEALTHY?

CSMLS is standing up to mental health issues in the workplace. We have compiled this award-winning Mental Health Toolkit to provide members and organizations with the means needed to identify, monitor, and implement change for the betterment of the medical laboratory profession.

Stress is a universal concept that affects everyone in all aspects of their lives. It isn’t always a ‘bad thing’ as stress can motivate us to be active, think creatively, and promote positive change. In small amounts, stress can help you get through tight deadlines, have a difficult conversation with your manager, or motivate you to do homework or take a professional development course after being on shift all day. However, stress (chronic or acute) can become burdensome and negatively impact our lives, whether it is at home or workplace.

When we think about ‘good’ mental health, it should act as a safeguard between us and the hardships that we are experiencing. This buffer can help reduce the risk of developing mental health problems that may lead to mental illness. Unfortunately, when stress becomes overwhelming and even when we are at our best, there are occasions when we feel powerless to make change within ourselves and our work environments. How can we empower ourselves against mental health issues? How can we strengthen our mental health buffer?

You and your organization do not stand alone in trying to work through mental health issues in the workplace. There is an active movement towards obtaining a greater understanding of, increased action towards, and enhanced support for information, training and resolution of mental health issues.

The CSMLS Mental Health Toolkit can be a starting point in obtaining information on mental health issues that supports seeking services and treatment and a resource for employers and organizations to support Mental Health Programs that foster wellbeing and decrease fiscal expenditures.