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Did you know?

• Stress, anxiety and depression are the biggest cause of sickness absence in our society
• Mental ill health is responsible for 91 million working days lost every year
• Mental ill health costs UK employers £34.9 billion each year*

As today is World Mental Health Day, we caught up with one of Social’s very own Mental Health First Aiders Lucy Chisholm, to find out about her journey and why she is so passionate about her work sharing Mental Health First Aid skills.

“Taking care of our mental health is a hot topic now, particularly at work.  I signed up to become a Mental Health First Aider at work because I believe that mental health can sometimes be misunderstood, with many people feeling they cannot talk openly about the subject.

“At a health and wellbeing event I recently attended, a speaker from the charity Mind highlighted how employees openly call in sick with a cold but would rarely, if ever call in sick and openly share how they are struggling that day due to a mental health condition. I thought this was very telling about how we think about mental health and wellbeing.

“Having Mental Health First Aiders at work is so important, it encourages everyone in the workplace to recognise and have open conversations around mental health to try and break the stigma.”

What is Mental Health First Aid?

Mental Health First Aid is the mental health equivalent of physical first aid.

This training is an internationally recognised and accredited two-day course developed by Mental Health First Aid England. It is designed to raise the awareness of mental health and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues.

Why should your company have a Mental Health First Aider?

Mental health is a growing concern as indicated above by Mind, with one in four of us are likely to experience a mental health problem each year which is likely to impact on our ability to work. Mental ill health is the single largest cause of disability in the UK, with the cost of mental illness to the economy estimated at around £105 billion annually (Department of Health). This includes direct costs of services, lost productivity at work and reduced quality of life.

Find out more:  https://www.employeebenefits.co.uk/why-every-company-should-have-a-mental-health-first-aider/