World Mental Health Day: Know the warning signs, seek help

FORT BELVOIR, Va. -

World Mental Health Day is celebrated on Oct. 10 of each year to raise awareness around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health.

Cynthia Clark, the on-site Employee Assistance Program consultant at Defense Logistics Agency Headquarters states that Mental Health deals with our emotional, psychological and emotional well-being that affects how we think, feel or behave.

Employees of the Defense Logistics Agency may be feeling increased amounts of stress and anxiety as support requirements continue to pour into the agency from U.S. Northern Command and its whole-of-government partners as the nation supports relief efforts related to Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

World Mental Health Day is a reminder for employees to take care of their own mental health, to be mindful of coworkers' behavior and be willing to recognize signs of distress in their peers and leaders as well.

Recognize the Warning Signs

Clark said being familiar with the warning signs may help employees determine if themselves or a coworker is at risk for a potential mental health issue, especially if the behavior is new, has increased or changed because of recent events at work or home.

• Withdrawing from people and activities
• Low energy and fatigue
• Weight or appetite changes
• Thoughts of harming self or others
• Acting anxious or agitated, behaving recklessly
• Sleeping too little or too much
• Trouble performing everyday tasks
• Severe mood swings

Stress Reduction Techniques

Clark recommends that employees take a moment to identify their triggers and apply any of the below techniques daily to help reduce any stress or anxiety they may be experiencing in their life:

• Keep a journal
• Laughter
• Meditation or breathing exercises
• Exercise, and making sure to eat healthy, regular meals
• Stick to a sleep routine and making sure to get enough sleep.
• Establish a social network
• Maintain attitude of gratitude

Seek Help

As a mental health practitioner, Clark said her goal was to create a workplace where people are comfortable talking openly about their mental health, so it is important that we remain conscious of the language that we use and should avoid words or phrases like "crazy," "anxiety" or "OCD" kicking in because some of these are real diagnoses like obsessive compulsive disorder that people live with.

"We seek to encourage equality between physical and mental illness because we want people to believe that it's a disease, just like diabetes, heart disease or cancer," she said.

Clark said that mental illness is treatable and recommends employee seek help for their issues just like they would for any other medical condition. She recommends contacting primary care providers, 911 for emergencies, the Employee Assistance Program and any of the below service providers for assistance.

EAP offers free, confidential counseling and educational information to assist individuals in crisis and those managing life and work issues. Employees can access EAP services at MagellanAscend.com. Once on the site, users can choose "Find My Company" or "Create a Login Account" to schedule an appointment with a counselor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Employees can also contact EAP by phone at 1-866-580-9046.

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