Mental health is an important part of our lives, which is often overlooked. Today is World Mental Health Day, a good time to remind ourselves that our mental health is just as important as our physical health.
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It’s not easy running a business or being in charge of staff. It’s also not easy being an employee. Sometimes, our mental health takes a knock. Today is World Mental Health Day, bringing awareness to the issue of mental health in the workplace.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says, “The overall objective of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues globally and to mobilise efforts in support of mental health. The day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.” The issue of ‘Mental Health’ was raised in several discussions by industry stakeholders at the recent Joburg Indaba as a major focus area for the mining industry. This issue permeates our lives at work and at home. McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) began a conversation at the beginning of Mental Illness Awareness Week on 6 October – perhaps offering a starting point for discussions in our own immediate environments.
What’s spiritual health got to do with it?
According to the MHI, spiritual health – meaning in life, connection to something larger and a strong sense of purpose – is not merely a “nice to have” but a core health dimension, and perhaps this is a good place to start.
McKinsey’s Kana Enomoto, Erica Hutchins Coe, and coauthors put it in perspective – individuals reporting poor spiritual health are up to about four times less likely to say they had good or very good mental health, compared to those reporting neutral or good spiritual health.
MHI offers us more food for thought in the below articles showing how organisations can promote spiritual health as an element of employee holistic health and also sharing insights about the impact of social media, the importance of brain health and more. No matter where you are at in this realm or what you do for a living, these insights could spark inspiration to help make life better for all in some small way:
- MHI’s global survey of 41 000 people finds that spiritual health matters to many, regardless of age, country, or religious beliefs. For more, visit: In search of self and something bigger: A spiritual health exploration
- A new McKinsey Health Institute survey finds that Gen Z’s social media engagement can feel negative but can also help with finding mental health support and connectivity. For more, visit: Gen Z mental health: The impact of tech and social media
- MHI estimates that a focus on immediately influenceable interventions at the city level can add approximately 20 billion to 25 billion years of higher-quality life at a global level. For more, visit: How to achieve great health for all? Start in your city.
- How many more years can be spent in optimal health if our society viewed mental and substance-use disorders as we do other conditions? The MHI and the Healthy Brains Global Initiative collaboration sought to answer this question through a series of interactives. For more, visit: Prioritising brain health: Scaling what works to add years to life and life to years
- Through the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and other efforts, MHI is helping develop a community-based approach to crisis care across the United States. For more, visit: 988: Three digits and the nationwide effort to help millions in crisis (Find a crisis helpline near you here https://befrienders.org/find-support-now/ )
Source: McKinsey Health Institute (MHI)
