Businesses Urged to Adopt Positive Mental Health Policies
Americans are back at work, but for many it’s hardly business as usual.
In the wake of recent terrorist events, all Americans are struggling with emotions ranging from disbelief and grief to fear and even anger, reported the National Mental Health Association based in Alexandria, Va.
“The trauma and grief caused by last week’s disaster affects everyone, but individual response to terrorist attacks will be difficult to predict,” said Michael M. Faenza, NMHA president and CEO. “That’s why it is critical for businesses to adopt positive mental health policies that can help everyone cope with psychological stresses.”
To help employees cope with emotional stress, the association offers the following guidance:
– Leaders should meet with their staff and promote counseling service and educational resources, if necessary.
– Employers should consider delaying business trips for employees fearful of flying.
– Companies can show support to the community by organizing a blood drive or starting a relief fund.
Supervisors and human resource managers should look for the following signs of emotional distress , missed deadlines, sick calls, absenteeism, irritability and anger, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, emotionless or numbness, and lack of performance , and encourage employees to seek help.
A San Diego-based Kaiser Permanente manager said requests for grief counseling services or related sessions did not rise immediately following the attacks.
But as people grow more uncertain over the future and military action is imminent, the need for counseling services is likely to rise.
John Blasi, active department administrator for Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine at Kaiser Permanente, said counselors are prepared to work overtime, if needed.
“The common phenomenon with major public tragedies is that it takes people a few days until it hits them,” Blasi said.
He added, this is kind of thing that puts patients that are already overwhelmed with everyday problems over the edge.
Dr. Rodrigo Mu & #324;oz, a psychiatrist in private practice in Hillcrest, said it’s important for people to resume their normal routines and not stay glued to their television sets.
“Wallowing in the gruesome details is not healthy,” he said.
Mu & #324;oz offered the following advice:
– People should seek strength from their religion or the community at large.
– Parents should talk to their children about the events, reinsure them of their safety, and limit their exposure to the repetitive scenes of destruction flickering on the television screen.
– Most of all, he said go back to what America is good for , families, friends, communities.
Send health care news to mwebb@sdbj.com or fax to (858) 571-3628.
