It is human nature to fear what we do not know and sometimes the fear is so great that we may appear uninterested. In my experience, sometimes it is best to let people come to you whenever they are ready. Unfortunately for some people this day never comes. It really comes down to picking your battles very carefully. Only invest the energy that you can afford to burn on teaching others about mental illness.

As far as work environments are concerned. Recent studies done by insurance companies reveal that 55% of all salary insurance claims were directly related to mental health, whether it be a temporary diagnosis or not. This number is rising fast. What a shockwave this is sending in the industry. I would not at all be surprised if the insurance companies soon begin to demand that employers start educating their staff on how to prevent all preventable episodes of illness especially mental illness. We all understand that this is a numbers game and the motivating factor behind these studies is purely economical. Nevertheless I challenge all insurance companies to invest in education and prevention of mental illness in the workplace. I am convinced that it will be a very profitable investment in the long run.
(Part 2 to be continued next week...)

Carmy Santoro