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"Acceptance, Patience, and Awareness", was the mantra shared by Dr. Andri, SpKJ, FAPM during the 1st Employee Health Talk Aurogen. This mantra resonates deeply with the theme of World Mental Health Day 2024, which was also the topic of the event: "Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace." The Employee Health Talk was held in conjunction with World Mental Health Day, observed every year on October 10.

Mental Health in the Workplace

At the beginning of the session, Dr. Andri explained that, according to the WHO’s 2015 definition, being productive at work and contributing to one’s community are indicators of mental health. One of the major obstacles that often prevents employees from being productive is stress. Although stress is a normal part of life, unmanaged stress can escalate into burnout, and in some cases, develop into anxiety disorders or depression.

Stress vs. Burnout vs. Anxiety/Depression

Stress is typically temporary. Burnout is prolonged stress. The main symptom? “Not wanting to come to the office!”, said Dr. Andri. At this stage, employees may experience physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by work. If burnout is left unaddressed, it can evolve into anxiety disorders or depression, which, when it begins to affect physical health or social functioning, requires professional medical intervention.

Employees and Stress: What Can Be Done?

When dealing with stress, people generally have two choices: fight (to face/confront it) or flight (avoid/run away from it). Drawing from his expertise and experience, Dr. Andri shared three key tips for those who choose to face their stress:

When Burnout Leads to Anxiety or Depression

Burnout that persists over time can lead to anxiety or depression. Dr. Andri emphasized that when symptoms such as physical disturbances, impaired bodily functions, or reduced social functioning persist for anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months, professional intervention is required.

Some common psychosomatic complaints include heart palpitations, discomfort or stomach pain, fatigue, even when not working, and also shoulder pain.

The initial treatment usually focuses on alleviating physical symptoms. Simultaneously, the doctor helps improve the patient’s coping mechanisms for anxiety or depression to prevent recurrence in the future.

Workplace Policies for Supporting Employee Mental Health

To conclude the session, Dr. Andri offered several recommendations for companies to support and maintain their employees’ mental health. An easy step to take can be organizing employee engagement programs regularly which involve all of the staff, including mental health check-ups as part of the regular MCU (Medical Check-Ups), and also creating a stress-free work culture, such as eliminating seniority and adopting a more humane approach rather than a patriarchal, hierarchical structures. High productivity targets are unattainable if employees are unhappy at work.

Speaker: dr. Andri, SpKJ, FAPMRS EMC Alam SuteraInstagram: @andripsikosomatikTwitter: @mbahndiYoutube: Andri Psikosomatik