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#HavenForHer: How Home Credit Promotes Women’s Safety And Wellbeing In The Workplace

Women’s presence makes the workplace more meaningful. But do organizations create an equally nurturing environment where they can flourish? Companies should cultivate psychologically safe spaces for female employees. And that’s what Home Credit Philippines and its Chief People Officer, Alpha Omega Aquino, are doing.

Alpha was one of the many Filipinas who struggled with work-life balance when she worked abroad. Apart from long, stressful work hours, she had to be absent from important family events, felt isolated, and was constantly on the verge of burnout. Working as a woman in a non-Catholic country and male-dominated industry was challenging due to her gender. These negative experiences led to frustration and anger, feelings of inadequacy, and even depression. 

After 15 years of working overseas, Alpha decided to go back home and eventually found her way to Home Credit in 2019. 

 Home Credit provides world-class financial inclusion, lending, and other similar services to customers, mostly first-time borrowers. They take pride in being a financial ally that develops and delivers innovative financial services for financing purchases, for their clients to save for the future, and for businesses to develop closer relationships with their customers. As the company’s current Chief People Officer for four years now, Alpha takes care of over 14,000 employees, ensuring that their physical, mental, social and financial needs are met. She especially strives to make sure that the women of Home Credit won’t have to experience what she has gone through. 

Creating a #HavenForHer: What Companies Can Do To Promote Women’s Safety And Wellbeing In The Workplace

Home Credit and Alpha are at the forefront of ensuring that Home Credit’s employees, especially women, work in a safe space where they won’t have to feel excluded, stressed, and mentally depleted. “Twice a year we have our eNPS survey, [in] which more than 85% of our employees participate. It’s a very good data point for us to improve the services we provide for our employees,” Alpha tells MindNation. This way, Home Credit can stay on top of employee wellbeing, maintain their job satisfaction, and foster engagement. The data that they gather also informs how Home Credit can address their concerns, create positive mental health outcomes, reduce stress and anxiety, and help employees at risk for mental health issues by providing them with psychosocial support and resources.

Home Credit is also committed to promoting gender equality in the workplace by providing equal pay and opportunities for women to advance in their careers. They also offer hybrid work arrangements and wellness leaves to support work-life balance. In addition, they foster a culture of respect and inclusion by addressing and preventing harassment and discrimination of women and promoting diversity and inclusion.

Home Credit is also committed to promoting gender equality in the workplace by providing equal pay and opportunities for women to advance in their careers.

Supporting Companies In Creating A Gender-Inclusive Workplace Culture

The commitment of Home Credit and Alpha to building a work culture that prioritizes health and wellbeing has earned them Workbean’s Workplace Health Advocate of the Year Award. last March 2023. Read all about it here. With the initiatives mentioned, Home Credit and Alpha successfully created a positive, respectful, and supportive workplace culture that every woman can describe as a #HavenForHer.

MindNation is also committed to supporting companies in creating a gender-inclusive workplace culture that prioritizes employee wellbeing. With the help of our mental health professionals, we can guide you in building a culture of empathy and mutual support that employees will find healthy, fulfilling, and meaningful. For more information, email us at [email protected].

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Featured

MindNation Partners With City Government Of Pasig To Make Mental Health Care More Accessible To Employees And Constituents

The social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed people to situations linked to poor mental health outcomes, such as isolation from loved ones, fear of the virus, business bankruptcy and job loss, and even return-to-work anxiety. Because of this, experts have declared that the next global health crisis will be a mental health pandemic.

To help address these issues, the local government of Pasig City in the Philippines and MindNation renewed and expanded the partnership that began in December 2020.  Under the terms of the revised agreement, MindNation will be providing FREE mental health services to City Government frontliners. Plans are also underway to extend the same service to Pasig City residents who are small and mid-size enterprise owners.

These services include 24/7 teletherapy sessions with psychologists, 24/7 chat support with a trained mental health professional, mental health webinars, and Premium access to the MindNation app. 

“We are very thankful to MindNation for reaching out to our local government unit and greatly alleviating the stresses of our public servant employees through their advocacies in mental health.”

Atty. Diego Luis Santiago, Asst. City Government Department Head II from the Office of The City Administrator.

The partnership kicked off this morning with an onboarding talk from MindNation Chief Product and Data Officer, Cat Triviño, and a stress management seminar conducted by MindNation Chief WellBeing Officer, Eiza Fusingan for members of the City Government’s Ugnayan sa Pasig Unit and the Office of the City Administrator.

“A barrier to mental health support is inaccessibility; many are unable to receive appropriate, affordable services in a timely manner ” says MindNation Chief Impact Officer Kana Takahashi. “Community partnerships like these are key to improving access to mental health care and ensuring that people know where to go for help.”

“The importance of mental health cannot be overstated, especially from our experience during the time of the pandemic and even during our daily duties. Oftentimes, our frontliners come face to face with stressful situations, affecting us mentally and emotionally, causing new or aggravating already existing psychosocial disorders. We are very thankful to Mindnation for reaching out to our local government unit and greatly alleviating the stresses of our public servant employees through their advocacies in mental health.” says Atty. Diego Luis Santuago, Asst. City Government Department Head II from the Office of the City Administrator.

To explore partnership opportunities with MindNation, email [email protected].

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Featured

Putting Employees First

MindNation is running a series of articles about how the finalists for the Workbean Employer Brand Awards are building exemplary work cultures and making health and wellbeing a true organizational priority. 

Winners will be announced on March 2, 2023.

MindNation is the official judging partner for the Workplace Health Advocate Award.

Home Credit is the Philippines’ leading consumer finance company. They provide world-class financial inclusion, lending, and other similar services to customers, often first-time borrowers. 

MindNation: In what ways is the company’s leadership team prioritizing mental health, and how is it incorporated into the overall business strategy?

Home Credit: At Home Credit, we understand that an essential part of our employees’ success and productivity is their mental health and overall well-being. We actively work to create a work environment where everyone feels safe and supported.

Aside from providing all our employees with enhanced mental health care benefits through our HMO, we also empower them with proactive approaches to caring for their well-being. We’ve combined our Sick Leaves and Vacation Leaves and transformed them into Wellness Leaves, so they have more flexibility to take care of the things that matter to them. On top of that, we acknowledge that celebrating birthdays with family and loved ones is important, so we have added a Personal Holiday that our employees use during their birthdays. In addition, we have monthly engagement activities to give employees a break from their daily activities. Finally, we’ve brought back our hobby clubs where employees can socialize with other employees with similar interests and advocacies.

Over the years, we have been actively working to make employee health and well-being not only an essential part of our business strategy but embedded into our everyday employee experience.

MindNation: How does Home Credit promote a culture of open communication and support for employees experiencing mental health issues?

Home Credit: One of our Home Credit Leadership Qualities is People Centricity which in part reads, “Create an inclusive environment where everyone is respected, can be themselves and strive to be their best”, and this is something that we really take to heart. We have a lot of open lines of communication available all the time to our employees. Managers are encouraged and trained to regularly have 1:1 conversations with each team member to support them not only on their work tasks but also on employee wellbeing. Employees are encouraged to maximize their wellness leaves, and if needed, utilize the mental health support through our HMO.

Over the years, we have been actively working to make employee health and well-being not only an essential part of our business strategy but embedded into our everyday employee experience.

MindNation is committed to supporting companies in creating a workplace culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional well-being of their employees. With the help of our team of experienced mental health professionals, we can guide you in building a culture of empathy, inclusivity, and mutual support that can help you create a workplace culture that is not only healthy but also fulfilling and meaningful. For more information, email us at [email protected]. 

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Employee Wellness Featured

Leading The Way

MindNation is running a series of articles about how the finalists for the Workbean Employer Brand Awards are building exemplary work cultures and making health and wellbeing a true organizational priority. 

Winners will be announced on March 2, 2023.

MindNation is the official judging partner for the Workplace Health Advocate Award.

Omni Channel Solutions is an organization based in the Philippines with Omni-Channel Retail, Sales, and Digital Marketing expertise that helps brands, retailers, and agencies drive conversion, implement marketing strategies, and scale their businesses.

MindNation: In what ways is the company’s leadership team prioritizing mental health, and how is it incorporated into overall business strategy?

Omni Channel Solutions: As an organization composed of employees from diverse backgrounds, Omni leaders ensure that the company is inclusive, equal, and has an accepting work environment. At Omni, leaders put great significance on the psychological wellbeing of team members as much as they value their physical health. Omni has several benefits which aim to alleviate the psychological distress employees may experience, including seven (7) paid mental health leaves per year. For further psychological consultations, Omni has partnered with a mental health and wellbeing provider to give employees unlimited counseling sessions on occasions when they need personal help. Our Human Resources team also conducts focus group discussions with all teams as a substantial way of checking our members’ welfare as a group beyond work discussions.

To protect their physical and mental well-being. Omni holds specific Equal Employment Opportunity and Harassment-Free Workplace provisions through the employee handbook and in-house seminars.

In addition, the organization is committed to strict compliance with Republic Act 10911, otherwise known as the “Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act.”

Ultimately, Omni promotes a healthy culture and a good working environment where discrimination, stigma, harassment, and such will not be tolerated.

MindNation: How does Omni promote a culture of open communication and support for employees experiencing mental health issues?

Omni Channel Solutions: Omni believes that the plight towards mental wellness has to be organized, realistic, and properly executed. To accomplish this, awareness is not enough; a solid support system is needed to directly address each employee in times of mental crisis. So on top of our partnership with a mental health provider, Omni fervently believes that having in-house mental health assistance will also be extra beneficial for its members. Two members of the Human Resources team, both psychology graduates, one of whom is a Registered Psychometrician, have been trained and designated as the company’s mental health officers.

Ultimately, Omni promotes a healthy culture and a good working environment where discrimination, stigma, harassment, and such will not be tolerated.

In 2021, the company implemented seven (7) paid mental health leaves as an additional benefit to its employees to help them regain themselves in times of mental anxiety, anguish, stress, and overwhelmed feelings. Omni strongly advocates for employees to have enough time to rest—both physically and mentally—to be productive. Providing such benefits that would specifically be used for this purpose reduces the stigma associated with mental illnesses. With this, employees will no longer shy away from acknowledging their anxieties and seeking professional help.

MindNation is committed to supporting companies in creating a workplace culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional well-being of their employees. With the help of our team of experienced mental health professionals, we can guide you in building a culture of empathy, inclusivity, and mutual support that can help you create a workplace culture that is not only healthy but also fulfilling and meaningful. For more information, email us at [email protected]. 

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Employee Wellness Featured

Promoting Holistic Wellbeing In The Workplace

MindNation is running a series of articles about how the finalists for the Workbean Employer Brand Awards are building exemplary work cultures and making health and wellbeing a true organizational priority. 

Winners will be announced on March 2, 2023.

MindNation is the official judging partner for the Workplace Health Advocate Award.

Tala is a global technology company building the world’s most accessible financial services.

MindNation: In what ways is the company’s leadership team prioritizing mental health, and how is it incorporated into the overall business strategy?

TALA: Tala promotes psychological or mental wellbeing and safety in the workplace. Talazens are empowered to speak up with ideas, questions, and concerns. Well-being is also one of the key areas that the management checks every year during our quarterly pulse survey, indicating that Tala is very much aware and concerned about the mental health of our team members, which is also aligned with our overall business strategy and performance.

Talazens have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that can help them deal with the issues that somehow diverted their performance. We’ve also utilized our wellbeing and health insurance providers to create a robust annual wellness plan comprised of fitness sessions, webinars, kamustahans, and weekly boosts. In addition to this, Tala has implemented a global company holiday called “Sloth Day ” where Talazens are encouraged to disconnect, unwind, and recharge (on top of their planned leaves and paid time off), and enjoy a relaxing weekend. We also encourage our Talazens to take regular time off when they are able to unplug from work and don’t expect to answer emails or sSack messages until they get back to work.

Global working norms were implemented during the pandemic and are being practiced to this day to help with burnout, increase our effectiveness as a global organization, and prevent work from affecting our personal lives. This includes but are not limited to turning off Slack notifications when not working, not booking any meetings on a late Friday afternoon to prepare for the weekend, and not messaging your colleagues on their time offs or weekends.

Talazens have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that can help them deal with the issues that somehow diverted their performance. We’ve also utilized our wellbeing and health insurance providers to create a robust annual wellness plan comprised of fitness sessions, webinars, kamustahans, and weekly boosts.

Meeting Free Week for the last week of December (during the December holidays) was also implemented globally for our team members to unplug so that they’re able to  enjoy a relaxing week of zero meetings.

MindNation: How does Tala promote a culture of open communication and support for employees experiencing mental health issues?

TALA: Tala promotes good mental health to help create a holistic working environment that increases Talazens’ productivity and keeps them engaged at work. We’ve built a culture of connection and feedback through regular 1:1s, group huddles, kamustahans, and office hours where everyone can ask questions and open up. We advocate a good work-life balance and make wellbeing one of the top priorities at Tala. We have a weekly reminder on the Employee Assistance Program wherein they can always reach out to our mental health provider if they’re experiencing any well-being issues or concerns. With our mental health policy in place, we’re also able to communicate and raise awareness among our team members to stay mentally healthy, and not be afraid to raise concerns related to depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, and other mental health issues. We emphasize that Talazens health matters to us.

MindNation is committed to supporting companies in creating a workplace culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional well-being of their employees. With the help of our team of experienced mental health professionals, we can guide you in building a culture of empathy, inclusivity, and mutual support that can help you create a workplace culture that is not only healthy but also fulfilling and meaningful. For more information, email us at [email protected]. 

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Employee Wellness Featured

Mental Health Matters

MindNation is running a series of articles about how the finalists for the Workbean Employer Brand Awards are building exemplary work cultures and making health and wellbeing a true organizational priority. 

Winners will be announced on March 2, 2023.

MindNation is the official judging partner for the Workplace Health Advocate Award.

Asticom Group of Companies is a Philippine-based shared services company that provides staffing and tech solutions that empower businesses towards meaningful growth.

MindNation: In what ways is the company’s leadership team prioritizing mental health, and how is it incorporated into the overall business strategy?

Asticom Group Of Companies: The leadership and management of the Asticom Group of Companies give importance to the mental health and holistic wellbeing of its people through various professional development and wellbeing programs. 

With Asti SPACE (Asticom Shared Platform of Accessible Courses for Employees), employees are able to engage in various learning and development courses ranging in both technical and people skills. In line with this, Asticom also supports the career development of its employees by encouraging them to pursue opportunities in other positions within the organization. This is done on multiple levels, inter-division as well as inter-company. Some key leaders have been rotated to as many as 3 companies.

Asticom also taps mental health professionals, registered psychologists, and psychometricians to conduct seminars that talk about recognizing emotions, communicating them, as well as having a growth mindset. Through these, Asticom is able to help its people become resilient, productive, and impactful.

More than those initiatives, Asticom Group of Companies, together with all of its subsidiaries, takes a firm stance against discrimination. Asticom does not tolerate any discriminatory acts, be it physical, verbal, or any form of harassment or sexual assault. Declared in Asticom’s Code of Discipline, the Professional Conduct section, are provisions highlighting the proper behavior our people should have towards their fellow employees. 

Asticom also prides itself as a company that continuously pushes for diversion and inclusion in the workplace. As a people-focused business and organization, they welcome people of different gender, ethnicity, age, disabilities, sexual orientations, and cultural backgrounds.

Asticom also taps mental health professionals, registered psychologists, and psychometricians to conduct seminars that talk about recognizing emotions, communicating them, as well as having a growth mindset. Through these, Asticom is able to help its people become resilient, productive, and impactful.

All these efforts are cognizant of their purpose and aim of improving people’s lives.

MindNation: How does Asticom promote a culture of open communication and support for employees experiencing mental health issues? 

Asticom Group Of Companies: Asticom Group of Companies promotes open communication by giving importance to the “voice of the employees”. Through quarterly pulse surveys, employees can voice out their concerns, thoughts, and point-of-views. It also surfaces the different motivators and levels of employee satisfaction.

To support that, the AGC management also hears from the employees through quarterly town halls and open forums. Feedback and data are gathered and used in action planning as well as in the improvement of various programs. 

Asticom also made efforts to improve the quality of conversations even when done virtually and offline. They do this by communicating with honesty and transparency, being direct with one’s feedback, offering solutions, and promoting understanding among each individual.

Finally, the challenges of changing work styles made it necessary to refocus on one’s well-being and mental health. With a hybrid work set-up, regular check-ins made it possible to build authentic and strong connections among the people of Asticom. This created opportunities for them to interact with one another on a personal level.

All these efforts boil down to having empathy and knowing where someone is coming from.

MindNation is committed to supporting companies in creating a workplace culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional well-being of their employees. With the help of our team of experienced mental health professionals, we can guide you in building a culture of empathy, inclusivity, and mutual support that can help you create a workplace culture that is not only healthy but also fulfilling and meaningful. To know more, email [email protected].

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Featured

 5 Celebrities Who Are Taking Mental Health Breaks

Grammy-nominated singer Shawn Mendes announced recently on his Instagram page that he is taking a break from his world tour to take care of his mental health.

“I’ve been touring since I was 15 and to be honest it’s always been difficult to be on the road away from friends and family,” he wrote. “The toll of the road and the pressure has caught up to me and I’ve hit a breaking point.”

Celebrities are human, too

Celebrities may seem like they have it all, but the spotlight does not make them immune to mental health issues. Here are other famous personalities who have also chosen to take mental health breaks at the peak of their popularity:

  • Prince Harry Of Wales

    While Prince Harry has always been open about his mental health struggles, many in the world were still shocked when he and his wife Meghan Markle decided in early 2020 to step back from royal duties and move to North America to live a quieter life.  In an interview with talk show host James Corden, he said the British press was negatively affecting his mental health. “It was a really difficult environment, as I think a lot of people saw,” he said in the episode. I was like, ‘this is toxic.'”
  • Naomi Osaka

    In June 2021, tennis superstar Naomi Osaka announced that she was withdrawing from the French Open to prioritize her mental health and self-care. “It’s O.K. to not be O.K., and it’s O.K. to talk about it,” she wrote in an article for TIME magazine. “There are people who can help, and there is usually light at the end of any tunnel.”
  • Simone Biles

A month after Naomi’s announcement, bemedalled Olympic gymnast Simone Biles also withdrew from the team during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to mental health concerns.”Put mental health first, because if you don’t, then you’re not going to enjoy your sport and you’re not going to succeed as much as you want to,” she said in an interview afterwards. “So it’s OK sometimes to even sit out the big competitions to focus on yourself, because it shows how strong of a competitor that you really are, rather than just battle through it.”

  • BTS

    In June 2022, global Kpop sensation BTS announced that they are taking an indefinite hiatus as a group and will instead focus on their individual music. They indicated that they wanted to use the time for personal growth and also manage burnout. “I always thought that BTS was different from other groups,” RM said in the video. “But the problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that they don’t give you time to mature. You have to keep filming [producing music] and keep doing something.” 

Working hard is important, but taking mental health breaks can make you happier, healthier, and more productive. 

BOOK AFFORDABLE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WITH MINDNATION

Book the MindNation Daily Breather Plus © for only PHP3,000 to get 6 30-minute sessions with a WellBeing Coach © to calm your senses and practice grounding techniques to ease your anxieties. This bundle comes with MindED self-paced deep breathing and mindfulness exercises. Book and buy this mental health bundle now through http://m.me/mindnation?ref=book or email [email protected].

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Employee Wellness Featured

Top 5 Qualities Of A Good Mentor

A mentor is an experienced or trusted advisor who provides their mentee with the tools, guidance, support, and feedback they need to thrive in their career. A good mentor enhances an employee’s skills, cultivates leaders who can help the company further advance, and drives positive company culture. 

If you want to develop an effective mentoring program in your organization, partner with a mental health and well-being provider to avail of services that build happier, healthier, more empathic teams. Visit www.mindnation.com or email [email protected] to know more about our CareNow Plan© for teams.

Good mentors come in all ages, genders, and even educational attainments. “You can be a good mentor as long as you are dependable, engaged, authentic, and tuned in to a mentee’s needs,” says career and business advisor Grace De Castro of V+A Consulting, a boutique consulting firm with expertise in customized people programs and creative business solutions. 

It is not just a mentee who benefits from the guidance of a good mentor; mentors themselves experience the satisfaction that comes from giving back and having a sense of belonging. “A mentor can find a lot of growth if they are in a group that is supportive and safe, in a community that makes them feel heard and values their life experiences,” shares Grace. 

Mentors themselves experience the satisfaction that comes from giving back and having a sense of belonging.

Grace De Castro of V+A Consulting

If you feel you are ready to take on the role of nurturing someone’s career growth, here are the qualities that you need to be a good mentor:

  1. Optimism. A good mentor constantly uplifts their mentee.  “Make the person feel  that you believe in their potential, that you hear them, and are willing to listen to them,” says Grace.
  2. Teachability. While there are courses and certificate programs for aspiring mentors, these are not requirements to be good in the role. “There are many things you can do on your own to learn to be a good mentor, such as following thought leaders and statesmen on social media so you learn about different perspectives,” advises Grace. “And read! There are so many books that can help you become a better mentor, and don’t limit yourself to non-fiction, self-help, or personal development books. Fiction gives you a different view of how people are and can be great conversation starters. Lastly, immerse yourself with what’s happening outside; have a genuine interest in others.”
  3. An open mind. “A good mentor always comes prepared to be surprised,” advises Grace. “We are all human, which means that most of the time there are deep-seated reasons for mentoring that involve personal issues. So I always make sure I provide a safe space for my mentees if they want to talk to me about deeper matters.”
  4. A real desire to help but no desire to control the outcome. “Sometimes, people don’t necessarily need advice from a mentor; they just need someone to listen to them,” says Grace. “And when you provide a safe space for people to use you as a sounding board, you end up improving more than just careers.”
  5. Trust.  A good mentor never gossips about their clients. “I have lost potential clients because they want to know who else I am working with but I value confidentiality,” says Grace. “A good mentor-mentee relationship involves a trust component that both work very hard to strengthen over time.”
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Featured Mental Health 101

Hello, D.E.A.R: A Communication Technique For Setting Boundaries

We know how important setting boundaries are to our mental health and well-being. However, it can be hard to communicate these boundaries or call out those who cross them. We fear that insisting on setting boundaries may make us seem difficult, unfriendly, or even troublesome.

Fortunately, the D.E.A.R conversation technique – developed by Dialectical Behaviour Therapist Dr Marsha Linehan in the 1990s – can be used to effectively remind people about your need for setting boundaries without hurting their feelings. MindNation psychologist Maria Teresa Empleo explains below:

D is for DESCRIBE

“Describe the situation where your boundaries were crossed, sticking to facts and neutral terms,” says Maria. This means when someone oversteps your physical boundaries for example, you say something like “I notice that you like to hug me when you see me in the morning” instead of inserting an opinion such as “You’re so inconsiderate of my personal space.” Try to give the other person the benefit of the doubt; they may be wholly unaware of your boundaries.

E is for EXPRESS

When people upset your boundaries, stick to “I” statements when calling them out. An example would be “I feel uncomfortable when you do this” or “I don’t feel happy when you do that.” Do not label, i.e. “Calling me after office hours is so rude” or question the other person’s intentions, i.e. “You keep interrupting me during work, do you want me to lose my job?” “These will only hurt the person or make them defensive, and you will lose any chance of an amicable resolution,” reminds Maria.

When people upset your boundaries, stick to “I” statements when calling them out.

MindNation psychologist Maria Teresa Empleo

A is for ASSERT

“Specifically tell them what you want to happen in the future, such as ‘I would appreciate it if you would greet me in the morning with a high-five instead of a hug,’” suggests Maria.  “Or ‘I prefer that you send work-related messages between 8AM to 5PM only.’ Do not hem and haw, say “Maybe” or “Sorry,” or be vague, as in “I’m sorry, but maybe you could do something else to greet me in the morning?” This can lead to confusion, give the impression that your boundaries are negotiable, and encourage new expectations and demands among those around you.

R is for REINFORCE

“End the conversation on a gracious note,” Maria says. Statements like “I appreciate you hearing me out,” or “Thank you for respecting my boundaries,” will soothe any feelings that may have been hurt or offended and increase the chances of an amicable resolution. 

If despite your best efforts you find it is difficult to set boundaries with someone, you have two choices:

  • Limit contact by physically avoiding the other person or asking someone else to run interference for you. “But in cases of sexual harasment or physical abuse, you have every right to report the threatening behavior to the authorities right away,” Maria cautions.
  • Go no-contact. This can be asking to be transferred to another team or leaving the company altogether, unfriending/unfollowing the person on social media, or going as far as to tell friends and family that you want to minimize contact with the person.

When you are firm in communicating and setting your boundaries, you show that you value yourself, your needs, and your feelings more than the thoughts and opinions of others.

Book the MindNation Self-Love Pack© to get THREE 1-hour consultations with a psychologist who can help you with setting boundaries, living intentionally, and having better relationships with the ones who matter. This plan is available for free when your organization avails of the CareNow Plan© for teams. Visit www.mindnation.com to learn more.

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Mental Health for Beginners

While understanding and awareness about mental health and its issues has increased in the recent years, we are sure there are still some topics that need clarification.

MindNation psychologists and WellBeing Coaches are available 24/7 if you need someone to talk to; just message bit.ly/mn-chat to book a session.

Riyan Portuguez RPsy RPm (also known as Your Millennial Psychologist on Facebook) answers the 10 most common questions about mental health and wellness below:

  1. What is mental health?

Riyan: Mental health is the science of self-love. It’s about honoring your emotions and boundaries, and allowing yourself to receive proper and evidence-based care so that you attain personal growth, maximize productivity, and make significant contributions to your community.

  1. What causes mental health problems?

Riyan: Mental health is a complicated matter. It varies from person to person and occurs from the interaction of the following factors:

  1. Neuro-biological (i.e. chemical imbalances in the brain, genetic predispositions to certain disorders that may be triggered by stress or trauma)
  1. Socio-cultural (i.e. a dysfunctional family life, substance abuse)
  1. Psychological (i.e. severe psychological trauma, neglect)
  1. How can I tell if someone I love has a mental health concern?

Riyan: If your loved one exhibits the following warning signs for two weeks or more, you are right to be concerned:

  1. Significant changes in their behavior, such as extreme angry outbursts or bouts of sadness
  2. Withdrawal from friends and other normal activities
  3. No longer pays attention to grooming and/or personal hygiene
  4. Confused thinking, inability to concentrate, lapses at work
  5. Significant weight gain or loss, loss of appetite or overeating
  6. Talks about doing harm to themselves or to others.

When you are in doubt about your friend’s condition, always seek the assistance of a mental health professional. 

  1. How can I tell if I have a mental health problem?

Riyan: The answer is the same as the above, although it can be harder to recognize the warning signs if you are talking about yourself. This is especially true if you are the type of person who is frequently perceived by others as “strong,” or if you are the one always providing help to others. Listen to friends and family and keep an open mind if they express concern about the state of your mental health. 

  1. I feel strong, negative emotions like anger and fear sometimes; does this mean I need to see a therapist as soon as possible?

Riyan: Not right away. Emotions, even the negative ones, are a normal part of life, so go ahead and allow yourself to feel them and to lose yourself in them. Suppressing or dismissing these emotions because they are “bad” will only lead to emotional or psychological disorders. But if you experience negative emotions recurring too often or last more than two weeks, or you feel they are getting stronger or more out of control, then seek help. 

  1. What is the difference between sadness and depression?

Riyan: Sadness is an emotion. It is a response to a specific situation — something happened that made you sad. But you are still able to function (i.e. work, do homework) and experience other emotions (i.e. you feel happy when friends comfort you). It usually goes away after a few days.

On the other hand, depression is a mental illness. It is pervasive sadness — it affects all other areas of your life, like your work and relationships with others. There is also no known or specific trigger — you don’t even know why you feel sad anymore — and it is usually accompanied by feelings of apathy and numbness. 

  1. What is the difference between fear and anxiety?

Riyan: Fear is an emotion caused by something that is in the present and it is specific — there is an imminent situation that causes you to feel afraid, but you are still able to do normal things like eat, sleep, or work. Once the source of fear passes, you don’t think about it anymore. 

Anxiety is a mental disorder — it is an intense level of fear or worry about something that will occur in the future. You anticipate that something terrible will happen. People with anxiety tend to exhibit the following behaviors:

  1. Unhelpful thinking patterns — i.e. “What if–?” scenarios, “Should” and “Must” statements
  2. Magnification — the source of fear is insignificant but in the person’s mind, it is catastrophic
  3. Overgeneralization — the problem attaches itself to all other parts of their lives (i.e. “I did poorly at work” becomes “I am such a loser”)
  4. Physical symptoms such as hyperventilating and heart palpitations

People experiencing normal fear will also have negative thoughts, but after awhile they will follow these up with questions or narratives that will challenge those negative beliefs and cultivate optimism. For example, someone whose boss gives them a difficult task will worry about doing well, but after some time will figure out strategies to cope. And once the difficult task has been completed, they move on to the next assignment. 

  1. What is the difference between a psychologist, psychiatrist, and therapist? How do I know which is the right one for me?

Riyan: A psychiatrist is permitted to prescribe medicine, so their focus is on treating the neurobiological aspect of mental disorders. Psychologists cannot prescribe medication, and will focus on the patient’s sociocultural factors before diagnosing the illness. They are also therapists because they are the ones who create the interventions or treatment plans for patients. 

Psychologists and psychiatrists work together. If psychologists feel that the physical symptoms of a patient are strong, they may refer the person to a psychiatrist first to lessen the symptoms, then ask him or her to come back to continue with other forms of therapy.  

  1. Is there a way I can prevent mental health problems?

Riyan: Practice healthy lifestyle and self-care habits like eating the proper diet, frequently exercising, and getting enough sleep. Get help whenever you feel overwhelmed by your problems, beginning with talking to friends and family. Don’t be afraid to consult a mental health professional if the need calls for it. 

  1. Is there a cure for mental health problems?

Riyan: If by “cure” you mean it will disappear forever, then the answer is “no.” However, mental health problems are treatable. There are many people who recover, but they need to continuously work with psychologists or monitor their lifestyle to reduce incidences of relapse. 

And always remember that having a mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. It is similar to having eyesight problems — there is no cure for nearsightedness, but you can wear corrective lenses and carry on normally for the rest of your life.