A response to Sofia Tindall’s article, about the stigma of mental health.
It’s a Friday morning and, keen to create a poem, I browse my news feed for some inspiration, only to be confronted with the revelation, courtesy of Sofia Tindall (journalist for Grazia) that the mental health stigma still exists!
A revelation?
Hardly!
I read on and am told that mental health awareness has improved since Britney’s breakdown in 2007, but that, as a society, we have still not come far enough. The solution to this, it seems, is to sign up for a petition demanding the provision of ‘mental-health first aiders’ in the workplace.
Immediately, I see an issue:
Why the petition?
One brief mention, will surely be all that is required!
Confused?
In which case, does the following entry in the ‘Diary of a Boss’ (by Jay Cool) ring any bells?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
‘Today, I received an email from Ted, requesting the provision of a mental-health first aider for the office staff. This is a fantastic idea. Not only will it support our company’s application for the workplace well-being award, it will also prove invaluable in helping to identify candidates for our next staff cull.
First on my list – Ted!
Ted’s on a high wage and, judging by his priorities, is well on his way to a breakdown. We must be rid of him before that happens. In, the current economic climate, we can’t afford to pay sick leave, and we’re hardly short of younger-cheaper job applicants.
But, first things first.
Must get that ‘first-aider’ in!
Value for money, or what? We can keep track of which employees make use of the drop-in facility and pre-empt any problems. None of the culled staff will have any comeback. After all, as a caring employer, didn’t the company provide a mental-health first aider?’
____________________________________________________________________________________
I rest my case.
And yes Sofia, you are, I believe, spot on with your observations. But, in accepting invitations to talk about our mental health problems, courtesy of our caring employers, are us underlings being lulled into a false sense of security?
As for the poem that I was going to write? I have the title, ‘Stigmental‘, and I’m getting onto it!
Mission accomplished.
Copyright owned by Jay Cool, 2019
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
The Silly-Savvy Salopian in Suffolk: read, believe and write ... 