The Stigma of Mental Health | A Guide For Leaders
“Your mental health is a priority. Your happiness is an essential. Your self-care is a necessity.”
– Anonymous.
One thing I’ve researched and read multiple books on recently is mental health. Anxiety, depression, stress, imposter syndrome, and the list goes on. Mental health is essential for our well-being, yet it is often overlooked in the workplace and especially so in the church setting. Coming from a Christian background myself, I’ve seen extremes of either the idea Christians should never have mental health struggles or the other extreme that when you do just “pray it away”. I really hate both of those extremes.
Employees or your church members who are struggling with mental health challenges may feel stigmatized and isolated. In our culture, it is not common to discuss or talk about mental health and I’m determined to change that! I want to create blogs and YouTube videos where we address that. (Humble plug to go subscribe to my YouTube.) Leaders and pastors who are struggling with mental health may feel pressure to hide their struggles. Many feel like they are supposed to lead and shouldn’t show what seems to be cracks in their armor.
So let me first define what I’m meaning by stigma.
Mental health stigma refers to the attitudes, misconceptions, and beliefs about mental health. It can lead to discrimination, isolation, and a lack of support for those who are struggling. This can be church, work, or even in the family life. For many employees they feel like a cog in the wheel and not cared about enough to open up about their struggles. In church many Christians don’t want to admit struggles for fear of being judged as being a sub-par Christian.
Some of the top sought after perks or culture elements that younger workers are looking for is things to support mental health, work-life balance, and a culture that is open to discussing these things. I think the church should consider looking at creating a culture that is open to talking and supporting people dealing with these things more than they are now! Churches need to be discussing relevant issues from a biblical perspective the same that businesses have to support their current workforce and what is impacting them.
The good thing is for those of us who are leaders and/or pastors; we play a huge role in impacting how we support others in this.
The support that is offered can take many forms, such as providing access to mental health resources, offering accommodations to support the person’s well-being, and promoting open communication about mental health. The last one I believe is most vital. Open communication is key!
Research has shown that when employees feel supported in their mental health, they are more likely to seek help when they need it. John Maxwell said it best “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” These people are more likely to feel engaged and satisfied at work and I would argue happier and more engaged at church! The contrast is when employees feel unsupported, they experience higher levels of stress, burnout, and turnover.
So here are some ideas for the leaders and pastors out there.
Have an openness to discussing mental health.
For pastors, address it from a biblical perspective.
Have resources or an outlet available for people to talk.
If needed, create a support group or book study where people can support each other.
Encourage the openness and for conversations to happen about the topic.
Lead by example, show you care and encourage others to do the same.
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Nick Dyson is the owner of Dyson Leadership and is a Maxwell Leadership Certified Speaker, Trainer, and Coach. Providing Leadership coaching, training, workshops, Lunch & Learns, and more!
To learn more about training provided by Dyson Leadership, visit our webpage.
