Welcome to

Mental Health
- The Mind
@ Work
Tony Davidson
Siham Boda
Karen Theunissen
 ​            ​

Introducing your presenters

• Karen
• Siham
• Tony
Introducing our Participants –
Take a partner and take turns .
In 2 minutes introduce yourself & provide the following information.

Name?
Where do you work? Try do this

Expectations for this course? without taking

notes!

One fact that few people know about you?

Then reverse roles.
You will then have the opportunity to introduce your partner in < 2
minutes – preferably without using notes !
Housekeeping

• 3 modules over the 4 hours

• Quick break between modules
• Engagement is encouraged.
Our Approach.
• As pragmatic as possible.
• Take (mostly) the line manager’s
perspective
• We follow the natural history of a case
• Along the way, we stop and deal with
pertinent issues.
• You wear 2 hats here – you are both a line
manager and a person.
 The Agenda over the next 6 sessions
# Title

1 What’s this mental health stuff & 1&2 3

why is it important to me?

4
2 Managing can be tough

3  Confronting with care

4  Getting back to work

5 Workplace mediation 6

6 When things go wrong  5 4

Other feedback

K10 questionnaire on psychological distress

 >24
 >30
http://www.staff.uct.ac.za/staff/support/health/counselling

• Discovery Health Vitality members 

• Excellent information on psycho-social issues.
What is mental health?
According to the World Health Organisation,
mental health is defined as a state of well-being
in which every individual :

1. realises his or her own potential,

2. can cope with the normal stresses of life,
3. can work productively and fruitfully,
4. and is able to contribute to her or his
community.
Mental Illness / Mental Disorder

A mental disorder is:

1. a change in an individual’s way of thinking and feeling

2. impedes their ability to perform day-to-day activities

3. These thoughts and feelings increasingly interfere in one’s normal

functioning or pleasure.
 A rider to the definition
A bad mood , feeling uncomfortable (e.g. imposter syndrome) is not mental illness

Unhappiness, misery,
Loss of function Discomfort
Reactive anger eg traffic

Professional Care Manage Yourself

 Global:

• Global costs of mental illness – > $1.5 trillion

• By 2020 depression became the number 2 chronic disease

Mental • Mental illness has dramatically increased during and after

the Covid pandemic (>25% Dep & Anxiety – WHO – 3/22)

illness is • More than 450 million people suffer (ed) with mental
illness

common South Africa

• 30% of South Africans have experienced depression in

their lifetime
• Depression costs Discovery > R10Bn per annum and is
now a top 10 condition
• Costs have increased by over 64% over the past 5 years.
• Anxiety annual prevalence have increased > 30% during
Covid
Latest reports

ICAS - 2022 SADAG - Complex

2022
834 cases 4170 contacts Referrals – 14
(30%)
Incapacity – 3
Rehab - 2
Engagement
17.6% 2022
19% 2021

Top presenting issues

Click icon to add picture Click icon to add picture

Click icon to add picture Click icon to add picture

COVID-19
Some facts about
mental illness
Types of mental illness

Anxiety Disorders
• PTSD
Depressive disorders
• General anxiety disorder
• Depression Substance Abuse Disorders
• Panic attacks
• Bipolar
• Acute stress reaction
• Phobias etc

Neuro-cognitive disorders
Personality Disorders •
•
Dementia (eg. Alzheimer’s)
Borderline
• Narcissistic Psychotic disorders • Strokes/CVAs
• Dependent • Schizophrenia • Post trauma (head injury)
• Antisocial (psychopath) • Chronic substance abuse
• Infections (including COVID-19)
How does mental illness present?

Emotional
Cognition (how we think)
• Mood changes
• Memory problems
• Short fuse (irritable)
• Concentration problems
• Agitated and restless
Often a
• Poor judgement
• Negative perspective
• Withdrawn combination.

Different
combinations
Physical
Behavioural have different
• Withdrawal
• Change in appearance
• Repetitive behaviours
impacts on
• Poor self esteem
• Lower hygiene standards • Aggression functioning.
• Somatic symptoms – aches and • Nail biting , restless pacing
pains – frequent absence
He’s weird – nobody likes There’s always drama She never gets to the
him! building up! point!

Distrustful Plays one up against Needs affirmation and

other; exaggerated issues things to be done perfect

Cannot engage in team Causes team conflict Behind in team as not

completed

Management style: Leave Management style: Management style: Firm

alone Structure herding

MAD BAD SAD

Patterns of Work Performance
Deterioration
On-the-Job
Absenteeism Lowered Job Absenteeism
Efficiency

Tenacity/Rigidity Poor Employee

to Job Relations
Spasmodic
Work Patterns
Difficulty in High Accident
Concentration Rate
“Confusion”

* Patterns of deterioration could have many underlying causes.

Mental illness being one of them.
 THE MENTAL HEALTH CONTINUUM

DEATH.BREAKDOWN.BURNOUT.DISTRESS.STRAIN OK Thriving
& Coping
Relationship between stress & performance
Peak Performance
Positive Stress

Strain - Symptoms
Performance

Burn-out

Level of Arousal or “Stress Level”

Resilient & coping

Non coping
 BURNOUT
STRAIN  DISTRESS Toxic overload
Body sends out signals Immune system distress -
Headaches/fatigue/muscle Mostly cortisol (inflammation & infections)
spasm Metabolic distress (BP etc)
Doubts/anxiety/sleep problems Mood changes significant
Downward Anger outbursts
spiral of stress Depression
Low trust & isolation

BREAKDOWN
Inflammatory arthritis & skin
diseases
Death by illness Heart disease & strokes
or by suicide Cancer
Diabetes
Depression
Substance abuse/addiction
 BURNOUT
STRAIN  DISTRESS Toxic overload
Body sends out signals Immune system distress -
Headaches/fatigue/muscle (inflammation & infections)
spasm Metabolic distress (BP etc)
Doubts/anxiety/sleep problems Mood changes significant
Reversal with Anger outbursts
Rx & Lifestyle Depression
Low trust & isolation

BREAKDOWN
Inflammatory arthritis & skin
diseases
Death by illness Heart disease & strokes
or by suicide Cancer
Diabetes
Depression
Substance abuse/addiction
 BURNOUT
STRAIN  DISTRESS Toxic overload
Body sends out signals Immune system distress -
Headaches/fatigue/muscle Mostly cortisol (inflammation & infections)
spasm Metabolic distress (BP etc)
Doubts/anxiety/sleep problems Mood changes significant
Downward Anger outbursts
spiral of stress Depression
Low trust & isolation

BREAKDOWN
Inflammatory arthritis & skin
diseases
Death by illness Heart disease & strokes
or by suicide Cancer
Diabetes
Depression
Substance abuse/addiction
 Referral Manager ID skills Prevention & Promotion
Professional counselling Manager referral skills _wellness & mental health
Compassion Assessments Mental Health 1st Aid education
Trauma Accommodation
counselling Re-integration

DEATH.BREAKDOWN.BURNOUT.DISTRESS. COPING THRIVING

UCT’s Approach to -Organisational Design – manage o/load

Developing a
Organisational Culture - Engaging/
“Human
Positive – centric healthy
environment/Reduce stigma
Mental Illness • Creatingecosystem”
“psychological safety”