Myth: mental health and medical conditions and cultural stigma

You know that feeling when dealing with workplace mental health is like having WiFi that constantly disconnects. Here's what actually works (not the sanitized version). ## Step 1: Stop Fighting It Fighting workplace mental health is like arguing with a smoke alarm. It just gets louder. Instead: - Notice what's happening without judgment - Name it: "Oh, workplace mental health is here" - Remember it's temporary (even when it doesn't feel like it) ## Step 2: Get Practical Your brain needs concrete actions when it's overwhelmed: - **Immediate relief**: Ground yourself (5 things you can see, 4 you can hear, etc.) - **Short-term**: Have a go-to comfort activity ready - **Long-term**: Build daily practices that support your nervous system ## Step 3: Build Your Toolkit Different days need different tools: - **Bad days**: Survival mode (basic needs, gentle movement) - **Okay days**: Maintenance (routine, small steps forward) - **Good days**: Building (planning, preparing for harder times) ## Step 4: Get Your People workplace mental health thrives in isolation. Find: - One person who gets it (doesn't have to be family) - Professional support if possible - Online communities that feel safe ## The Real Talk Some days you'll nail this. Other days you'll feel like you're starting over. That's not failure - that's being human. That's your nervous system doing its job. Progress with workplace mental health looks like a drunk person walking home: lots of zigzagging, but generally moving in the right direction.