LET'S TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH - 

"For many people, the structure of going to work on a regular basis was very helpful in regulating their emotions. Work provides structure, a place where one can feel some level of mastery and pride for what they are doing well, and can be a huge boon to self-esteem. This last year has shaken those foundations and caused many working professionals to experience a void in their life where a stable work environment once stood. In that void, some people have developed depression, anxiety, and many others have experienced trauma and will be dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)”   – Dr. Josh King, PsyD

UNIQUE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS OVER THE PAST YEAR AND TOOLS FOR BOUNCING BACK

This past year presented so many different challenges and obstacles that tested our strength and resiliency. The global pandemic forced us to cope with situations we never even imagined, and a lot of us struggled with our mental health as a result. The good news is that there are tools and resources available that can support the well-being of individuals and communities.  

Now, more than ever, we need to combat the stigma surrounding mental health concerns. That’s why this Mental Health Month Lee & Associates is highlighting #Tools2Thrive - what individuals can do throughout their daily lives to prioritize mental health, build resiliency, and continue to cope with the obstacles of COVID-19.  

Throughout the pandemic, many people who had never experienced mental health challenges found themselves struggling for the first time. During the month of May, we are focusing on different topics that can help process the events of the past year and the feelings that surround them, while also building up skills and supports that extend beyond COVID-19.  

We know that the past year forced many to accept tough situations that they had little to no control over. If you found that it impacted your mental health, you aren’t alone. In fact, of the almost half a million individuals that took the anxiety screening at MHAscreening.org, 79% showed symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety. However, there are practical tools that can help improve your mental health. We are focused on managing anger and frustration, recognizing when trauma may be affecting your mental health, challenging negative thinking patterns, and making time to take care of yourself.  

It’s important to remember that working on your mental health and finding tools that help you thrive takes time. Change won’t happen overnight. Instead, by focusing on small changes, you can move through the stressors of the past year and develop long-term strategies to support yourself on an ongoing basis.  

A great starting point for anyone who is ready to start prioritizing their mental health is to take a mental health screening at MHAscreening.org. It’s a quick, free, and confidential way for someone to assess their mental health and begin finding hope and healing.  

Ultimately, during this month of May, Lee & Associates wants to remind everyone that mental illnesses are real, and recovery is possible. By developing your own #Tools2Thrive, it is possible to find balance between life’s ups and downs and continue to cope with the challenges brought on by the pandemic. For more information, visit www.mhanational.org/may.

SPOTLIGHT: DR. JOSH KING, PSYD
CENTER FOR MOTIVATION & CHANGE

As you likely have noticed more than anyone, the past year has been challenging for many.  What have you been seeing as being the impact on working professionals?
This year has been extremely challenging to everyone. The isolation that social distancing has brought about, the fear and worry that is pervasive about COVID, and the anxiety about what the future holds is something that we all have to deal with. This is true of everyone. Working professionals have other issues that they have had to deal with, such as zoom fatigue (feeling burned out by being on a computer screen for the majority of the day and having meetings that aren't face-to-face), feeling distant from their colleagues, and a different set of future anxieties (such as worry about if/when to go back to the office, what being in the office might be like after not being as close to others in the last year, and what the future of business is going to look like as the economy adjusts to meet the "new normal"). 

Many of our professionals have high-stress roles in good times.  How would you recommend that they think about their own mental health and that of their co-workers and clients?
For many people, the structure of going to work on a regular basis was very helpful in regulating their emotions. Work provides structure, a place where one can feel some level of mastery and pride for what they are doing well and can be a huge boon to self-esteem. This last year has shaken those foundations and caused many working professionals to experience a void in their life where a stable work environment once stood. In that void, some people have developed depression, anxiety, and many others have experienced trauma and will be dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  

This is really different from times in the past when you could more easily unwind from work by gathering with family and friends for dinner or go out to the movies. For many people, the things that they did to unwind from stressful days at work are not available to them. And, the smaller pressure relievers that we all have throughout the day (seeing colleagues in the hallway and venting to them, or cracking jokes and catching up in a break room or in someone's office) are not there. The stressors just sit with you, and finding relief is more difficult. On the flip side, we are all connected digitally in so many ways, it is in some ways easier to just do a quick check-in with your colleagues and clients than ever. Sending a quick message asking how they are doing is a great way to stay connected and find some support. The unfortunate part is that you have to take action, it doesn't just "happen" like when you bump into someone in the hallway and just chat with them for a minute. This has to be an active search for support, and that can be hard for people (it feels like another thing to "do"). 

What are things that our professionals can do to check in on themselves and others periodically throughout the year?
It is really important that professionals are checking in with themselves and looking for signs that they may be experiencing any of these issues. Ask yourself, "do I feel sad lately, especially during periods or events when I usually would feel happier?" "Am I more distant from friends and family than I normally am?" "Is this worry more intense than I usually experience, or am I worried about more things than I usually am?" If you're answering yes to any of these questions, it is possible that you are experiencing some kind of psychological distress, and it might be good to meet with a therapist, even just to talk it through more clearly and get some feedback from a professional. And, if you are close to your colleagues and clients, you might ask them the same questions. This is a time when just asking people how they are doing/coping is a huge act of compassion.

There is a stigma surrounding mental health issues, as we as an organization seek: “To become the leading example within the real estate industry of promoting, educating, and implementing inclusive behavior and diverse ideas.”, how would you advise us in educating ourselves in taking care of mental health issues and understanding what others may be going through in their lives and in their families?
The first and most important way that we can help to reduce the stigma around mental health is to talk about it openly! This newsletter is a great first step in that direction! Have more meetings where the focus of the meeting is just talking about how people are doing. Bring in speakers to talk to the organization about how to tolerate difficult emotions and things they can do to help themselves and their families. Start meetings out with 5 minutes of mindfulness to help everyone practice that skill and to make sure that your organization is stressing mental health practices. And set policies that demonstrate that the organization is going to support those who are looking to find balance and to take care of their mental health. That can mean encouraging people to take time off, and to make sure that everyone in the company knows who they can go to for support if they are having a difficult time emotionally. The more we talk about mental health and make taking care of it part of the culture of an organization, the more we reduce the stigma around getting help.

I saw a statistic that substance abuse has risen dramatically over the past year, do you have concerns about that?
This is true, substance use and misuse have gone up over the last year. As I stated earlier, the usual release valves for the pressure of work and life are not available. Substances like alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs have been a way to escape, avoid, or simply to cope with uncomfortable feelings for people for millennia. And that's because they actually work! The downside is that they only work for the moment, and they don't change the issues causing the stress, frustration, or discomfort.  

My biggest concern about people using more substances is that because these substances help in the short term, they may not feel the need to address their issues with a professional or to engage with the work of making changes in their lives that will help them feel more balanced and less distressed. I hope that people who have noticed that they are drinking more or turning to substances more during this period of time can pause and ask themselves why they are doing that and if this is because they are lacking in other coping skills. If the answer is yes, then it would be a good idea for them to talk with a professional. It may not need to be long-term therapy (even one session can help sometimes!), but working on making change is much better in the long-run than using substances as a short-term fix.