THE TRUTH ISSUE@marketingmag
We expect honesty and
transparency from the
brands we work for and
consume, so why is telling
the truth about ourselves
so diffi cult?
MarketingisproudtohaveUnLtdasa
ContentPartner.Weurgeyoutovisit
unltd.org.auandgetinvolved.prevention and early intervention are key to looking after
your mental health. Being honest and opening up when
things are not OK is the first step in preventing bigger future
issues. And the more people in our industry we hear telling
the truth, the more we all feel encouraged and empowered to
speak up when the time comes.
AtUnLtd,akeyfocusfor2019istotakethefindings
from the study and start building solutions to make our
industry more mentally healthy. We will bring the industry
bodies together to begin forming structural, practical and
behavioural solutions. Together with our mental health
charity partners we will run educational sessions and
practical workshops for our industry. Changing the stats
will take time and requires all of us in the industry to
challenge our thinking and perceptions of what a healthy
workplace looks like. In the meantime, there are two very
simple things you can do to make yourself, your colleagues
and your industry more mentally healthy.- Next time you ask someone for you care how they are,
really listen, without judgement and without necessarily
trying to solve the problem. For tips on how to ask and what
to do when someone isn’t OK, check out R U OK: http://www.
ruok.org.au/how-to-ask. - When someone you trust asks how you are, tell the
truth, no matter how uncomfortable.
If you or someone you care about needs support, contact
Lifeline: 13 11 14
For more about ‘Mentally Healthy’ visit http://unltd.org.au/
about-us/news/how-mentally-healthy-are-we-the-results-
are-in-for-the-fi rst-major-industry-study.Lifeline chatbot or Facebook’s AI that scans posts to detect
patterns of suicidal thoughts. One of the most encouraging
fi ndings is how literate the industry is about mental health
topics and how welcoming we are in supporting those
who may be struggling. Eighty-nine percent of us would
happily work with someone diagnosed with depression.
Sadly though, only 29 percent of us would tell someone
at our workplace if we’d been diagnosed with depression.
We’re supportive of others, but not comfortable opening
up ourselves. Why? Is it the stigma, the fear of judgement?
Being seen as less productive? Or is it more practical, not
knowing where to go or who to talk to?
Personally, I can relate. I’ve always considered myself
to be mentally healthy and it wasn’t until I started working
on the study that I realised I wasn’t as well as I thought (the
irony). During preparation for the project, I reviewed and
completed various mental health surveys, all of which came
back showing severe signs of depression and anxiety, often
coupled with a message of ‘call your GP now’. Yet just like
71 percent of people in our study, I didn’t feel comfortable
talking about this with anyone. I didn’t want to be the spoilt
little girl moaning about nothing, when others deal with far
more serious issues.
UnLtd works with incredible charities helping children
and young people at risk. We hear daily about abuse,
neglect, addiction and severe trauma. These are real issues
aff ecting so many young Australians. So, complaining
about extreme sleep deprivation (thanks to a sleep-hating
child) combined with the sometimes overwhelming and
paralysing stress I put on myself – and how I struggle to
think a single positive thought about myself during those
times – just seems unworthy in comparison to the real issues
others are facing. But big issues all start somewhere. It may
be stress that you brush off as just a ‘busy time at work’, or
the glass of wine each night turning into many, that before
you even notice becomes a big issue. As with physical health,