Wellness Strategy | Workplace Mental Health Institute

AI Didn’t Take Your Job It Changed the Weight of It

21/01/2026

AI hasn’t dramatically changed most job titles.

What it has changed is the weight of everyday work.

People pause more. They check more. Decisions that once felt routine now carry a second layer of thought. There’s often no announcement behind the shift. No formal warning. Just a growing sense that getting things wrong matters more than it used to.

That’s how AI-related anxiety usually enters the workplace.

Quietly.

Not as fear, or resistance, or panic.

As pressure.

The Invisible Shift

Most people aren’t worried about being replaced tomorrow. What’s happening is more subtle than that.

They’re doing small calculations throughout the day:

If this tool makes us faster, what changes around expectations?
If part of my role is automated, what part is still mine?
If something goes wrong, where does responsibility land?

None of this stops people from working.

It changes how they work.

The global conversation focuses on productivity and opportunity. On what AI can do.

What’s often missed is what it adds.

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Why Reassurance Doesn’t Land

Uncertainty isn’t something you can talk people out of.

AI brings more judgement calls, more review, and more ambiguity around what “good” looks like. That increases mental load, even when jobs themselves stay the same.

When work becomes heavier, people fatigue faster. Focus drops. Confidence wobbles. High performers feel it as much as anyone.

This isn’t resistance to change.

It’s the cost of thinking harder, more often, with less clarity.

This Isn’t a Tech Problem

This pattern isn’t limited to one industry or role. Across different workplaces, people are adjusting how they operate in small, protective ways.

We can debate long-term job impacts for years. What’s already clear is how uncertainty shapes behaviour now.

When the future feels unstable, people adapt quickly. Usually by reducing risk.

How Uncertainty Shows Up

Uncertainty doesn’t always look dramatic. More often, it looks like:

Slower decisions
More checking and rechecking
Reluctance to try new approaches
Frustration with unclear direction
Playing it safe instead of stepping forward

From the outside, it can look like disengagement.

Internally, it’s often self-preservation.

When getting something wrong feels costly, creativity shrinks. Learning feels harder. People optimise for safety, not quality.

Why Optimism Isn’t Enough

“We’re not cutting jobs.”

“AI is here to help.”

“This will make things better.”

These messages aren’t wrong.

They’re just incomplete.

Because the pressure people feel isn’t emotional reassurance alone. It’s about day-to-day decision-making, accountability, and unclear expectations.

Without practical clarity, positivity doesn’t reduce the load.

The Role of Leadership

AI doesn’t create anxiety on its own.

How it’s introduced does.

When new tools arrive without clear guidance, people immediately start filling in the gaps:

What’s acceptable to use?

What’s not?

Who checks the work?

Who’s responsible when something fails?

What happens to roles over time?

If leaders don’t answer these questions, people will. Usually in ways that increase caution and stress.

What Actually Makes a Difference

If uncertainty is the problem, clarity is the solution.

Be explicit about how AI fits into work

What does it support? What still requires human judgement? What has changed, and what hasn’t?

Treat learning as part of work, not an extra task

People need to know which skills matter and when they’re expected to build them.

Reduce unnecessary cognitive load

Clear standards around checking, accuracy, and responsibility prevent constant second-guessing.

Support managers to lead in uncertainty

Stable priorities and consistent expectations help people feel grounded.

When leadership provides clarity, work feels safer.

And when work feels safer, people think more clearly.

The Question That Matters

As AI becomes part of everyday work, the real question isn’t whether organisations are adopting the technology fast enough.

It’s whether people are being supported to think well while using it.

Are employees free to make good decisions, learn, and contribute fully,

or are they spending their energy trying not to get things wrong?

When uncertainty isn’t managed, people don’t disengage.

They become cautious.

Over time, that changes how work gets done.

Workplaces navigating AI don’t need more excitement or reassurance.

They need clarity, practical support, and leadership that makes thinking easier, not heavier.

Why Your Team Is Still Burning Out Even With All the Effort You’ve Put In

10/12/2025

It’s a moment many Australian leaders know well. You genuinely care about your people. You want them to be steady, supported, and able to do good work. And when you’ve already made real improvements, it’s confusing to see burnout creeping in anyway.

The issue usually isn’t the effort or the initiatives. It’s that the way wellbeing is introduced doesn’t always line up with what people actually need. When the approach misses the mark, even well-meant programs don’t land.

This is often the point where workplaces start rethinking their strategy. They realise wellbeing isn’t built from one big idea. It grows from choosing an approach that fits the culture that’s already there.

How We Got Here

For years, workplace wellbeing followed a familiar pattern.

Morale dips, so a workshop gets booked.

A tough incident occurs, so an awareness day is added.

The intentions were solid. They gave people something to hold onto. They just didn’t reach far enough.

More organisations across Australia are now recognising that wellbeing can’t sit on the side as an add-on or a once-a-year reminder. It has to be part of how the place operates each day. Not a project. Not a seasonal push. A steady practice that shapes how people work and lead.

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Four Ways to Think About Wellbeing

Build It Before You Need It

Think of it like training before the marathon, not halfway through the race.

Supporting people early is always easier than helping them recover once they’re already overloaded.

What this looks like in Australian workplaces:

Teaching small, everyday habits for managing pressure
Treating resilience as a shared responsibility rather than something people must figure out alone
Picking up early signs so issues don’t snowball into crises

Where this works well: busy environments, frontline teams, regional services, or any industry where the job itself comes with ongoing pressure.

What tends to happen: fewer people on stress leave, fewer claims, fewer urgent escalations, and a general feeling that people can actually breathe. This is prevention at work.

Link Wellbeing With Performance

People work better when they feel well. And they usually feel better when their work is going well. These two feed off each other.

In practice, this looks like:

Making wellbeing part of performance conversations rather than a separate topic
Leaders talking about mental health appropriately with the same steadiness they bring to budgets and planning
Job design that involves the person actually doing the work
Workloads that can be sustained for the long term
Helping teams focus on doing good work instead of scraping through the week

Who benefits most: organisations chasing strong results without burning out their people.

What changes: engagement climbs. Contribution feels meaningful again. You see it in attendance, tone, and the way people front up. Work becomes something people invest in, not something they endure.

Understand Trauma

Some roles come with an emotional load. It doesn’t mean people are fragile. It just means the work is heavy.

This approach involves:

Recognising how trauma shapes reactions, tone, behaviour, and decision-making
Helping people listen with empathy without absorbing the distress of others
Setting boundaries that protect both sides of a conversation
Creating systems for debriefing, recovery, and emotional safety

Where this matters in Australia: healthcare, emergency services, community services, schools, corrections, and any role where people see distress up close.

What you notice when it’s working: steadier teams, calmer responses under pressure, fewer critical escalations. People still care deeply, but they’re not being worn down by the emotional weight of the work.

Teach Real Skills

Awareness matters, but it’s not enough on its own. People need skills they can use right away.

You’ll see this approach when workforces get:

Practical tools that apply to their day
Trainers who understand the industry, not just the theory
Follow-up and coaching so learning becomes habit
Programs that reflect the reality of the workplace rather than generic templates

Best for: teams ready to move from conversation to capability.

What happens: confidence grows. People know what to try, what to say, how to step in, and when to step back. The culture shifts from ideas to practice.

Which One Fits You?

Most workplaces blend a few of these approaches. The important part is knowing where to begin.

If burnout is rising, start with prevention.
If performance feels stagnant, connect wellbeing to how work gets done.
If people are carrying trauma, support must be visible and structured.
If you want lasting change, teach real skills.

You don’t need to correct everything at once. Start with one thing and build from there.

Our Take: Mental Wealth

We call it Mental Wealth because the aim isn’t to patch damage. It’s to build capacity.

Stress isn’t always the enemy. Sometimes it builds strength. Skills matter more than slogans, and confidence grows faster when you build on what’s already working instead of focusing on what isn’t. Real wellbeing comes from people who know how to adapt, recover, and work in ways that genuinely support them.

That’s the basis of everything we teach. Whatever approach you choose should help your people feel capable, not dependent.

Making It Work

For any approach to stick, a few things consistently matter:

Leaders go first so the culture is real rather than symbolic
Use trained professionals because expertise shapes outcomes
Keep it practical so people use it outside the training room
Repeat it so it becomes part of the way things run
Measure what works and adjust along the way

Moving Forward

There’s no single version of workplace wellbeing that works everywhere. The best approach is the one that fits your people and grows with them.

The workplaces getting real results are the ones that:

Understand what they’re trying to shift
Choose solutions that match their world
Build skills instead of slogans
Keep improving instead of doing one big burst of effort

Because wellbeing is not an add-on. It’s how good work sustains itself.

And when people feel supported and valued, it shows in the work, the energy, and the way teams treat each other.

If you want to figure out what will work best for your team, we can look at your workplace, find the right starting point, and shape practical wellbeing support that actually lasts.

Let’s talk.

The Real Cost of Poor Leadership in Workplaces

10/09/2025

I once worked under a manager who made every day feel harder than it needed to be. The job itself wasn’t the problem — it was the way he showed up. Tense. Snappy. Quick to point out the smallest mistake. By Friday, the whole team looked like we’d been slogging through mud all week.

That’s the real cost of poor leadership. You don’t always see it in reports or profit margins. You see it in people heading home completely drained. In smart ideas that never make it to the table. And in good staff who quietly start polishing up their CVs.

What the Numbers Don’t Tell You

Every workplace talks about results. Revenue. Sales targets. Deadlines. Those matter, of course.

But they don’t tell you what it feels like to sit through a meeting where no one dares to speak up. Or to spend your weekend already dreading Monday because of the tone set by your boss.

You can’t measure the way trust disappears. But you can sense it if you’re paying attention.

When Burnout Sneaks Up

Burnout doesn’t usually arrive with flashing lights. It creeps in. Someone skips lunch. Another starts replying to emails at midnight. The office chat gets quieter. Before long, you’ve got a team running on fumes.

The work still gets done — until suddenly it doesn’t. Sick days go up. Mistakes pile up. And more often than not, it’s the reliable people, the ones you thought would hold the place together, who hit breaking point first.

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Why People Really Leave

Over the years, I’ve asked plenty of people why they left their jobs. Very few said money. Most said something like, “I just couldn’t deal with my boss anymore.”

When someone leaves, it costs more than just a hiring fee. You lose trust. You lose relationships with clients. You lose that sense of stability that holds a team together. And when one person goes, others often start wondering if they should too.

The Ideas That Never Surface

Here’s something you’ll never see on a balance sheet: the ideas that never get spoken. I once heard someone say, “I knew how to fix it, but why bother? The boss won’t listen.” That’s not laziness. That’s self-protection.

Multiply that across a whole team, and innovation doesn’t disappear with a bang. It disappears with silence.

Managers’ Mental Health Matters Too

It’s easy to point the finger at “bad bosses.” But often, managers are struggling themselves. They’re overloaded, under pressure, and short on support. And when a manager is running on empty, the team feels it.

Managers’ mental health doesn’t get talked about nearly enough — but it’s central to how a workplace runs. A burnt-out leader can’t create a thriving team. They pass their stress down the line, usually without even knowing it.

Supporting managers isn’t just the kind thing to do. It’s the practical way to stop the cycle.

The Real Cost and the Alternative

The hidden price of bad leadership isn’t just financial. It’s the flat look on people’s faces at 3 p.m. It’s the good staff you lose. It’s the bright spark that could have driven innovation, but never got a chance.

The good news? When leaders are trained, supported, and healthy themselves, everything changes. Teams don’t just hit targets — they want to be there. They bring energy. They contribute ideas. They grow.

That’s why at the Workplace Mental Health Institute, we focus on both sides: building leaders’ skills and looking after their wellbeing. Mental health programs like Mental Health Essentials for Managers, Leadership Resilience, and Managing Psychosocial Safety give Australian leaders the tools to step up without burning out.

Because at the end of the day, leadership isn’t just about titles or KPIs. It’s about how people feel on the other side of your decisions.

Author: Peter Diaz

Peter Diaz is the CEO of Workplace Mental Health Institute. He’s an author and accredited mental health social worker with senior management experience. Having recovered from his own experience of bipolar depression, Peter is passionate about assisting organisations to address workplace mental health issues in a compassionate yet results-focussed way. He’s also a Dad, Husband, Trekkie and Thinker.

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The Balanced Leader: Why Leadership Skills Matter in Australia Today

01/09/2025

I once walked into a workplace where the atmosphere said more than the people did. No raised voices, no drama — just a quiet heaviness that hung in the air. You could see it in the way people glanced at the clock a little too often, or the way their shoulders slumped under invisible weight.

The company itself looked good on paper. They offered wellbeing leave, flexible schedules, even access to an employee assistance program. Their employee health and wellbeing strategy ticked all the right boxes. But policies don’t tell the whole story.

What set the tone each day wasn’t the benefits written in the handbook. It was leadership. The way managers showed up, the tone they set, the way they responded to stress — that was what shaped how people felt when they walked through the door.

The New Reality for Leaders

In Australia, leadership has shifted. Teams are more diverse, younger employees are more outspoken, and staff are less likely to stay quiet if something feels off. At the same time, many workplaces are stretched thinner, with fewer resources to spread across growing demands. Leaders are stuck in the middle — balancing staff expectations, organisational priorities, and their own pressures.

The old-school “command and control” approach doesn’t cut it anymore. People don’t want to be micromanaged. They want direction, but they also want freedom to do their work. They want leaders who will encourage them when things get tough, and who will back them up when the pressure rises.

It sounds simple, but in practice, it’s not. Because leadership today isn’t about just getting the job done — it’s about balancing people and performance at the same time.

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Why Balance Matters

Balance in leadership is the difference between a workplace that drains people and one that energises them.

It’s being clear about goals without being rigid.

It’s driving results without exhausting the team.

It’s caring about the people as much as the bottom line.

That balance doesn’t come naturally to everyone. It’s a skill, and like any skill, it has to be built. It takes self-awareness, practice, and often proper training to learn how to manage people in a way that brings out their best.

What Good Leaders Actually Do

When you look at leaders who make a real difference in their teams, they’re not always the loudest or the toughest. Often, it’s the quiet consistency that counts. The things that don’t look spectacular on the surface, but change how people feel every day.

Good leaders know how to:

Inspire instead of command. Staff want to be part of a bigger vision, not just follow instructions.

Lift morale when spirits are low. Sometimes a simple acknowledgement or encouragement can reset a whole team’s energy.

Help manage workloads. Leadership isn’t just handing out tasks. It’s guiding staff on what’s urgent, what can wait, and what really matters.

Communicate with respect. Recognition, gratitude, and trust go further than most people realise.

These aren’t add-ons to leadership — they are the core. And they sit at the centre of any strong employee health and wellbeing strategy.

Where Leadership and Wellbeing Meet

A workplace can offer free fruit in the kitchen, and access to apps that promote mindfulness. Those things aren’t bad. But if a staff member is drowning in deadlines, and their manager doesn’t even notice, none of those surface-level perks are going to fix it.

What changes the culture is when leaders bring empathy and accountability together. They listen, but they also provide direction. They create space for people to raise concerns, but they don’t let things drift. That balance tells employees that their wellbeing matters, but so does the quality of their work. And that’s when wellbeing becomes part of the daily experience — not just a policy on a page.

Are you a psychologically safe manager? Take the self assessment to find out.

The Australian Context

In Australia, workplaces are facing unique challenges. Remote and hybrid work have become normal in many industries, which means leaders are managing people they don’t see every day. That takes more trust, clearer communication, and an ability to keep teams connected even when they’re not in the same room.

There’s also the growing recognition of mental health in Australian workplaces. Staff expect it to be taken seriously. Leaders are no longer just project managers — they’re culture carriers. How they act each day sets the tone for whether employees feel supported or left behind.

The Takeaway

Workplace wellbeing doesn’t begin with free perks or surface-level programs. It begins with leadership: balanced, human leadership.

If your organisation is serious about building a strong employee health and wellbeing strategy, don’t stop at policy. Equip your leaders. Train them. Back them. Because the truth is simple: no wellbeing initiative can survive poor leadership. But the right leadership can make any wellbeing strategy thrive.

So the question for Australian workplaces is this: are you giving your leaders the support they need to strike that balance? Because if you are, the benefits flow right across the organisation — from stronger morale to better results.

Author: Peter Diaz

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Why Good People Leave Without Making a Fuss

04/08/2025

Sometimes, your best worker just calls you in for a quick chat.

No problems raised. No obvious tension. Just a quiet “Thanks for everything—I’ve decided to move on.”

And you sit there wondering,

“Since when?”

Truth is, top performers rarely kick up a stink. They put their head down, get things done, and help others stay on track. They don’t shout when something’s off—they just slowly stop showing up in the same way. Not physically, but emotionally.

And by the time you notice, they’re already halfway out the door.

It Doesn’t Come Out of Nowhere

It’s rarely about one big thing. Usually, it builds up over time.

One day, they’re not as chatty. They say less in meetings. They start declining invites. No one thinks much of it—they’re just “busy” or “a bit quiet lately.”

But in their mind, they’re already weighing up their next move.

And if no one checks in, they’ll take it.

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Money Isn’t Always the Dealbreaker

A pay rise might tempt someone to leave. But it’s often not the root cause.

More often, it’s that feeling of being overlooked. Of doing the hard yards and wondering if anyone even notices. Or being stuck doing the same thing, with no chance to stretch or grow.

Sometimes, it’s because they’re tired of cleaning up other people’s messes. Other times, it’s deeper—they just don’t feel like they fit anymore.

That’s where mental health awareness training can make a difference. Not as a box to tick, but as a tool to actually understand what your team needs—before you lose them.

The Real Loss Isn’t in the Job Title

You don’t just lose a role when someone leaves. You lose their insight. Their history with the company. The way they hold the team together behind the scenes.

You lose a sounding board. A calming presence. Someone who genuinely gave a damn.

And when they walk, others start thinking…

“If they’re going, should I be looking too?”

This is why culture matters more than ever. Having an anti-bullying course is great, but it’s not enough. What matters is whether people feel safe, supported, and respected—every day, not just during induction.

If You Want to Keep Them, Start Here

Forget gimmicks. Here’s what works:

Ask real questions.

Not the fluffy ones. Ask, “Is there something we’re not doing well?” or “What would make work better for you?”

Give them room.

If someone’s ready to take on more, let them. Let them mess it up a bit. That’s how people grow—and growth keeps people engaged.

Say thanks, and mean it.

Not just for smashing goals. For showing up with a good attitude. For staying late when no one asked. For keeping the mood up during tough weeks.

Address the hard stuff.

If someone isn’t pulling their weight, speak up. Staying silent sends the wrong message to the people who are showing up every day.

Look after their mental space.

Check in. Make time. Join in on the little things, like workplace chats or activities for mental health month. It shows you care, even when things are busy.

Make Work Somewhere They Want to Be

People don’t just leave for better jobs. They leave when they feel like no one’s paying attention.

But they stay when they’re challenged. When they’re trusted. When they feel like their work means something.

You don’t have to be perfect. Just real.

Maybe now’s the time to ask,

“How’s work feeling lately?”

And really listen.

Because once someone’s made their mind up, your chance to keep them has already passed.

Author: Peter Diaz

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What Is Trauma Dumping?

03/07/2025

It’s more common than you think — and it can catch anyone off guard

You ever had someone hit you with something really personal, totally out of the blue?

Like, you’re in the middle of a normal conversation — maybe talking about what you did over the weekend — and suddenly they’re unloading something heavy. Proper heavy. It leaves you stunned, not sure what to say. You want to be kind, but you didn’t sign up for this chat, not right now anyway.

That right there? That’s what people are calling trauma dumping.

It’s Not Just Venting

Don’t get this wrong — talking about what’s going on for us is important. It helps. Everyone needs to offload now and then. That’s totally normal.

But trauma dumping is different. It’s when someone shares something big — something emotionally intense — but they don’t check in first. No warning. No “hey, can I share something with you?” Just straight into it.

And the thing is, it’s usually not mean-spirited. It’s often coming from a place of pain or overwhelm. But even so, it can feel like being dragged into someone else’s storm when you were just out for a walk.

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How It Shows Up

There’s no one way it looks, but here are a few you might recognise:

A mate sends you a massive message in the middle of the night, laying everything out without checking in.

A colleague somehow manages to turn every lunch break into a deep emotional download.

Someone you’ve just met starts talking about really traumatic experiences, and you weren’t expecting it at all.

They probably don’t mean to make things uncomfortable. They just need to talk. But if the other person isn’t ready or in the right headspace, it can be a lot. Too much, even.

Why It Can Be a Problem — Especially at Work

Let’s be real — most of us are already carrying a fair bit. Workplaces can be stressful enough as it is.

So when emotional boundaries get crossed — even with good intentions — it can wear people down. It can create tension in teams. It can make people uncomfortable, unsure how to respond, or simply not want to engage anymore.

This kind of sharing:

Can leave others feeling drained or helpless
Might blur professional lines
Often doesn’t help the sharer feel any better in the long run
Can stop people from seeking proper support, because they’re offloading in the wrong spaces

That’s why things like mental health training and trauma-informed practices are so important in workplaces now. It’s not about shutting people down. It’s about having the tools to navigate these moments safely — for everyone involved.

A Better Way to Share

So no — the answer isn’t “don’t talk about stuff.” Not at all. The answer is being mindful about how we share, and when.

A simple check-in makes a huge difference:

“Hey, I’ve got something a bit full-on I’d like to talk about. Are you in a space for that?”

That one sentence shows respect. It gives the other person a chance to say yes, no, or maybe later. That’s how you keep trust strong — even when talking about tough things.

If You’ve Done It Before — It’s Okay

Most people have. Especially in moments when we’re overwhelmed and don’t know who else to turn to. It doesn’t make you a bad person. It just means you’re human.

What matters is what we learn from those moments — and how we do things differently next time.

If you’ve been on the receiving end, you’re allowed to say something too:

“Hey, I really care, but I’m not sure I’ve got the capacity to hold this right now.”

That’s not cold. That’s honest. And that’s healthy.

Final Thought

We talk a lot about being open and honest — and that’s good. But no one really teaches us how to do that well. Not at home. Not at work. Not growing up.

So we’re all learning. All of us.

When we get it right — when there’s trust, timing, and care — sharing can be one of the most powerful things we do. It brings people closer. It builds connection. It heals.

Let’s just remember… not everything needs to be shared all at once. And not with everyone.

Author: Peter Diaz

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What is Trust-Based Relational Intervention?

27/06/2025

A practical approach to trauma and behavior

Sometimes we meet people—children or adults—whose behavior seems difficult, unpredictable or just hard to understand. We might see defiance, withdrawal or emotional outbursts and think, What’s going on with them?

TBRI asks us to ask a different question:

What happened to them?

Developed by Dr. Karyn Purvis and Dr. David Cross, Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) is a trauma-informed model that helps us support people who’ve experienced adversity—particularly early relational trauma, neglect or chronic stress.

Why does trauma affect behavior?

Trauma—especially when experienced early in life—can shape the way a person sees the world. It can make ordinary situations feel unsafe. It can make connection feel risky. And it can teach someone to protect themselves in ways that, on the outside, look like “bad behavior.”

But what if that behavior is actually a survival response?

TBRI helps us recognise that many challenging behaviors come from a nervous system stuck in protection mode. Before learning can happen, before cooperation is possible, people need to feel safe.

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The Three Pillars of TBRI

Trauma-Based Relational Intervention or TBRI is built around three core principles:

Connection

Before anything else, we build trust. That might mean listening without interrupting, staying calm in conflict or offering simple, consistent routines. Relationships are where healing begins.

Empowerment

We support physical and emotional needs—things like proper hydration, movement, sensory support or even predictable transitions. When someone’s body feels calm and supported their mind can start to open up.

Correction

Only after connection and regulation are in place do we guide behavior. But instead of punishing we teach. We model, we practice together and we correct gently—with respect and consistency.

Who is TBRI for?

Originally designed for children from hard places, TBRI is now being used in:

Classrooms
Foster and adoptive care
Mental health settings
Juvenile justice
Community support work
Workplaces and leadership programs

Because trauma doesn’t stop at childhood. Many adults carry stress responses into their careers and relationships. TBRI gives us a framework to respond with curiosity and compassion, not just control.

Are you looking for a Trauma Informed Practice online course?

What’s different?

Unlike behavior management approaches that focus on consequences or rewards, TBRI looks deeper. It’s grounded in attachment theory, neuroscience and real-life experience. It values structure but always in the context of relationship.

People don’t change because they’re told to.

They change when they feel seen.

When they feel safe.

When they trust the person guiding them.

Conclusion

TBRI isn’t a quick fix. It takes patience, presence and sometimes a shift in mindset. But it works—because it meets people where they are, not where we wish they were.

References:

Purvis, K. B., Cross, D. R., Dansereau, D. F., & Parris, S. R. (2013). Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI): A Systemic Approach to Complex Developmental Trauma. Child & Youth Services, 34(4), 360–386.

Author: Peter Diaz

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7 Easy Mental Health Tips Anyone Can Apply

10/02/2023

There is a connection between physical and mental health. Physical health conditions can have a negative impact on mental health, and mental health disorders can increase the risk of developing physical health issues.

Unfortunately, a lot of people often neglect their mental health and wellbeing and develop mental health conditions like anxiety, stress, and depression as a result. You can maintain and enhance your mental health by following these 7 easy tips anyone can apply:

Regular Exercise: Exercise is a proven method for enhancing mental health. In fact, research shows that exercise is as effective or more effective than medication for treating anxiety and mild depression.Regular exercise improves mood, reduces anxiety and depression, and increases self-worth and self-esteem. from the door, placing the printer away from your desk, taking the stairs instead of the lift.

Include physical activity in your daily routine, such as walking, yoga, or running. If you find that too difficult to start with, try tricking your brain into exercising with simple things like parking the car as far away as possible from the door, placing the printer away from your desk, taking the stairs instead of the lift.

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Reduce cortisol levels: Cortisol levels are damaging to your mental and physical health. When cortisol levels are high, we suffer. The main driver of cortisol levels is stress. Make sure you nip stress in the bud. Exercise and coaching are very effective against stress.

Getting Enough Sleep: Sleep is essential for both physical and mental health. The immune system is weakened by insufficient sleep, which tends to also worsen anxiety and depression. That’s why it’s important to get enough good quality sleep. To ensure you get enough rest, set up a sleep schedule, avoid using screens at least two hours before bed, and make a calm sleeping environment. Start by thinking about what you can do to improve your sleep that you are not doing right now, and then apply what you can.

Balanced Diet: You’ve probably heard the saying, ‘you are what you eat’. To a degree, that’s correct in mental health also. Your mental health is impacted by what you eat. Low energy and unstable moods are consequences of a diet heavy in processed foods, bad fats, and sugar. A diet high in fermented food, rich in probiotics, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains, on the other hand, offers crucial nutrients and enhances mental health.

Social Connections: Because people are social creatures, it is essential for mental health to have fulfilling relationships. Feelings of loneliness and isolation can be lessened and general well-being can be increased by spending time with loved ones, giving back to the community, and engaging in social activities.

Limit alcohol and drug consumption: Drugs, including medication, or alcohol can worsen mental health conditions already present. Even medications designed to ameliorate mental health conditions can have the opposite effect in some individuals. Listen to your body and reduce or eliminate the use of any substances that make you feel anxious or unwell.

Practice of mindfulness (or mindful like practices): Mindfulness is a mental state in which one focuses on the right now. Using mindfulness techniques helps people feel calmer, less stressed, and healthier overall. Include mindfulness exercises in your daily routine, such as meditation, deep breathing, or focusing on your surroundings. If mindfulness is not quite your cup of tea, try prayer, or relaxation techniques. What are some relaxation techniques you know and like? You could try things as having a cup of tea, a relaxing bath or shower, walking your dog or even writing a gratitude list.

Download Simple Mental Health Tips infographic.

Keep in mind that a variety of mental health disorders, including stress, depression, and anxiety, can have a negative impact on a person’s quality of life. These mental health conditions may lead to emotional distress, interfere with relationships and employment, and raise the possibility of physical health issues.

You should seek professional help if you’re having ongoing and severe problems with depression or anxiety. A mental health professional can offer assistance, care, and direction to help manage symptoms and enhance general mental health.

The significance of mental health cannot be overstated. For the sake of your physical and mental wellbeing as well as for leading thriving, happy lives, it is vital you maintain good mental health. Now you too can enhance your quality of life and lower your risk of developing mental health disorders by placing a higher priority on your daily practice of these 7 tips.

Are you a psychologically safe manager? Take the self assessment to find out.

Author: Peter Diaz

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This article was first published on The WMHI Global

Time To Stop Your Social Media Addiction From Killing Your Career & Relationships

15/07/2021

Social networking sites have become the cornerstone of communicating in our modern era and an important way of connecting with other people. Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok allow users to create a sense of belonging and redefine their way of being in the world. As of the end of 2020, a digital 2020 report published by We Are social Inc. mentioned that over 3.7 billion people are actively using the different types of social media platforms worldwide. Moreover, most of these platforms provide people with information, career interests and interactive forms through virtual communities. Despite the positive vibes these platforms generate, there have been recent developments that have raised questions.

Alarms have been raised about the possibility of a type of social media addiction, causing adverse effects on users and those in contact with them. Notably, the purpose of this article is not to outrightly declare that public social media networks are harmful since they have some benefits. We want to look at the potential negative impacts, the issue of social media addiction, its symptoms, and the best treatment methods.

What is Social Media Addiction?

We refer to social media addiction as the relentless urge to use public online platforms even at the cost of real-life relationships and activities. Even though experts are yet to produce an official “social media addiction disorder”, the dangers of public networks are rising at an alarming rate daily. A Nobel-winning prize study conducted in 2014 showed that teenagers’ excessive use of technology caused massive disruptions to their mental and physical health, weight, sleep patterns, exercise levels, and, most importantly, their schoolwork. Young girls seem to be at a higher risk.

The same study showed 40% of the young adults and 21% of adults were using online public networks even while in the bathroom. A recent survey conducted shows that social media addiction on users clocked a mean of 37% from a sample size of 1390 persons. This data would mean that 1 out of 3 people in a group is a potential addict.

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How Public Platforms Affect the Brain

According to Harvard University’s recent study, social networking sites affect the same part of the brain that gets ignited by addictive substances. Our brain has different sections, and for our case, we will focus on the reward section. This section comprises messenger pathways affected by the many decisions we make and the sensations we experience.

Whenever you experience something rewarding or inject any addictive substance into your system, the neurons located in the primary dopamine-producing areas are activated. When these neurons are activated, they cause dopamine levels to rise, thus sending messages to the brain to receive a “reward”, which is also similar to the experience produced by an addictive drug. Upon receiving a notification such as a “mention” or a “like”, the brain also receives information to release dopamine. Once produced and transmitted, dopamine causes the subject to feel pleasure. Public platforms tend to provide an endless number of instant rewards in the form of attention from other platform users.

Addiction to Facebook and other public platforms activates the brain’s reward section, which doubles when individuals speak about themselves. People tend to talk about themselves around 32 to 45% of the time in an actual life situation. Contrary to this fact, people tend to talk about themselves or show off their life’s accomplishments on social media platforms almost 82% of the time. Whenever a user posts a picture and receives positive social feedback, the brain releases dopamine which is regarded as a reward to the behavior and glorifies the social media habit.

Public networking sites are problematic when users view these sites as a vital coping technique that relieves loneliness, depression, and stress. Especially if users perceive social media as giving them more rewards than real-life experiences, forcing them to engage with these sites persistently.

Eventually, they get caught up in denial leading to various interpersonal problems such as ignoring work or school responsibilities, real-life relationships, and even physical and mental health needs. The continuous use of these platforms increases their level of dependency.

The Signs and Symptoms of Social Media Addiction

The Signs of Social Media Addiction

Most users need to be wary of the signs mentioned below in their earlier stages. Users’ alertness will go a long way to help neutralize the addiction faster and before a stronger addiction appears. If any of these signs and symptoms feel too familiar to you, act fast! The sooner you act to stop social media addiction on its tracks, the easier it will be for you to either avoid it altogether or minimize its impact and harm. It’ll also make it easier to stop in the future.

Sharing Every Activity, you Undertake Anytime

By now am sure your mind is racing on that friend who you can keep track of all their minute moves. Alex, a renowned author of the book “The Distraction Addiction,” wrote that people are interested in the amount of fun they have or what they do online rather than what they do in the natural/physical world. We all desire to share our incredible experiences during the last vacations or social gatherings we attended. However, distractions caused by our smartphones when attempting to get the perfect shot makes us miss on more than what we gain.

Knowing a lot of Social Media Information about People who you have little information on them in the Real World

Pang, an Asian Scientist, reported that a vital indicator of social media addiction is having a vast knowledge of people’s social lives compared to real life. What they do, what they ate for breakfast, and which shop they get their merchandise from are readily available online. Such information usually open doors to a long-term intimacy, often not achievable with real-life friends.

Notably, knowledge about an individual without physically meeting them explains the time we spend on their social network platforms. Scholastic study conducted by Mr. Ayeni reported that 90% of teens using public networks concur that a large portion of social media users share too much information about themselves, their loved ones, and their surroundings. Therefore, the million-dollar question is, why do they do it?

Preparing Recipes and Cooking Clips to Share on Social Media Platforms

When making your finger-licking salad for lunch, between enjoying the salad peacefully or sharing it on your page, which one is more important? Furthermore, with the popularity and mass following on these sites, the food’s visual aspect overrules the practical one, eating. This notion has led to improper planning on the meals we wish to prepare, inappropriate shopping for ingredients which eventually leads to mass food wastage.

Feeling Uncomfortable when you Fail to Access your Phone

Have you experienced dissatisfaction when you fail to control Instagram when asked to stop at the traffic lights? Or are you unable to scroll through Facebook before you go to bed? Research has shown that an average person tends to check their phones every 12 minutes while one of them in every 10 persons tends to check theirs after every 4 minutes. Inability to access their phones leads to anxiety, which shows how dependent we are on social media platforms.

Unhappiness Caused from Comparing Yourself with Social Media Personas

Jealousy is the other sign that depicts the dangerous dimensions that social media dependence has placed over your life. Having the freedom to select what we desire to share online has opened the floodgates to creation of online personas. Even though we get to see a fraction of their real world online, we often choose to throw that fact under the bus and continue stalking them. Whenever you begin feeling jealous over your friends’ celebrations, homes, cars, and body measurements, your public network addition has probably gone overboard.

The Symptoms of Social Media Addiction

Social media addiction shows the following symptoms

Lack of concentration on physical activities
Feeling guilty repeatedly
Sleep disorders
Overweight and obese
Anxiety and dishonesty
Low self-esteem and loneliness
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS): This condition causes numbness, weakness or tingling on your hand. This condition may be caused by spending too much time on your phone
Depression: Due to lack of motivation resulting in low productivity at work and poor school performance

Notably, many of these symptoms are majorly caused by unrealistic expectations that social media users subject themselves to. Moreover, they tend to survive on pretense of living a glamourous lifestyle showcased by the affluent social media users.

The Plausible Ways for Breaking Social Media Addiction

The only way to salvage yourself from social media addiction is by first accepting you have this problem. You tend to discover that you are deeply affected if you are constantly asked to put down your phone or when your family members complain of your unavailability or repeatedly miss or come late for scheduled activities since you were engaged in social media platforms. Breaking the addiction chain cannot happen by abrupt abstinence from online activities, although you can begin by setting limits. Moreover, you can control your internet usage by following these steps.

Deletion of unnecessary mobile chatting applications
Dedicating your time to other social activities or hobbies
Deactivating the push notifications to lessen the traffic on alerts. This reduces the urges to check your feeds frequently
Proper Allocation of time for online activities: You can indulge yourself in other productive activities such as reading a book, workouts or taking walks
Maximum allocation of your free time to your family members and friends since they are the first respondents to most of your social needs
You can also seek professional help if you cannot manage your addiction from an individual perspective or within your circle

Illness and Antisocial Behaviors Associated with Social Media

In recent years, heavy dependence on social media has caused mental illnesses to rise to new prevalence in the forms of voyeurism, paranoia, antisocial tendencies, and narcissism. Moreover, the Fear of Missing Out or FOMO could be among the pacesetters of most inappropriate behaviors posted on social media feeds. Also, there is a group that dwells on the shock factor, and the more the mass that reacts to the post, the more satisfaction is derived. This gives room to reinforce the behavior.

Some of the traits that are regarded as antisocial include the inability to be remorseful for wrongdoings, inability to show empathy, complete disregard to other people’s feelings and bullying. Furthermore, the prevalence of antisocial traits has dominated the internet, especially after the breakout of the novel coronavirus. Daily we witness horrible acts of violence, cyberbullying, racial abuses, self-mutilation with extremities leading to loss of life. All these acts can be attributed to antisocial behaviors spreading across the internet.

How to Use Social Media Safely

Among the wake-up calls to mitigate public network additions is when you begin experiencing frustrations on the number of chatting apps on your phone. At this point, to salvage your wellbeing, here are a few tips for consideration.

Learn to live in the Moment

Even though the urge to post fun activities online becomes pressing with time, allow yourself to give in occasionally. However, never let these urges overshadow the actual feeling of living these moments and enjoying real-time experiences.

Follow Feeds that Brings you Gratification

This will help ensure that the extent of exposure is only to people and things that generate positive vibes while you are online. Furthermore, you will get essential takeaways, which can be applied in different situations, such as conflict resolution.

Avoid Making Comparisons with Online Personas

When scrolling through people’s content, always keep in mind that what they share only depicts a small portion of their lives. Hence, comparing yourself to their online lives will create a feeling of inadequacy, leading to unhealthy obsessions while you continue stalking them.

Always Filter your Content Before Posting

Learn to post content that best fits all social groups in society. This will prevent creating online chaos while maintaining the status quo and passing your message effectively.

Conclusion

Public networking sites have become increasingly omnipresent today. However, this should not give room for addiction or inappropriate usage of the platform. Ensure you set clear boundaries and prioritize your time efficiently to prevent over reliance on social media.

References:
wearesocial.com/uk/blog/2022/01/digital-2022-another-year-of-bumper-growth-2
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7366938
sites.harvard.edu/sitn/2018/05/01/dopamine-smartphones-battle-time
academia.edu/39618314/Social_Media_Addiction_Symptoms_And_Way_Forward

Author: Peter Diaz

Connect with Peter Diaz on:

Tag Archives: Wellness Strategy

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Conclusion

References:

Download Simple Mental Health Tips infographic.

Are you a psychologically safe manager? Take the self assessment to find out.

What is Social Media Addiction?

Did you check our Mental Health Courses?

How Public Platforms Affect the Brain

The Signs and Symptoms of Social Media Addiction

The Signs of Social Media Addiction

Sharing Every Activity, you Undertake Anytime

Knowing a lot of Social Media Information about People who you have little information on them in the Real World

Preparing Recipes and Cooking Clips to Share on Social Media Platforms

Feeling Uncomfortable when you Fail to Access your Phone

Unhappiness Caused from Comparing Yourself with Social Media Personas

The Symptoms of Social Media Addiction

The Plausible Ways for Breaking Social Media Addiction

Illness and Antisocial Behaviors Associated with Social Media

How to Use Social Media Safely

Learn to live in the Moment

Follow Feeds that Brings you Gratification

Avoid Making Comparisons with Online Personas

Always Filter your Content Before Posting

Conclusion