Let's Talk About Mental Health - DevUp 2017

Arthur Doler@arthurdoler

arthurdoler@gmail.comSlides:

Handout:

LET’S TALK ABOUT MENTAL

HEALTHBecause it’s about @%#*& time!

http://bit.ly/2yqRfYJ

http://bit.ly/2zrh2hE

arthurdoler@gmail.com

WHAT’S THIS TALK EVEN ABOUT?

The Reality

What IS a mental health challenge?

The most common mental health challenges

Who is Art?

How to talk about mental health at work

Some methods for good mental hygiene

REALITY CHECK

Changes in energy level and sleep patterns

Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities

Difficulty with concentration or decision-making

Feeling sad, empty, hopeless, worthless, or guilty

Extreme or unusual mood swings

Feeling like your brain is playing tricks on you

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/mental-health-screening-tools

CDC Mental Illness Surveillance Fact Sheet (https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealthsurveillance/fact_sheet.html)

THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE SUBSTANCE USE

NUMBERS

CDC Mental Illness Surveillance Fact Sheet (https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealthsurveillance/fact_sheet.html)

Mental health challenges are associated with:

•Increased occurrence of chronic diseases

•Decreased use of medical care (especially preventative)

•As much as a 25-year decrease in lifespan for SPMI sufferers

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/chronic-illness-mental-health/index.shtml

OSMI 2016 Survey General Report (https://osmi.typeform.com/report/Ao6BTw/U76z)

NIMH / NIH - https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/disability/us-leading-categories-of-diseases-disorders.shtml

MENTAL DISORDER

MENTAL ILLNESS

PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER

NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISORDER

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE

MENTAL HEATH CHALLENGE

BUT WHAT ARE THEY?

WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF A DIAGNOSIS?

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition

DIAGNOSES ARE NOT PRESCRIPTIVE

THEY ARE DESCRIPTIVE

WITH THAT OUT OF THE WAY…

MOOD DISORDERS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY

DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO REGULATE

Kaplan and Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry: Behavioral Sciences/Clinical Psychiatry (9th ed.)

ANXIETY DISORDERS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY

DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO REGULATE

ANXIETY

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition

OSMI 2016 Survey General Report (https://osmi.typeform.com/report/Ao6BTw/U76z)

REMEMBER – DIAGNOSES ARE DESCRIPTIVE, NOT PRESCRIPTIVE

JUST BECAUSE YOU KNOW ONE PERSON’SEXPERIENCE DOESN’T MEAN YOU KNOW

ANOTHER’S EXPERIENCE

WHO IS ART?

WHO AM I?

It’s

clinical

versus

experiential

language

HOW DO WE TALK ABOUT MENTAL

HEALTH AT WORK?

EXPERIENTIALLY!

YOU ARE NOT A PROVIDER OF CARE.

DO NOT USE CLINICAL LANGUAGE.

A CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

NEEDS SOME GUIDELINES

NOTE:THE SITUATIONS HERE ARE HYPOTHETICALTHE ADVICE IS REPRESENTATIVE

DO NOT ASSUME IT’S THE CORRECT ADVICE

TYPE IA

Jordan Asks Taylor for Future Support

ASKING SCRIPT

“I could really use some support. Can you please [helpful action here]?”

“I don’t know if you knew this, but I deal with (or am having problems with) [a specific kind of experience]. You’ve been helpful to me in the past; would it be okay in the future if ask you to [actionable thing] when [event happens]”

“Hey, I’ve been having a tough time with my mood lately. If you see me starting to isolate myself, can you take me out for a cup of coffee?”

Ideally, Jordan:• Is clear and direct in both what they’re asking Taylor to do, and whenasking Taylor to do it

Ideally, Taylor:• Doesn’t problem-solve• Doesn’t promise anything they’re uncomfortable doing

Jordan Asks Taylor for Future Support

TYPE IB

Jordan is in Crisis and Asks Taylor for Support

WHAT DOES A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS LOOK

“Um, you might not know this but I deal with some mood issues… and… I need some help telling which emotions are real right now.”

Ideally, Jordan:• Will ask for whatever they need right now, as specifically as possible

• Will explain that they need to leave if they feel like they need to exit the situation

Ideally, Taylor:• Remains calm• Doesn’t take Jordan’s leaving as an insult

Jordan is in Crisis and Asks Taylor for Support

TYPE IIA

Jordan Offers Future Support to Taylor

OFFERING SCRIPT

“I noticed that [behavioral observation here].

Can we talk about it?”

“Do you think you could use [action here]? Can I help provide that?”

“Hey, Taylor. I noticed that when someone disagrees with you in a meeting you stop talking and shut down, even though you clearly care a lot about what you’re saying. Would you like me to help back you up when that happens?”

Ideally, Jordan:• Accepts a “No” answer gracefully (and doesn’t take it personally)

• Keeps their judgements and opinion out it

Ideally, Taylor:• Will only talk about their mental state if they want to

• Will provide clear guidance for what can do

Jordan Offers Future Support to Taylor

TYPE IIB

Taylor is in Crisis and Jordan Offers Support

“It seems like you’re going through a rough moment. If you want, I can cover for you if you need to step out.”

Ideally, Jordan:• Will keep their judgements and opinion out of it

• Will follow the safety guidelines, unless they’ve prearranged a support response Taylor

Ideally, Taylor:• Will be honest about what they need, even if it’s nothing

• Won’t assume they’re being a waste of Jordan’s time

Taylor is in Crisis and Jordan Offers Support

TYPE III

Taylor Explaining to Jordan What They Feel

EXPLANATION SCRIPT

“When [event happens], I [sometimes, often, always] feel like [insert feelings

here]. To cope with that, I [insert behavior here].”

“When I’m in a meeting and someone asks me a question, my brain freezes and all I can think about is what happens if I screw up and answer incorrectly. To cope with that, I spend time before the meeting obsessing over all the things people could ask me, so I’m not very responsive.”

Ideally, Jordan:• Will listen respectfully

• Won’t problem-solve

Ideally, Taylor:• Will avoid blaming or ranting

• Won’t apologize for their feelings

Taylor Explaining to Jordan What They Feel

TYPE IV

Taylor Checking In with Jordan

CHECK-IN SCRIPT

“Hey, how are you doing?”

“Good morning, Taylor. How’re you feeling today?”

Ideally, Jordan:• Will answer as with much depth as they feel comfortable – including not at all

Ideally, Taylor:• Will legitimately care about how Jordan is doing

• Will consider setting up a check-in schedule or recurring appointment with Jordan

Taylor Checking In with Jordan

TYPE V

Jordan and Taylor Talking Like Normal Humans

“Hello fellow human! It is a good day to enjoy things like oxygen and carbon, is it not?”

“It is! Since I am also clearly a human I too enjoy those things, as well as making pleasant conversation through my mouth-parts.”

Ideally, Jordan:• Will talk with Taylor like they are a fellow human being who has varied attributes interests

Ideally, Taylor:• Will talk with Jordan like they are a fellow human being who has varied attributes interests

Jordan and Taylor Talking Like Normal Humans

THEN DON’T!

MOST IMPORTANTLY

OKAY. TAKE A DEEP BREATH.

TIME FOR SOME ARTTRUTH™.

IF YOU ARE DIAGNOSED WITH A MENTAL

HEALTH ISSUE…

Book cover from Amazon, Fair UseBrad Warner by Doubtboy - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8034985

The Neurobiology of Meditation and Mindfulness, Tobias Esch

http://mentalhealthrecovery.com/wrap-is/

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) Workbook

Source: Mary Ellen Copeland, mentalhealthrecovery.com

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/psychotherapies/index.shtmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_psychotherapies

MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES PROBABLY

MATTER MORE TO YOU THAN YOU SUSPECT

DIAGNOSES DON’T MATTER AS MUCH AS YOU

THINK THEY DO

BEING ABLE TO DISCUSS ISSUES WITH

COWORKERS (AND OTHERS) IS IMPORTANT

ENABLE THESE DISCUSSIONS BY:

1. Using experiential language

2. Being descriptive, not prescriptive

3. Being compassionate

4. Recognizing that just because you know for one person doesn’t mean you know for everyone

RESOURCES

• osmihelp.org

• Largest nonprofit

dedicated to mental

health in tech

• Annual survey

• Free guidebooks for

employees and HR

OPEN-SOURCING MENTAL

ILLNESS (OSMI)

• mentalhealthfirstaid.org

• 8 hour course

• Literally teaches first aid for

acute psychiatric symptoms

• Includes things like how to

actually ensure someone is

safe if they’re contemplating

suicide

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID

TRAINING

• mentalhealthamerica.net

• Self-screening tools for

potential mental health

issues

• Excellent collection of

other resources to learn

about and deal with

diagnoses

MENTAL HEALTH

AMERICA

• suicidepreventionlifeline.

OR 1-800-273-8255

• Free and confidential

support, 24/7, for people

in distress

• NOT just suicide – any

emotional distress

NATIONAL SUICIDE

PREVENTION LIFELINE

Slides:

arthurdoler@gmail.com

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Let's Talk About Mental Health - DevUp 2017

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