How can we make mental health a more acceptable topic in our daily conversations?
Well, given the limited number of mental health practitioners in Bangladesh, we need to start at the grassroots—raising awareness in families, among friends, and in society. By taking proactive measures at the individual and organisational levels, we can address mental health issues before they escalate.
Daily discussions can play a crucial role, particularly for those who are more vulnerable. Individuals grappling with mental health issues often struggle to recognise symptoms on their own. Therefore, it’s essential to be attentive and keep them under regular observation, as they might exhibit behaviours that deviate from the norm.
In cultivating awareness about mental health, it is vital for teachers and leaders to lend a compassionate ear to students, subordinates, and colleagues navigating mental health challenges. This practice can initiate more open discussions about mental well-being.
How can we dispel mental health-related superstitions, and which initiatives can be effective?
In this day and age, teenagers are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues. Therefore, educational institutions need to implement initiatives to raise awareness. Moreover, encouraging open discussions among peers is crucial, and parents play a significant role in this regard.
Three key steps can be taken: firstly, conveying messages about mental health in simple language to teenagers; secondly, encouraging influential figures in their lives to use social media for spreading awareness; and thirdly, making workplace discussions on mental health a norm across all sectors. However, it's vital to ensure that those leading these conversations are well-equipped and knowledgeable about the subject.
What’s your advice to those who are facing mental health issues in the workplace? How can they get help?
Assess the situation first. Psychosocial counselling might be sufficient for initial stages, but clinical help may be required for more severe cases. Organisations should prioritise mental health alongside physical health, considering the appointment of psychosocial counsellors if possible. In cases where this capacity is lacking, collaborations with mental health service providers can ensure employees' well-being.
Which protocols or best practices should employers and employees follow for ensuring their mental health wellness?
It is essential for employers to recognise that mental health risks often stem from work-related pressures. A ‘best practice’ would be to acknowledge this issue. There are three points organisations can follow to adapt mental health practices in the workplace.
Firstly, create a positive work environment, then focus on raising awareness among employees in managerial positions, and finally, organisations should provide psychological counselling. Implementing these practices ensures a holistic approach to mental health and wellness for both employers and employees.
How can technology and digital platforms contribute to accessing mental health services?
As mentioned earlier, teenagers are more susceptible to mental health issues and are often highly connected to digital platforms. Therefore, leveraging technology is crucial.
Digital platforms can bridge the ‘access gap’ by enabling psychosocial counsellors to provide support digitally. This approach has the potential to reach and raise awareness among the youth on a large scale.
What are the steps initiated by BRAC in order to ensure mental health wellbeing of the employees?
At BRAC, we have adopted a three-step approach: firstly, we are providing mental health services through trained psychosocial counsellors; secondly, we are organising awareness sessions in association with BRAC Institute of Educational Development (BIED); and finally, we offer a dedicated helpline for immediate access to mental healthcare to all of our employees.
BRAC believes that creating a friendly environment and promoting mental health awareness among leaders are also integral parts of our core competencies.
How can BRAC's para-counsellor initiative ensure proper mental health for communities?
So, BRAC has taken two crucial initiatives. The first one is the ‘Humanitarian Play Lab Model’. While working with Rohingya children in Cox’s Bazar, we identified a major issue: the children are living a life marked by the trauma of the violence they experienced.
We needed to address their mental health before we could focus on their education. That’s why we started this initiative as a pilot project, and now there are discussions to replicate our ‘Humanitarian Play Lab Model’ in refugee camps worldwide, as it can be applicable for refugee camps globally.
The second initiative is the community-based ‘Para-Counsellor Model’. With this intervention, we aim to reach people living at risk of developing mental health disorders and provide them with the opportunity to seek help in the initial days.
It has been observed that we can nip mental health disorders in the bud if we can openly speak to someone about the things that are putting us under mental stress. Under this model, BRAC is currently providing services with over eight hundred para-counsellors throughout the country.
Now, the Government of Bangladesh is planning to use this model to take mental healthcare to the communities. Already, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between BRAC and the Non Communicable Diseases Control (NCDC) programme under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) regarding this.