A new £5 million project has been launched to target and help people who suffer from stress and depression brought on by their workplace.
Healthy Minds at Work, an Assembly Government scheme, looks to protect both the individuals who feel stressed or depressed at work and the economy by helping them before they need to take time off work.
Pat McCarthy, Head of Policy and Redevelopment for Healthy Minds at Work, said: “Many people with mental health problems feel isolation – and depression is a very isolating illness. They can experience a loss of confidence or low self-esteem.
“If someone has a physical injury, work colleagues usually show concern and support. But that often isn’t the case for people with psychological conditions.
“The Symptoms are frequently invisible, and it is only when they worsen that they become more evident. Anyone can experience these problems, regardless of age, gender, disability, income, education or ethnicity.”
The organisers of the scheme believe that the biggest barrier to people returning to work who have suffered from poor mental health is caused by the discrimination and stigmatisation they may face rather than anything relating to their conditions.
For more information on the project, go to: Healthy Minds at Work