1 in 5 New Zealanders will experience mental illness this year. Right now, you or someone in your workplace is likely to be affected. Everyone has mental health, and nearly half of all New Zealanders are likely to experience a mental illness at some point in their lives, with depression and anxiety being the most common.
Workplaces play an active role in people’s health and wellbeing, as well as in recovery from mental health problems.
Life has its ups and downs and we will all experience challenges and struggles. What helps us have the resilience to bounce back is:
- Developing individual skills.
- Building supportive environments.
- Activities and actions that help people and communities to feel good, function well and have strong social relationships
What works to create mental wellbeing in individuals and communities? A range of activities and actions, cultivated over time, that focus on:
- Feeling good: Increasing positive feelings and ways to manage negative experiences.
- Functioning well: Increasing our ability to do the things that give us meaning and purpose.
- Supportive relationships: Increasing opportunities to connect so we feel valued and have a sense of belonging.