Internet-based CBT is highly effective for people facing depression, anxiety or daily life issues
Taking time to prioritize and care for our mental health has never been more critical than now. When a person struggles with their mental health, it doesn't end at home. Inevitably, it accompanies them on their workday.
Many of us are now dealing with increased levels of anxiety, depression and loneliness, making access to mental health support and online therapy resources even more vital.
People may feel comfortable talking to friends and family about physical health-care issues, but often they don't feel the same ease when discussing mental health concerns that are just as important.
More than half (53 per cent) of North Americans with mental health conditions are not seeking the treatment they need and deserve, according to a 2018 study by the National Council for Behavioral Health in the U.S. In large part, this is happening because many employees don't have access to timely, quality mental health care when they need it — stymieing their ability to stay mentally healthy and productive at work.
More than half (57 per cent) of Canadian employees and managers are struggling with a mental health problem, according to a 2018 survey by Morneau Shepell.
Work environments create a unique set of challenges. Daily time pressures, the need to multitask, conflict with co-workers or managers, long commutes and other stressful situations can all threaten to overwhelm a person.
In a fast-paced work environment, it’s understandable that an employee’s stress can be exacerbated and played out through unhealthy responses that are driven by unrealistic and exaggerated thoughts.
Pandemic crisis raises fears
Most organizations strive to prioritize and invest in their employees' mental and physical health to help them function at their best. But with traditional mental health-care solutions not always meeting employees' needs, it's no surprise that workplaces are experiencing a mental health epidemic.
Although the nature of COVID-19’s impact varies across populations, there is no doubt that many people are suffering in some way.
Even the most positive thinkers are feeling overwhelmed, vulnerable and exhausted by the restrictions and life changes that the pandemic policies have created.
In the wake of an echo pandemic, employees will now be navigating fears and anxiety regarding their health and safety in returning to the work environment.
Organizational changes, business closures and financial worries persist despite re-openings. And talk of a second wave is top of mind.
New-normal stressors such as using public transport, being in confined spaces or elevators and working in shared open spaces are all affecting the workforce's daily mental well-being.
Tech advances in virtual care
Findings show that half of millennials and 75 per cent of generation Z have left a job for mental health reasons, according to a 2018 survey by Mind Share Partners. Employees want (and some generations expect) on-demand, convenient, discreet and timely care when they need support — especially when it comes to mental health services.
Technology can make this possible. By giving employees easy-to-access, on-demand virtual solutions, they are more likely to engage with their mental health benefits — making the investment more than worthwhile.
A popular and innovative form of telemedicine in the mental health field is online therapy through a secure text and audio/video platform. People can meet with their therapist from any space as long as they have a stable and secure internet or phone connection.
Online therapy can be as effective as face-to-face therapy when provided correctly. Expert-led online mental health support enables employees to have greater therapist choice with no geographical limitation, making specialized care available to more people without the wait time barrier.
Virtual therapy, including video and chat functions, allows for therapeutic support to be accessed in smaller “chunks” to help a person stay connected and on track while avoiding feeling overwhelmed by adding full 60-minute sessions to their load.
This modern-era experience offers employees unique additional benefits that can help increase accessibility and uptake in receiving the right care at the right time.
Evidence-based tool helps those in need
Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) is making it easier for those with depression or anxiety to get the clinically proven treatment they need, all from the comfort of their home and in their own time. CBT is a clinically validated tool that examines the connection between people’s thoughts, actions and feelings and is designed to help people develop healthier thinking patterns in order to address mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
CBT is also highly effective for people facing daily life issues such as conflict with co-workers, managing workloads, family crises, self-esteem issues or handling separation and divorce.
- Introducing iCBT into the workplace can have an extensive range of positive effects, such as:
- providing a healthy outlet for negative thoughts
- reducing stress or anxiety and helping create a healthier and more productive workplace
- decreasing mental health-related absences
- creating a greater understanding of mental health issues and helping to reduce stigma
allowing people to realize their own power in controlling or changing thoughts that lead to low mood or increased anxiety.
Employers can provide employees with easy and stigma-free access to CBT treatment by incorporating an on-demand, virtual iCBT tool into their mental health program.
Finding the ROI in virtual care
There has been a 700-per-cent increase in court-awarded settlements due to mental injury in Canadian workplaces since 2004, according to a report by the Mental Health Commission of Canada. And with $51 billion lost each year in the Canadian economy due to mental health-related issues (according to the 2008 study “A new population-based measure of the economic burden of mental illness in Canada,” employers inevitably incur about 25 per cent of those costs).
A closer look at the average annual cost of inadequate mental health care in a 1,000-person company — according to the Center for Workplace Mental Health from the American Psychiatric Foundation — finds that, annually:
- 1,476 workdays are missed due to mental health
- 1,311 workdays are unproductive due to mental health
Before the next renewal, employers should take the time to assess how their mental health-care services measure up to what employees want. They should then validate the trends by surveying employees for insights into what's working and what's not working with the coverage. What will emerge are big opportunities to fundamentally change how employees experience mental health care so they can function at their very best.
Mental health has never been more of a priority — and organizations are in the business of health care, whether they like it or not. Now is the time for leaders to invest in an evidence-based solution that supports employees along the mental health continuum — from prevention to intervention to recovery support.
People who can bounce back from adversity have happier relationships, enjoy better health outcomes and greater success in their working lives.
Estelle Morrison is the head of national clinical operations for Snapclarity in Toronto and a registered psychotherapist. To learn more, email [email protected] or visit www.snapclarity.com.
