The terms ‘mental health’ and ‘mental illness’ are often used interchangeably in the workplace. And I’ve been wondering whether that matters. Okay, full disclosure - in my humble opinion it does matter.

Three reasons it matters -

One - They have different meanings

According to the World Health Organisation;

Mental Health is 'a state of wellbeing in which an individual: 

• realises their own potential,

• can cope with the normal stresses of life,

• can work productively and fruitfully, and,

• is able to make a contribution to their community’.

Mental Illness is a recognised, medically diagnosable illness that results in a significant impairment of a person’s:

• cognitive

• affective (emotional)

• relational abilities (CCOHS)

Two - ‘Mental health’ is inclusive

Whilst (only) 1 in 5 of us at any one time will be experiencing a mental illness, the term mental health applies to us all. Moreover, you may not have thought about it like this, but it is possible to be mentally healthy and be managing a mental illness at the same time. Think of a well-functioning person you know or have seen at an event recently who’s shared that they currently experience a mental illness and are managing it effectively. They likely have the support of a health professional, and take good care of their mental health with activities such as regular exercise, healthy eating habits, good sleep patterns, maintaining strong social connections etc.

With physical health, you can feel a bit poorly or unwell without having an actual physical illness. You know you are not going to be fully productive and functional so you might take an aspirin, take the day off work, and spend it resting in bed. Likewise, mental health fluctuates too. You can feel a bit down, stressed, or overwhelmed without having a mental illness. Again, just like when you are physically poorly, how you think, feel, and behave will be affected.

Socially, we are getting better at taking steps to maintain and optimise our physical health and actively look after it. But we don’t always take good enough care of our mental health in the same way. Unlike with our physical health (for most of us), we’re more likely to ignore signs and symptoms related to our mental health. Furthermore, we know that being in better physical shape is protective against diseases and other physical ill-health conditions. The same is true mentally. Prevention and protection is better than cure.

Three - Language shapes meaning and understanding

The words we use help us make sense of our experience and the experiences of those around us.

We hear words bandied about like mental health ‘challenge’ or ‘issue’ or ‘problem’, ‘mental health condition’, ‘mental ill-health’, ‘mental health disorder’ and ‘mental distress’. 

But what do they all mean?? 

Well, sometimes it depends on what the user thinks they mean (and intends them to mean), plus what we the listeners happen to think they mean. Any of these terms could be used to refer to diagnosed mental illnesses (see ‘mental illness’ definition above) or be used to capture a broader grouping of mental dysfunction including mental illness.

Perhaps using general-term language beyond the term mental illness is useful if it ultimately helps people recognise and identify an issue in themselves and reach out for help earlier. This is important because we know from research that early help-seeking behaviours are associated with better health outcomes.

Space for another term?

At the risk of complicating things even more, may I bring in one of my favourites, particularly when talking about people at work…psychological health.

I like this term because it frames a wide range of cognitive (mental) activity that’s relevant in the context of work. It encompasses those brain functions necessary for high performance such as attentional focus, robust decision-making, emotion-regulation, perspective-taking, and problem solving. 

Sometimes the phrase ‘psychological health and wellbeing’ is used, which can be a catch-all for the cognitive activity listed above, and include mental health and mental illness. It might also include physical health (in the ‘wellbeing’). Note - an unpacking of the term ‘wellbeing’ is a conversation for another time!

Take-outs

1. If we can focus on making mental health more of a priority at work, talk more about mental health and how we can foster it in the workplace, we’re more likely to create the organisational conditions that cultivate it AND set up preventative measures that can help minimise mental illness episodes from happening.

2. Mental health is complex and fluctuates for all of us. It’s not about feeling ‘happy’ and stress-free all the time. Going back to the WHO definition above, “coping with normal life stresses” requires being given the opportunity to do ‘good work’, proactive and responsive actions at both organisational and individual levels, and a healthy dose of self-insight.

3. Taking a ‘mental health day’, going to see a psychologist, or phoning a loved one and asking for support might be just what your mental health needs some days, regardless of whether you have a mental illness or not.

What are your thoughts? 

Should we collectively sharpen our meaning and word usage around mental health and illness, or alternatively be more flexible and relaxed with our language?

What terms do you use in your workplace, and are they helpful in reducing stigma by talking openly about mental health and mental illness at work?