What Happens When you have a Mental Health Crisis Mid-Career?

Welcome to Anxiety at Work --> We hope the time you spend with us will help remove the stigma of anxiety and mental health in the workplace and your personal life.

In this podcast, Chester Elton and Adrian Gostick are joined by Jason Finucan, a mental health advocate and founder of Stigma Zero, to discuss how to cope with a mental health crisis in your career. Jason shares his personal journey of being diagnosed with bipolar one disorder after a six-day manic episode that led him to found Stigma Zero and write a book about his experiences. He emphasizes the importance of eliminating the stigma of mental health at work and self-care during difficult times such as the pandemic. Jason advises finding a balance between dealing with external pressures and stresses and decompressing through activities such as reading, exercise, and hobbies. He also stresses the need to turn off social media and news regularly and curate our own information. Jason shares his lesson of not "soldiering on" and accepting mental illness as a lifelong battle. It is important to prioritize mental and physical health to be able to be the best version of ourselves in all aspects of life.

Our guest is our new friend Jason Finucan, a mental health advocate and founder of StigmaZero. As someone who has experienced both a major physical illness and a major mental illness, Jason shares his personal experiences in his book, “Jason 1: Stigma 0: My battle with mental illness at home and in the workplace.”
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Transcript

[Music][Applause] Our topic today is what to do when experiencing a mental health crisis in the middle of one's career. I'm Chester Elton and I'm joined by my co-author and friend, Adrian Gostick. Today we're discussing the elimination of stigma surrounding mental health in the workplace. Our guest, Jason Finuchen, is here to share his personal experiences and research to help us relate to mental illness.

[Applause] Jason is a mental health advocate and founder of Stigma Zero. He has personally experienced both physical and mental illnesses and has written a book titled "Jason One: Stigma Zero: My Battle with Mental Illness at Home and in the Workplace." We're thrilled to welcome you to the podcast, Jason. Thank you for joining us.

[Music] It's great to have you here. Can you take us through your journey, Jason? In your book, you discuss being hospitalized for a major mental illness in 2005. Can you walk us through what happened and how it led you to found Stigma Zero? Absolutely At 29 years old, I experienced ever-worsening mental health symptoms that I didn't comprehend. It took two and a half years for me to go through these symptoms, including severe depression, culminating in a six-day manic episode in February of 2005. This extreme example of how mental illness can affect someone left me quite unwell, as I had not slept for six straight days. Eventually, I was hospitalized and diagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder. The whole experience was disorienting and fraught with stigma, particularly with self-stigma.

Prior to my diagnosis, I lacked knowledge and had many misconceptions about mental illness, which is now something I strive to address. During my two and a half years of worsening symptoms, I faced stigma from myself, family, friends, and colleagues. Although mostly unintentional, it negatively affected me because people judged and made incorrect assumptions about my illness. Fortunately, I was prescribed lithium after my diagnosis of bipolar one disorder, and after a few months, it became effective, and I felt like myself again for the first time in three years.

It made me realize that as a society, we don't respond to mental illness the way we should. Why do we empathize with those with diabetes or cancer but stigmatize those with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder? I asked myself this question when I started experiencing depression after my open heart surgery at 12 years old. I began self-stigmatizing and hiding my illness, but what if my heart problem returned? Would I have felt ashamed? Would I have been afraid to tell my boss or friends? I realized that people behaved entirely differently when it came to physical illnesses versus mental illnesses, despite both being a failure of an organ in the body. This clarity motivated me to start sharing my story as a volunteer for a Montreal organization called Amy Quebec, which does excellent education outreach programs. I wanted to help eliminate the stigma surrounding mental illness by sharing my personal experiences.

As a young adult, I experienced worsening symptoms of mental health, including severe depression and a six-day manic episode that led to hospitalization and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, my journey was riddled with stigma, both from myself and those around me, which had a negative impact on my mental health. Fortunately, after being prescribed lithium, a mood stabilizer commonly used for bipolar disorder, I felt like myself again for the first time in three years. This experience made me realize that as a society, we do not respond to mental health in the same way as physical health, despite them being equally important. After many years of volunteering for a Montreal organization called Amy Quebec, where I shared my story at over 100 Keynote events, I founded Stigma Zero and wrote my book on battling mental illness. Regarding the current world's challenges, it is essential to acknowledge that we are living through unprecedented times and that self-care is crucial. It's like the oxygen mask on a plane; we need to take care of ourselves first before helping others. Finding a balance between dealing with external pressures and taking care of our mental and physical health is key to being the best version of ourselves. In addition to the current challenges we face such as the pandemic, inflation, and international conflicts, it's important to find healthy ways to decompress. These methods differ for everyone, from reading to watching movies to exercising or pursuing hobbies. But the most crucial step is to regularly disconnect from social media and news consumption. While it's important to stay informed about current events, we cannot consume news 24/7 without becoming overwhelmed and anxious. Jason's advice is to listen to anxiety at work podcasts over time rather than constantly obsessing over news. Sometimes it's necessary to step back and question whether we really need to be up to date on certain events. Being aware of every single detail can often lead to unnecessary stress and anxiety. We must learn to curate our own information intake and focus on self-care in order to decompress and alleviate pressure on our minds. To maintain a healthy balance amidst the chaos of the pandemic, inflation, and global events, it's important to find ways to decompress that work for you, whether it's reading, watching movies, exercising, or pursuing hobbies. However, it's crucial to turn off social media and the news regularly to prevent becoming overwhelmed by anxiety. It's okay to stay informed, but curating the information you consume is key. Spend half an hour reading about what's going on and then let it go for the day. Obsessing over things outside of our control can negatively impact our mental health. It takes discipline to maintain this balance, similar to eating well and exercising regularly. In a recent article, you discussed how mental illness is often a lifelong battle, and it's not something that can simply be soldiered through. Lesson seven in the article was particularly challenging for you to learn. Can you explain how this lesson has applied in your life and in your work helping others? Lesson seven was a difficult lesson for me to learn. With my heart defect, for example, I had open heart surgery at 12 years old for a rare nerve defect called Wolf Parkinson White syndrome. In the same way, mental illness can be a lifelong battle that comes and goes or hides in the background. It's not something you can soldier through or push aside. It's important to acknowledge it, seek help, and practice self-care regularly. As someone who helps others with their mental health, I encourage them to understand that it's okay to struggle and seek help. It's not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength to confront and manage mental health challenges. At a young age, if someone suggested I could overcome my heart defect without surgery through sheer willpower, it would be preposterous. However, with mental illnesses, people often attempt to hide their symptoms and push through, even for major cases. I personally fell into this trap, working for a year longer than I should have before seeking medical help and taking a leave of absence to work on my illness. Soldiering on when unwell is comparable to going to work with the flu, which is now recognized as a bad idea. It is essential to recognize when we are unwell, address it, and not ignore it. For instance, if someone who has never had migraines suddenly experiences them weekly, they will likely seek medical attention. Mental illnesses and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression require the same open-minded curiosity and investigation as any other illness. Seeking help could be as simple as talking to a friend or undergoing talk therapy and may never result in a diagnosis of a mental illness like mine. It's interesting how we tend to treat physical and mental illnesses differently. We often downplay mental health issues and tell people to soldier on, while we take physical ailments seriously. We need to address this stigma and treat mental health with the same concern as physical health. As a mental health professional, I help leaders and team members create a more supportive workplace culture. Some practical ideas include educating employees on mental health, providing resources and support, and promoting a healthy work-life balance. To help relieve the stigma of mental health in the workplace, we need to use the same strategy that has been successful in eliminating stigmas of the past, such as breast cancer. In the past, breast cancer carried an enormous stigma, but today, it is widely accepted that a woman with breast cancer should not be stigmatized. The same can be achieved for mental health stigmas with specialized training, education, and instruction that can engage and inspire employees and offer practical tools. It is also essential for those who have experienced mental illness to share their stories and experiences to reach people. One concrete example of stigma mishandling in the workplace is with medical leaves. A person with a minor form of cancer may be open about their illness, receive support and a positive experience upon returning to work. However, a person with a mental illness may be afraid to disclose their illness and often just provides their doctor's note to their boss without explaining. When they go on leave, the work doesn't know how to announce it, and often nothing else is said about it. This lack of communication leads to confusion among colleagues about how to handle the situation. When the person returns, they may not receive the same support and welcome that someone with a physical illness would, which can make them feel undervalued and unwelcome. The goal is not to harm individuals, but rather to address the issue that is not being considered. One approach is to explain that there are ways to announce a medical leave without disclosing the illness while promoting empathy. For instance, a get-well card could be circulated for signing. Proper welcome upon return can also have a significant impact. It's a subtle shift, but it can make a big difference for individuals. Jason's example is powerful. However, some may dismiss this approach and view it as nonsense. What advice do you have for such influential leaders who don't believe in this approach? Consider taking my training. My work aims to address misconceptions about mental health. Feedback from our optional online program is a point of pride for me. Many people have commented that they used to view mental health problems as made-up or a character flaw. But through my personal story and educational points throughout the program, they realized the truth. It's important to highlight that mental health problems are similar to physical health problems like being overweight. Mild anxiety or depression can be worked through, although it's not easy. It's an example of a mental health problem that needs attention. On the other hand, a mental illness is diagnosed, requiring regular treatment and management for the rest of one's life. Whether it's a minor mental health problem or a full-blown mental illness, both need to be managed equally.

It's interesting to note that topics like breast cancer and alcoholism were once taboo, but over time, societal attitudes have changed. It's a matter of speaking out and educating people about mental health. Initiatives like podcasts, books, and organizations like Stigma Zero play a significant role in this cultural shift. It may take time, but with enough people working towards it, society can move towards greater acceptance and understanding. At Stigma Zero, we joke about the company becoming obsolete one day, as society becomes more accepting of mental health. I've seen a significant improvement in the last five to ten years, and I hope to continue to see positive change. Can you let us know how people listening can learning more about Stigma Zero, and your work?

Thank you Adrian. We work with all types of clients, including employers, such as schools and hospitals, in any industry. Our goal is to eradicate the stigma surrounding mental illness in the workplace by providing training to better respond to workplace mental health problems. To learn more, visit our website at www.stigma0.com or contact me directly at Jason@stigma0.com. Recently, during one of my presentations to a couple of hundred people, a man in the front row started to voice his disagreement by saying, "This is just BS." However, the audience shut him down, and I noticed that the women in the audience were more sensitive to this subject than some of the men. Looking towards the future, I believe that just like 15 years ago when employers were beginning to consider Employee Assistance Programs as part of their benefits packages, in the future, companies will recognize that providing training on mental health and creating a stigma-free work environment will become critical and essential for success, not just for the altruistic reasons of taking care of employees but also for attracting and retaining top talent. In five to ten years, I see the mental health industry moving in this direction. Presenteeism, where employees work despite being ill due to fear of disclosing their illness, is a significant drain on profits related to mental health and mental illness. Fortunately, more companies are recognizing this and implementing education, support, and advocacy programs, as well as awareness campaigns similar to those for breast cancer. The goal is to create a societal understanding that mental illness is a normal part of life and should be respected and met with empathy. Eventually, it is hoped that there will be no difference in how people react to any illness, whether it affects the body or the mind. The only exception would be if a person's actions were recklessly causing harm, as in the case of addiction. People who try to work while ill due to fear of disclosing it cause presenteeism, which is the biggest drain on profits caused by mental illness. Many companies are realizing this and creating education, support, and advocacy programs, along with awareness campaigns like breast cancer campaigns. Eventually, every company will understand that creating a stigma-free work environment is essential for success. My goal is to eliminate judgment and stigma around any illness. For my personal mental health, I take medication daily to address my bipolar disorder, which does not respond to non-medical therapies. but I take my medication with gratitude I am grateful every day I take it that it exists because without that medication I could have been in such so much a worse position I also try track over 50 Health Data points a day and it sounds like a lot takes me two minutes a day I have an app that I use like it's called e moods if anybody would like to look it up um I I don't get anything for promoting them it's just it's a it's one I found and I find very useful I track things like my mood my sleep both volume and quantity my exercise uh a whole host of things so that way I know if there's any statistical Trends going in the wrong direction like my sleep is either increasing beyond my average or decreasing suddenly that's can be a canary in the coal mine things like that can be very useful sleep is probably the single most important thing for anyone I don't care whether I am grateful for my medication which corrects the chemical imbalance in my brain. I also track over 50 health data points a day using an app called eMoods. It only takes two minutes a day, and it helps me monitor my mood, sleep, exercise, and other important health indicators. Quality sleep is crucial for everyone, regardless of mental health status. I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet, living under the principle of moderation. With the pandemic, I limit my news consumption to one hour in the morning and focus on my personal life and work for the rest of the day. Lastly, I actively avoid contact with toxic people who cause me stress and anxiety. It's cold, but when you're dealing with your health, you've got to take care of home base first. "What if they're close family members?" I know many people who struggle with limiting contact with toxic family members, and it's not always feasible to cut them out completely. I didn't suggest cutting them out, but rather limiting contact. For example, make a weekly phone call but keep it short. It's understandable that there are situations where it's challenging to limit contact, and I empathize with those difficulties. On a lighter note, although Adrian won't admit it since we're recording, there have been times when he's blocked me. However, that's not true, and he hasn't permanently blocked me. Hey, it's been a fantastic conversation, Jason. We've shared insights and had some laughs together. What are the one or two key takeaways that you would like our listeners to remember? For those who have never experienced mental illness, I encourage you to develop empathy and emotional intelligence. Just like with physical illness, you can imagine what it might feel like and offer support. Saying things like "I'm sorry this is happening to you" or "Is there anything I can do to help?" can make a big difference. For those who have experienced mental illness, the most important step is to stop the stigma within yourself. Don't be ashamed of seeking help and taking care of your mental health. Remember, mental illness is an illness like any other, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. Many individuals manage their illnesses well, but the negative stigma they hold about their own condition causes them harm. Shame and guilt are common emotions experienced by those with mental illness, and I can empathize with how terrible it feels to have these emotions for something outside of your control. My advice to anyone in this situation is to let go of these feelings and recognize that mental illness is an illness that has happened to you, and all you can do is your best to manage it. If you can make these shifts in thinking, we can take a significant step forward in overcoming the stigma surrounding mental health. Thank you, Jason, for sharing your story and expertise with us. Your work and speeches are truly inspiring. Your point about how talking about illnesses like breast cancer normalized them and helped people empathize with those affected by them is a powerful one. It's my hope that mental health can follow the same path and become less stigmatized. Thanks again for joining us on the podcast. Thank you both. I've enjoyed this conversation and the great questions. This is an author who has experienced the stigma surrounding mental and physical health. I am curious about your key takeaways. The first point he raised was the issue of self-stigma, where individuals may feel guilt and shame and believe that they are not strong enough to overcome their struggles. It is essential to recognize that mental illness is no different from any other disease affecting a particular organ in our body, and we have no control over it. Another critical point was acknowledging that these are unprecedented times and taking care of oneself. It is essential to find healthy ways to decompress, such as limiting the time spent on negative news. The author appreciated the discipline of spending only one hour in the morning to consume news and then letting go for the rest of the day. It would be better to start consuming news later in the day and then have a big meal. This approach can help individuals take care of themselves better. Do you have any other significant takeaways to share? My son Anthony, who helped write the book Anxiety Work, limits his social media and news consumption to half an hour every few days. He reflects on whether he learned anything new and found that most of the time, he only reinforces his existing feelings. Therefore, it is crucial to restrict our media intake. Jason appreciates the idea of combating stigma, as demonstrated in their work. Alcoholism, for instance, was once taboo, but people now proudly announce their sobriety, and everyone cheers. However, reducing stigma takes more than time; it requires acknowledgment and the efforts of various celebrities who are speaking up about mental health. It is a cumulative effect that eventually eradicates the stigma. I wonder how we can shorten the time it takes to reduce mental health stigma. The answer lies in increasing our emotional quotient and empathy by talking about it. He cited his own use of lithium to manage his chemical imbalance and how open communication and empathy can speed up the process of removing stigma. Ideally, we can reduce stigma in just a few years instead of decades. In the workplace, such programs may become mandatory to attract and retain top talent.

As discussed earlier, intelligence correlates with anxiety. Mensa members have three times the average anxiety rate, so addressing mental health issues is crucial to attract knowledgeable workers. One hospital system has a full-time therapist in every hospital recognizing it as a cost of doing business. Removing the stigma of mental health is important, creating a safe space where people know it's an illness, not a character flaw. Additionally, limiting exposure to toxic people, even in our family tree, is essential. Reframing our mindset towards medication and taking it with gratitude can be helpful. Some people may need medication throughout their lives, and that's okay. The interview provided valuable advice on dealing with mental health issues. Yesterday, I spoke with someone who was unable to keep an appointment due to a major depressive episode. She was hesitant to disclose the reason but eventually mustered the courage to tell people, and they responded with support. This is the kind of bravery we need to remove the stigma of mental illness, and to support those who are struggling. I am grateful to Jason for sharing his valuable insights on the show, as well as to our producer, Brent Klein, who makes magic out of mayhem and Christy Lawrence for finding wonderful guests. I also want to thank all of our listeners for tuning in. If you find our podcast helpful, please share it with others who may benefit from it. We have a supportive online community called The Culture Works, where people can safely share their stories and support each other. We also offer speaking engagements on topics like culture, leadership, gratitude, and anxiety, both in-person and virtually. Let's work together to remove the stigma of mental health. Thank you for joining us, and we'll be back soon. Take care and be well.