Anxiety isn’t the same as worry.

Depression isn’t the same as feeling sad.

Mental health isn’t an excuse because you can’t be bothered to do something. And it’s not something you can control. It’s a genuine illness that can, in extreme cases, cripple sufferers.

According to the Government report, “Thriving at Work”, the number of people forced to stop work as a result of mental health problems was 50% higher than for those with physical health conditions.

But inside everything is dark.

You feel alone.

You feel scared.

You feel like there’s nothing worth living for.

The rational part of you knows you have 101 things to be grateful for; and it’s not that you don’t want these things, or that they make you unhappy, you just don’t feel the joy they used to bring you, and you can’t understand why.

When you suffer with mental health issues, even breathing can feel like the hardest thing in the world. Your alarm goes off in the morning and it takes all your strength to open your eyes. Then you spend 10 minutes saying to yourself, “now sit up”.

When you finally muster the strength to sit, the next step is to simply stand.

At this point, you can’t even comprehend getting to the bathroom to take a shower – this seems like an unachievable lifetime goal. All you can think about is the next…baby…step. If you can just keep taking these tiny steps, eventually you’ll do what ‘normal’ people take for granted. And hopefully one day you’ll see that everything is going to be ok.

Earlier this year, we made the shocking discovery that nearly half of SME employees have quit jobs because of work-related frustrations and stresses that weren’t addressed. In addition, a third admitted to calling in sick because of work-related stress.

“Whether work is causing the health issue or aggravating it, employers have a legal responsibility to help their employees.”

“Investing in employee well-being is the right thing to do, and it also enhances employee engagement and productivity, which in turn supports business growth.”

But only 6% of organisations actually have a standalone mental health policy.

Clearly there’s room for improvement. But creating a new mental health policy, and having it adopted across your organisation requires a huge cultural shift that you might not be ready for.

So take a baby step…

Mind advocates ‘five ways to wellbeing‘:

These might seem like ‘silly’ things, but when you’re battling with mental health issues, it’s all the little things that see you through, that give you hope and let you know that everything is going to be ok.

Encourage transparency: let people see how their work fits into the bigger picture and makes a difference.

Let employees do work they feel passionate about: you employed clever people, so let them get on in the best way they know how.

Develop your management skills: change your leadership style to create an empowered, motivated workforce.