According to the WHO definition, mental health is a state of happiness and well-being in which a person realizes his or her own creative abilities, can cope with the stresses of life, work productively, and make a contribution to society.
This means that mental health combines a healthy spirit and psyche of a person with a social component. It is important for the realization of desires, the realization of goals, good physical well-being. On the other hand, the mental health of each individual is important for the entire society.
The state of mental health depends on many factors: social, environmental, and even economic.
A mentally healthy person:
- can distinguish between their emotions, manage them and function harmoniously;
- able to communicate and build relationships with others;
- develops and learns;
- positively evaluates, accepts and loves himself/herself;
- makes his own firm decisions;
- adapts normally to new living conditions;
- can solve problems.
In wartime and post-war times, the mental health of employees becomes the focus of attention from employers and requires appropriate action at the enterprise level.
Currently, vulnerable categories that need support include internally displaced employees, pregnant women, employees with physical and/or mental health problems, employees who have loved ones in active combat zones, employees returning to work after a traumatic experience, and employees who have lost loved ones and property.
Over 60% employers have never worked with veterans, but are preparing to hire former military personnel. Most companies and organizations have no experience working with veterans. Independent research confirms that working in the same team with people who took direct part in hostilities will be a novelty. Already today, employers must prepare for new realities and take care of the psycho-emotional state of their employees at the enterprise level. Psychosocial support for employees should become a priority part of the overall policy of safety and health at work.
In martial law, an important aspect is psychosocial support in the workplace, which should be based on a written company policy. The policy can be adapted to the needs of the company/organization/institution. All employees should have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the policy and comment on it. The goals of the company's policy in this area are, in particular, to increase the level of knowledge of employees about stress management methods and psychological recovery skills; to promote the prevention of severe mental and behavioral disorders; to prevent emotional and professional burnout in wartime and post-war times; to train employees in psychological first aid skills, etc.
Be healthy and take care of yourself and your loved ones!