Depression, anxiety cost 12 billion workdays each year: WHO on World Mental Health Day

New Delhi: The theme of World Mental Health Day being observed on Thursday emphasises the importance of "mental health at workplace", as a healthy working environment can act as a protective factor for mental wellbeing, said Saima Wazed, WHO's Regional Director for Southeast Asia.

According to Wazed, unhealthy conditions, such as stigma, discrimination and exposure to risks like harassment, can affect mental health, leading to decreased performance, absenteeism and increased staff turnover.

"Depression and anxiety alone result in the loss of approximately 12 billion workdays each year, costing the global economy around USD 1 trillion annually," Wazed said.

Pointing out that work is a significant source of stress, anxiety and pressure for many people, she said, "Yet, because it is a place where we spend most of our time, positive changes at the workplace can bring about a significant change in our lives." She also said as endorsed and mandated by the World Health Organization's (WHO) member states, mental and psychosocial wellbeing has been marked as one of the cornerstones of the "regional roadmap for results and resilience".

"In keeping with the roadmap, we recently announced SEARO Care -- our groundbreaking initiative to improve the mental health and wellness of those working at our regional and country offices. Once formally launched, we hope SEARO Care to become a case study and model for other companies and organisations in our region," Wazed said.

SEARO Care's two main pillars are improving the working environment at all the WHO offices and protecting the mental health of all the employees.

"Improving the working environment encompasses both physical and psychological environments in which our colleagues work," Wazed said.

"This includes providing areas to socialise, ergonomic office equipment, exercise facilities and more. Promoting mental health will include training managers on the issue, holding mindfulness workshops, surveys and more," she added.

According to the WHO official, direct interventions to protect mental health include counselling services, referral pathways, peer advisory networks and other related initiatives.

"We know that if successful, the SEARO Care initiative will create a supportive environment where the employees feel valued, respected and cared for," Wazed said.

"I trust that our experiences with SEARO Care will provide the blueprint for companies, institutions and organisations across Southeast Asia to improve the psychological environment of their workplaces, and the mental health of all their staff," she added.

Wazed also said she is proud that the WHO's regional office will lead the way to "be the change we want to see".