HealtheMINDS An associate toolkit
Your mental and emotional health matter. Mental and emotional health are important parts of your overall health and well-being. W e spend a lot of time with our peers and colleagues in the workplace, and it is important that we look out for ourselves and others. This toolkit will provide you with tools, resources, and practical guidance for you and your fellow associates when it comes to mental health and well-being.
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Table of contents 4
Defining mental well-being across the continuum
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Impact of mental health
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Signs and symptoms of mental health concerns
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Maintaining and improving mental well-being
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Understanding stress
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Stress management
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Work-life integration
12 Resilience 13
Resilience and stress
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Coping skills
15 Suicidality 16
Supporting your peers
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Helping others through connection
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Seeking help
19 Resources
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Continuum of mental well-being Mental health and mental health conditions exist on a continuum that ranges from mental well-being to illness, and most people move up and down this continuum as they go through life and have various positive and adverse experiences.
Mental health Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes their own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to their community. 1
Mental health concerns
Mental health condition
Many people have mental health concerns from time to time. But a mental health concern becomes a mental health condition when ongoing signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect your ability to function. 2
Mental health condition refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors. 3
World Health Organization (WHO) http://www.who.int/whr/2001/media_centre/press_release/en/ 3 Mayo Clinic 1
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Impact of mental health 264+ million people worldwide have 5 diagnosable depression Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the global impact of disease.5
Globally, approximately
800,000 people 5
die from suicide each year
In 15-29 year olds, suicide is the
Mental illnesses cause more days of work loss and work impairment than any other chronic health condition, including arthritis, asthma, back pain, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.7
Niles, A. N., & O’Donovan, A. (2019). Comparing anxiety and depression to obesity and smoking as predictors of major medical illnesses and somatic symptoms. Health Psychology, 38(2), 172–181. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000707 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression 6 https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e190/a3123f75a04aa3fbeeff5d1467039f10ed86.pdf 7 Partnership for Workplace Mental Health and National Institute of Mental Health
second leading cause of death 5
Poor mental health can increase risk for: arthritis, heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.4 Chronic stress negatively impacts the immune system.6
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Signs and symptoms of mental health concerns When looking for signs and symptoms of mental health concerns, it is important to pay attention to sudden changes in thoughts or behaviors.*
Withdrawal
Problems thinking
Sleep changes
Apathy
Mood changes
Appetite changes
Increased sensitivity
Change in hygiene
Removing yourself from things you used to love like sports, hobbies, or spending time with family and friends
A lack of feeling or emotional connection to others or situations
Suicidal thoughts
Thinking of what it would be like to die or creating a plan to harm yourself**
An inability to focus, or struggling to complete tasks at work and home that once seemed easy or simple
Noticing your mood shifting quickly or being predominantly sad/weepy or angry/irritated
Short tempered or easily sad or anxious
**If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, leverage the resources below for support:
Having difficulty falling or staying asleep, or sleeping for long periods of time
Not eating as much as usual or over-eating, as seen through weight gain or loss
Not showering or bathing, spending less time on grooming or personal care such as: trimming nails, brushing teeth, brushing hair, wearing clean clothes
Illogical thinking
Thoughts that don’t make sense to others
SUICIDE HOTLINE
US: 1-800-273-8255 (See additional country contact info here.) My Life Resources (EAP) and THRIVE: Suicide Awareness
*Only a qualified medical professional should diagnose a mental health condition. Source: American Psychological Association
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Signs and symptoms (continued) Consider asking yourself the following questions to determine the seriousness of your symptoms:
Is the symptom distressing and interfering with daily activities? Have you felt shame or guilt surrounding your symptoms? Over the past few months has the symptom reduced your quality of life? Does this symptom cause you to lose time doing things you enjoy? Have you had to let big priorities slide because of it? Have you rearranged your lifestyle to accommodate it?
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MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING MENTAL WELL-BEING Stress management
Flexible Thinking
Work-life integration
Resilience
Mindfulness
Suicide Awareness
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Understanding stress Stress has many impacts on our health, both physically and emotionally. Stress can’t be avoided and isn’t always negative; it’s often a motivator to foster growth and development. Healthy methods of coping with stress, including exercise, mindfulness, reading and spending time with family and friends, can help mitigate the negative effects of stress in our lives and help avoid burnout.
EUSTRESS
DISTRESS
Eustress are positive, often chosen, stressors that people experience in life. We often perform at our best under eustress.
Distress are generally unavoidable or unpredictable stressors that we often see as negative.
Positive stress
Negative stress
Motivates us to work harder, or try again
Can lead to physical problems or illness
Focuses our energy on tasks
Feels unpleasant or unwanted
Short term stress
Can be short term, but most often long term
Can give a feeling of excitement or accomplishment
Can cause anxiety and depression or other mental health concerns
CHRONIC STRESS Chronic stres is constant and persists over an extended period of time, which can be debilitating and overwhelming. Chronic stress can affect both our physical and psychological well-being by causing a variety of problems including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. The consequences of chronic stress are serious. Source: American Psychological Association
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Stress management
Stress cannot be avoided, but keeping stress under control will help you to avoid burnout. Healthy coping skills should be encouraged. Below are a few examples of how you may help better manage stress:
Take time off Use your available time off (for example, this could be PTO, vacation time, or well-being time), to schedule days off to focus on your interests outside of work or to take a mental health break.
Maintain healthy boundaries at work Be mindful of extra tasks you may be taking on. Speak with your manager regarding lack of clarity around role responsibilities.
Volunteer opportunities Find ways to give back to the community to further develop and enhance your social well-being.
Self-care Engage in proper self-care: lead an active lifestyle, eat a balanced diet, prioritize sleep, etc.
Short breaks Take short breaks throughout your day to engage in stress-free activities: take a walk outside, meditate, listen to music, etc.
Seek support from your manager Check in with your manager to receive additional support and guidance on stress management in the workplace.
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Work-life integration Work-life integration is a concept that allows each of us to lead robust, multi-dimensional lives that align with our own goals and values. We move away from the notion that life has two competing elements (balance) and open up to a life with many facets that lead to a gratifying and fulfilling existence (integration).
TOOLKIT
SHAREPOINT
PODCASTS
As many Cerner associates are spending at least part of their working time in a non-office setting, it can be especially challenging to manage all aspects of work and life. Please know that there are resources available to you and that you are not alone. Visit the Hybrid Work Environment SharePoint for more.
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Resilience Resilience is the ability to “bounce back” from adversity. When stress, adversity or trauma strikes, you still experience anger, grief and pain, but you’re able to continue functioning optimally, both physically and psychologically. Resilience enables you to prepare for stressful situations by being proactive instead of reactive. It helps you see failure as a form of helpful feedback that allows you to adjust and move forward. Additionally, resilience improves your ability to cope with difficult situations and regulate emotions.
Ways to build resilience... Exercise & nutrition
Positivity
Self-discovery
Take decisive actions
Set goals
Build relationships
Be agile
Positively adapt
Learn more on how to build resiliency in the Road to Resiliency toolkit.
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Resilience and stress
Stress symptoms
Having resilience allows us to “bounce back” more quickly when facing adversity and better manage stress symptoms.
Individual lacking resilience Individual with resilience
Time When you are stressed and lack resilience, it is difficult to focus or have an appropriate emotional response which causes stress to continually build. Without resilience, your stress response is unable to effectively turn off. When you are resilient, you experience the stressor, then easily return to your baseline physically, emotionally and psychologically. This allows you to appropriately respond to situations as they arise.
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Coping habits
Resilience comes from increasing our ability to regulate our emotions using coping habits during times of stress.
Meditation Meditation and mindfulness are research-proven ways to alleviate the symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. Meditation increases an overall sense of peace and gratitude. Physical exercise When we exercise, our body releases neurotransmitters in our brain which promote feelings of well-being and positivity. Sleep hygiene Proper sleep hygiene allows the brain to rest and reset each day, allowing for clearer thinking and improved emotion regulation. Social connections Making a point to maintain connections with other people can be a key ingredient in our overall well-being. As many of us are working in a dynamic environment, it is important to remember to maintain our social connections both in-person and via technology. Deep breathing Taking deep breaths and slowly filling our lungs with oxygen sends signals to the brain that reduce stress. Enjoy the outdoors Movement paired with fresh air and nature helps us to feel more grounded and connected to the world around us.
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Flexible thinking Flexible thinking means having the ability to adaptively and effectively cope with adverse situations. This doesn’t mean that negativity is absent or that you are always happy. Flexible thinking allows you to reframe negative situations to be something you grow from instead of something that negatively affects you. Flexible thinking is circular Our thoughts determine what we believe. In turn, our beliefs impact how we feel, which influences our actions. This affects our thoughts, and the cycle repeats.
TOOLKIT
SHAREPOINT
PODCASTS & VIDEOS
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Practice flexible thinking Savor the moment
Pause to appreciate your current environment and situation.
Practice non-judgmental awareness
Be present in the moment while letting go of judgment and staying free from expectations. Be aware of what is happening around you and how you are experiencing it, while not trying to change it.
Connect with others
Interact with people who make you happy and distance yourself from people in your life who bring more negativity than positivity.
Proactively resolve conflict
As soon as conflict arises, mindfully engage with the situation to positively and peacefully resolve the conflict.
Develop effective self-care
Take care of yourself mentally, physically and emotionally, and remember to set boundaries.
Mindfully use your resources
Be conscientious of how you spend your money, time and energy.
Curtail comparisons
Don’t lose yourself in comparing your life to someone else's.
Live an authentic and meaningful life
Be true to yourself and your values. 16
Mindfulness Mindfulness is a practice. Rather than expecting to be perfect the first try, strive to improve with each time you practice.
TOOLKIT
mind•ful•ness • The quality or state of being mindful. • The practice of maintaining a non-judgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.
SHAREPOINT
MINDFUL MINUTES
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Suicidality Having thoughts about death is normal – having thoughts about death with an intent to die is a high-risk indicator for suicide.
Suicidal intent might sound like:
Suicidal intent might look like:
• “I feel like a burden” • “I have nothing to live for” • “I’d be better off dead”
• Sudden, increased social isolation • Giving away material possessions and pets • Dramatic shifts in mood or behavior • Engaging in risky behavior or increased substance use (possessing lethal means, like medications, weapons and tools) • A preoccupation with death or dying • Saying goodbye in a manner that implies finality
How to respond to a threat of suicide: 1. Take the threat seriously. 2. Validate the person’s fears and emotions. “You must be feeling very scared, please let me help you.” 3. Confirm their plan to end their life. “I want to understand what you’re saying...” 4. Call emergency support and stay with the person until help arrives.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, these resources are here for support: SUICIDE HOTLINE US: 1-800-273-8255 (See additional country contact info here) My Life Resources (EAP) THRIVE: Suicide Awareness
As we face the tragedy of suicide, we must REACH beyond what we have done before. REACH is for everyone – helping individuals who are offering support to a loved one who is struggling and helping those who are struggling themselves seek support. Learn more about REACH on THRIVE.
Access the Suicide Awareness & Prevention toolkit here.
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Supporting your peers: dos & don’ts Below are examples of how you can support a peer.
DO: LISTEN: Be present, open and engaged SHOW EMPATHY IN A NON-JUDGMENTAL APPROACH VALIDATE THEIR EMOTIONS: “It’s okay to feel sad.” “I can understand why you’re angry.”
DON’T: DISQUALIFY OR DISCREDIT THEM: “I’m sure it’s not that bad.” “I’ve had it much worse.” TRY TO FIND A SILVER LINING: “It could have been so much worse.” “At least everything else seems to be going well.” TRY TO FIX IT OR MAKE THE PROBLEM GO AWAY OR NOT SEEM SO BAD
COMMUNICATE WHAT YOU SEE: “You don’t seem like yourself lately.” “I’ve noticed you’ve been more tearful lately.”
Only a qualified medical professional is able to diagnose a mental health condition. This toolkit is intended to guide you in supporting your peers through a difficult situation. When in doubt, contact your Associate Relations partner.
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Helping others through CONNECTION Connecting with others, rather than trying to "fix" the problem, is what helps someone to feel better when they are struggling.
Start out by opening a dialogue using terms like: “I care about you. I notice you've been struggling lately.” “You haven't seemed like yourself lately. I want you to know that I'm here for you.” “I’d like to help.”
Remind them of the resources available "Have you seen the THRIVE SharePoint site?" “Did you know that associates and families have access to My Life Resources at no cost?”
Ask them to join you Asking someone to join you in an activity helps decrease social withdrawal which can be a symptom and a contributing factor to decreased mental well-being. Activities can be virtual or in-person!
Take care of yourself When helping others, it's important to make sure you're taking care of yourself as well. Make sure to set boundaries with those around you and not take on too much.
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Seeking help Talk to your provider
Speak with your provider regarding some of your concerns and questions.
Seek support from others who may be experiencing a similar circumstance through a Community Support Group.
Consider counselingor therapy
Some common group themes are: • Anxiety/depression • Grief • Substance use
Seek support from a mental health professional to talk about your situation.
Speak with your manager
Talk to your manager about your concerns and ask for their assistance in identifying options to assist you.
Contact your AR Partner
AR Partners are there to assist with any possible accommodations. Refer to the Accommodations Policy for additional specifics on options from Associate Relations.
Online searches for "Support groups near me" can guide you in the right direction for establishing and finding global support groups that meet locally or virtually on a variety of topics.
Speak to a friend or loved one about how you’re feeling. You are not a burden. You can say things like: “I’m having a hard time right now, and I’m not sure what to do.” “Can we get together sometime soon? I could use a friend to talk to.” “I feel like I should talk to someone about what’s going on. Can I chat with you about how I’m feeling?”
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Cerner resources My Life Resources (Associate Assistance Program) • Available to all associates and their dependent family members at no cost. • Services include clinical counseling, legal and financial counseling and advice, and work-life services. Additional toolkits related to mental well-being • Mindfulness, Resilience, Sleep, Substance Use, Suicide Awareness & Prevention, Flexible Thinking, Work Life Integration • Healthe Minds Manager toolkit (for managers only) Wellness classes and podcasts Visit the THRIVE SharePoint to access on-demand wellness classes and podcast episodes on topics like depression and anxiety, burnout, holiday stress, healthy boundaries, balanced diet, physical activity, empowerment, and more. The Healthe at Cerner SharePoint also has several resources, including Well-Being Connect, for virtual offerings, blogs, classes and more. Mindful Minutes • Mindfulness and meditation are research-proven ways to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. • Access Mindful Minutes on-demand Suicide awareness • Suicide awareness resources available on the THRIVE SharePoint site • U.S. Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 • Suicide support and hotlines by country
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