Occupational Mental Health Disorders

Occupational mental health disorders are psychological or psychiatric conditions that arise from the organizational, structural, and sociocultural conditions of the work environment. Work is one of the areas that most significantly impact a person’s mental health, explaining why the incidence of work-related mental disorders has increased, becoming the third most frequent occupational disease.

Among the most common or severe occupational mental health disorders are the following:

• Major Depression: A disorder characterized by a persistent decline in mood, negative thoughts, and, sometimes, somatic symptoms. It can be debilitating.
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A constant, uncontrollable, and often irrational state of tension, worry, distress, or disproportionate fear in everyday situations.
• Agoraphobia: A type of anxiety triggered by places or situations where escape is difficult, there are crowds, or help cannot be sought. It is characterized by a sense of helplessness and shame and by avoidant behaviors.
• Acute Psychotic Episode: A mental disorder characterized by a global alteration of personality and a distortion of reality, usually accompanied by hallucinations and delusions. It can be triggered by stressful situations.

Symptoms

Although each mental disorder has its specific symptoms, there are common warning signs indicating that a worker may have developed a mental disorder:

• Personality Changes:
• Sadness and apathy
• Nervousness or anxiety
• Irritability, anger, or aggression
• Constant expressions of devaluation or hopelessness
• Extravagant behavior
• Disorganized speech
• Behavioral Changes:
• Decreased performance
• Deterioration in work quality
• Unjustified delays and absences
• Frequent interpersonal conflicts
• Refusal to cooperate and disobedience
• Communication problems
• Frequent complaints from colleagues or clients
• Physical Changes:
• Deterioration of physical appearance
• Disheveled and careless appearance
• Noticeable weight loss or gain
• Excessive fatigue
• Sleep disturbances

Causes

Mental health in the work environment is influenced by the so-called psychosocial work conditions, which relate to both the workload and pace of work, as well as the content of the work and the time spent on it. The most common psychosocial factors include:

• Work overload
• Lack of skills or resources to perform the job
• Long working hours, with antisocial or inflexible schedules
• Absence of control or participation in decision-making
• Unhealthy, unsafe, or hazardous work environment
• Lack of support among colleagues
• Excessively authoritarian superiors
• Undefined job roles
• Lack of communication and information
• Job insecurity or precariousness
• Temporary contracts and lack of stability
• Insufficient compensation
• Limited promotion or personal development opportunities
• Insufficient family-work balance
• Workplace harassment or violence
• Discrimination or exclusion
• Exposure to certain chemicals: carbon disulfide, mercury, toluene, arsenic, and lead can trigger psychotic episodes.

Risk Factors

In addition to the aforementioned conditions, individual characteristics can increase the risk of developing a mental disorder:

• Family history
• Gender: Anxiety and depression are more common in women
• Age: Incidence is higher between 45 and 55 years of age
• Unfavorable, conflict-ridden, or insecure personal or family situation
• Emotional management issues or high sensitivity
• Use or withdrawal from psychoactive substances
• Presence of other mental health disorders

Complications

In addition to severely impairing quality of life, mental health disorders can cause serious health problems. Anxiety and depression are closely related to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions, as well as chronic pain. They also often lead to sleep and eating disorders. Mental disorders also damage personal relationships and can result in social isolation, which is often exacerbated by the stigma of having a mental illness. Furthermore, suicidal thoughts or attempts are common and, in some cases, successful.

Similarly, occupational mental health disorders have a negative impact on the workplace, associated with high absenteeism rates, increased labor conflicts, decreased productivity, and a poor corporate image.

Prevention

To prevent the onset of occupational mental health disorders, it is essential to protect and promote mental health at work by implementing measures to manage psychosocial factors, such as:

• Flexibility in work modalities
• Protocols to combat harassment and workplace discrimination
• Adjusting work schedules, compensation, and expectations
• Realistic and fair distribution of workload
• Awareness and training on the issue
• Attention and support for sick employees
• Motivational measures

Individually, certain habits can also be maintained to improve mental health and reduce the risk of developing a disorder:

• Use relaxation and self-control techniques
• Set priorities and boundaries between work and personal life
• Sleep between seven and eight hours
• Maintain a healthy and balanced diet
• Exercise regularly
• Enjoy leisure time and social relationships
• Rely on friends and family for support

Which doctor treats occupational mental health disorders?

Work-related mental health disorders are evaluated and treated by specialists in psychiatry and psychology within the occupational medicine unit.