Reading Roundup | June 11, 2021
Posted June 11, 2021
Pieces mainly dealing with the difficulty of receiving adequate care given our society’s stigmatization of mental health issues.
“Prince Harry wasn’t the first royal to struggle with drinking, drugs and depression. Princess Margaret did, too” — Michael S. Rosenwald, Washington Post (5/26/2021) [article]
It's no surprise that, with the events that have occurred in Prince Harry's life, along with the pressures of being a public figure by the simple act of being born, he would struggle with his mental health. But the truth is, anyone can feel the weight of depression or anxiety for any reason, it doesn't require having the whole of the British media judging your every move. We think it's fantastic that Harry is sharing his experiences because, when public figures share about their mental health struggles, it helps to chip away at the stigma we are still seeing on the societal level. If you're suffering from depression, remember that you don't have to be a prince to be able to seek help. Everyone deserves the opportunity to feel better and to feel supported.
“Returning to the office stirs anxiety among workers” — Lini S. Kadaba, Philadelphia Inquirer (6/6/2021) [article]
With more restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues reopening lately, it's beginning to feel like we've turned the corner on the pandemic. At the same time, many offices that closed have not yet reopened for in-person work. This article notes some statistics on what HR managers' think their companies' employees feel about a return to the office. It shows that a third of those HR managers feel that their companies' employees are anxious about returning. The most interesting part, though, is the discussion of how our threat-processing functions have changed due to COVID-19 “[…]to learn new threats, such as someone coughing, or standing closer than six feet, or not wearing a mask." The hard part will be learning to undo those changes to once again be able to handle being in close proximity with others for long spans of time. And just as employees are dealing with questions of whether a return to the office can be safe, so are companies: as offices work out return plans they must consider how to implement policies and procedures that will make safety a priority.
“Why my OCD diagnosis meant so much” — Annette Hasnas, Georgetown Voice (5/22/2021) [article]
A really honest and moving account of one woman's struggle to comprehend for herself and to communicate with others about her OCD. In finally receiving a diagnosis, she was able to understand her experience more fully and receive the care that she had needed for so long. She also calls out the "delegitimizing" of mental health issues: if we didn't attach the negativity that we do to mental health concerns, more individuals would be able to gain an understanding of their struggles and access the care that they need to improve their lives.