Over 50% Of Irish People Deliberately Hide Mental Health Issues In The Workplace

Over half of Irish people deliberately hide their mental health issues in the workplace. The figure was released today by mental health organisation See Change to mark the beginning of the month-long Green Ribbon campaign, with 57 per cent of Irish people believing that being open about a mental health problem at work would have a negative impact on job and career prospects. Approximately 47 per cent believe that being open about a mental health problem at work would have a negative effect on a person’s relationship with colleagues, with the campaign aiming to open a conversation around mental health in Ireland. “A Mental Health Commission report estimated the direct annual cost of poor mental health in Ireland at €3 billion. Creating workplace environments where people can be open and positive about their own and others’ mental health can assist employers in developing systems to support the 1 in 4 employees who may experience mental health difficulties at a given point,” said John Saunders, Director of Sea Change.