Work culture and stigma
Why people don't ask for help when they need it in their workplace
It must have been around 9 o’clock at night, when a video popped up on my YouTube: tired Japanese employee coming home after long hours of work, in vlog format.
Of course, since I was tired too, I clicked on it and thought I’d enjoy it at first glance, but on second glance I thought I’d analyze it as a psychologist. And where did I end up? The example of Japan.
Loving this country, I have to say that people work long hours without taking adequate care of themselves with sleep, healthy home-cooked food and quality time with family or friends.
But what is it that prevents them from seeking help when they are experiencing mental health difficulties?
Of course, the stigma. And I’m not only talking about Japan, China and the Eastern countries, but also Europe and America. Because you see, it is taboo to ask for help when you don’t feel well mentally or if you are depressed. There is always the fear of being fired or labelled as crazy.
I’ll give you an example: Most companies insure their employees for physical injuries, but not for mental traumas.
Because even the insurance companies see psychotherapy, psychiatry and the general contribution of psychologists as an expensive investment, which is not profitable in theory.
And so, people with burnout keep going to their jobs, keep working 13 hours a day, and eventually all they get, other than a satisfactory salary, is some psychosomatic or a few pills to calm down and sleep.
From a young age, we are taught what is known as mental toughness: That is, to be “strong” and to be able to handle difficult situations with ease.
However, in the working environment this is not always possible. And even getting help from a manager can be seen as a mistake or an inferiority.
We are also taught not to express our emotions, especially in work environments, creating a collective trauma. What is in essence? Listening to the person above me in the hierarchy and just following orders. Just like it used to be in school.
So what is the solution that will help us to express ourselves without getting fired?
Quite simply, to have boundaries, but at the same time to be authentic. To break the silence. The stigma. The taboos.
And remembering that the freshmen and the pioneers are the ones who change the world. And if you’re afraid of being out of a job, you can express it in your journal or to a friend. Even to hr if there is abuse or toxicity.
That’s the only way our society will move forward. And the videos of employees coming home exhausted will be a thing of the past...