Anxiety & Depression in Construction Workers
Construction workers are known for bottling things up. A lot of people in construction think it's weak to admit that they're going through a tough time. Many of us in construction think we need to do it all ourselves. This myth has been reinforced across generations, but it’s just not true.
When you’re experiencing anxiety or depression, you can't just 'snap out of it' or ‘pull yourself together.' You wouldn’t try to fix a broken leg on your own without going to the doctor for help. So why do so many of us try to ‘fix’ anxiety and depression on our own?
We put off having a chat with our friends when we’re feeling down, put off going to our family doctor, and put off talking to our partner about how we’re feeling; because we have the idea that ‘being a man’ means being silent and strong. These kinds of social norms around masculinity can be really harmful, especially when it comes to your mental health. It can make it really hard for many of us to acknowledge when we’re not doing too well and even harder to reach out for the kinds of support we need when we’re struggling.
But when you’re feeling down, calling in extra support, like the support offered by Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan, is the responsible thing to do. Trying to go it alone when you’re feeling down increases the risk of depression or anxiety going unrecognised and untreated, and becoming worse, which can lead to some very negative outcomes.
The good news is depression and anxiety are treatable, and there are simple actions you can take to start working on getting better and staying well.
Signs and Symptoms - Depression:
Everyone feels sad, angry, or flat sometimes; these feelings are part of a healthy, full range of emotions, and are usually nothing to worry about. However, if you’ve been feeling sad, down, miserable, or angry most of the time for more than two weeks, you may be experiencing symptoms of depression.
Depression is a major risk factor for suicide and plays a contributing role in the deaths of many construction workers. One of the telltale signs of depression is a loss of interest in activities you usually enjoy; whether that’s getting together with your friends, working on your house, or just getting outside for a walk or a run.
People in construction are much more likely to recognise the physical symptoms, rather than the emotional symptoms, of depression. These symptoms can include things like feeling tired all the time, or changes in your weight (whether that’s losing weight or putting on a few extra pounds).
Did you know that some of the signs of changes in your mood associated with depression are different for men? For example, men are more likely to report feeling angry or irritable, rather than feeling low.
Signs and Symptoms - Anxiety:
Everyone experiences stress at different times in their lives. You could be feeling overwhelmed by a busy work schedule, struggling with money problems, or feeling nervous before giving a speech at a wedding. This type of ‘normal’ stress is part of life, and while we need to keep an eye on it over time to protect our health, it usually passes when the stressful situation passes.
Anxiety is different. Anxiety is the fear that something terrible is going to happen. With anxiety, your worries ‘snowball’ into seeing catastrophe in everyday situations. Where stress triggers you to react to a situation that requires your attention, anxiety causes you to see threats and danger where it doesn’t actually exist; or causes you to react too strongly to the amount of threat in a situation.
Anxiety is intense, disrupts your life, and hangs around even when a stressful situation has passed. Anxiety can be a serious condition, but you don’t need to let it control you. Like depression, anxiety is treatable. If you’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety, it’s important to get support so you can start to get better.
The reality is that depression and anxiety are unlikely to go away on their own. If they’re ignored and left untreated, depression and anxiety can go on for months, sometimes years, making it hard to cope with day-to-day life.
If you’re a member of the unionised construction industry in BC, we encourage you to reach out to CIRP for treatment.
Causes of Anxiety & Depression:
It's not easy to say exactly what causes depression and anxiety because it's different for everyone. Sometimes a difficult time in your life can set off depression or anxiety; sometimes it's caused by a combination of things that have built up over time. And sometimes, there's just no obvious cause at all.
However, we do know that work and the workplace have a significant impact on mental health; prolonged or excessive job stress is a risk factor for mental health problems.
Some risk factors for developing depression or anxiety include:
Physical health problems
Relationship problems
Employment problems
Social isolation
Significant change in living arrangements (such as separation or divorce)
Pregnancy and birth of a baby
Drug and alcohol use
What Can I Do About it?
It's important to remember that everyone’s mental health varies during their life; and can move back and forth along their own personal range between positive and healthy at one end through to severe negative symptoms or conditions at the other, in response to different stressors and experiences. However, if you are experiencing depression or anxiety:
Reach out to your family, friends, or co-workers
Talk to your family doctor
Make an action plan
Consider medication
Abstain from drugs and alcohol
Most Importantly - Look Out for Yourself!
Looking out for yourself is a bit like looking after your truck. You know that performing regular maintenance keeps your truck running well, even if it seems to be driving OK. And if things aren’t running smoothly, you know it’s time for a check-up by professionals.
While most of us are pretty good at keeping our truck running, many of us aren’t great at looking out for ourselves. In order for us to get the best out of our minds and stay healthy, we need to pay attention to doing activities that help us stay healthy and connected with the people around us, regularly.
Even if you’re not feeling great, it’s important to try to keep doing the things that you usually enjoy, though you might not be enjoying them as much as usual. If you keep active and persist with them, you should eventually start to enjoy them again like you used to, and start to feel better.
Stay Connected!
Loneliness is a big one for many of us in construction. Did you know that men experience loneliness more than women?
It’s not just guys living alone who get lonely. Many men feel the pressure to work hard to provide for their family, and don’t get as much time to catch up with their friends as they once did. However, having time with our friends is critical to our wellbeing!
Spending time talking with your friends in person is best (even during these times of coronavirus), even if it’s just a quick check-in. If it’s hard to meet up with your friends (perhaps due to the coronavirus), even texting a friend and saying “how’s it going?” can help make you, and them, feel more connected.
One way to stay connected is to join a local group; whether it’s a hockey team, a community charity group, or a running club, you’ll meet new people and will feel more connected to the community around you. It can feel great to help out others.
If you're going through a tough time and have depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts, talking about how you’re feeling can be hard. But keeping silent could make things even worse. You don't have to go through this alone. Support from friends, family or a health professional can help with your recovery.
With the advice of people who are familiar with depression and anxiety CIRP has developed information that can help people have a conversation that might be difficult. Check out our website for further resources or call us today. (604) 521-8611