Mental Health and Wellbeing at Work – Open Conversations at Adaptive

In Part 1 of this series “Understanding the Impact of Mental Health in the Workplace“, we looked at the importance of mental health awareness and why these conversations matter in the workplace. In this second part, we’ll focus on how each of us can contribute to improving wellbeing at work and fostering a more supportive environment: through empathy, language, and real action.

Creating Safe Spaces for Conversation

The approach matters significantly when addressing mental health concerns. It’s essential to create a safe space for conversations without being judgmental or attempting to diagnose.

Here are a few simple yet impactful actions to consider:

✅ Asking twice about someone’s well-being can show genuine care and encourage them to open up.

✅ Listen with compassion and empathy, focus on being present and truly hearing them.

✅ Avoid rushing to solutions. Sometimes, being heard is more powerful than being “fixed.”

These gestures, as small as they may seem, can make a substantial difference in someone’s life.

The importance of language

It’s also important to reflect on how we talk about mental health. Terms like “OCD” or “psycho” are often used casually, without considering their true meaning or the impact of our words. These are real, serious conditions, not casual adjectives, and using clinical terms casually can minimize the real experiences of people living with mental health conditions and reinforce the stigma around them.

To help clarify and deepen our understanding, I’ve listed some definitions of common mental health terms, from the National Institute of Mental Health and the NHS UK:

Common Misused Terms & What to Say Instead

Depression
Depression affects how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities. It goes beyond feeling sad or down, it can cause persistent feelings of hopelessness, loss of interest in things once enjoyed, changes in sleep or appetite, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and even thoughts of self-harm. Depression isn’t just a bad mood, and it can’t be “snapped out of.” With the right treatment and support, however, people can and do recover.

❌ Instead of: “I’m so depressed because I missed the sale.”
✅ Say: “I’m bummed out,” or “I’m disappointed.”

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD involves unwanted, recurring thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). These can interfere with daily life and are often driven by the need to reduce anxiety, such as excessive handwashing or checking doors.

❌ Instead of: “I’m so OCD about organizing my desk.”
✅ Say: “I like things to be really neat,” or “I’m very particular about organization.”

Panic Attack
A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear causing physical and psychological symptoms like a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, and trembling. People may feel like they’re having a heart attack or going to die, but there’s no real danger.

❌ Instead of: “I had a panic attack when I couldn’t find my phone.”
✅ Say: “I got really stressed out,” or “I was panicking.”

Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder causes extreme mood swings between manic (high energy, elation) and depressive (sadness, hopelessness) episodes. Contrary to what many people think, these shifts aren’t instant – they can last from days to weeks and also affect sleep, energy, and behavior.

❌ Instead of: “The weather is so bipolar today.”
✅ Say: “The weather keeps changing drastically,” or “It’s really unpredictable.”

Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. It can cause hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that aren’t real), delusions (false beliefs), and disorganized thinking (muddled thoughts or unpredictable behavior).

❌ Instead of: “He’s totally schizo about this decision.”
✅ Say: “He’s feeling conflicted,” or “He’s going back and forth on this.”

Psychosis
Psychosis is when a person loses touch with reality, experiencing distorted thoughts and perceptions. Symptoms include hallucinations and delusions, making it difficult to distinguish what’s real from what’s not.

❌ Instead of: “She’s acting psycho today.”
✅ Say: “She seems really upset,” or “He’s behaving unpredictably.”

PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
PTSD occurs after experiencing or witnessing trauma. Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and emotional numbness. It can significantly impact daily life, but it can be improved with proper treatment and support.

❌ Instead of: “I had to wake up early for work—so traumatic!”
✅ Say: “That was really frustrating,” or “That was rough.”

By learning about these conditions, understanding their impacts, and making small adjustments to the way we speak daily, and understanding their impacts, we can better support our colleagues, friends, and family members. We move from a place of ignorance to one of empathy, where the focus is on support rather than stigma.

The way we speak about mental health can either break stigma or reinforce it. Casual or dismissive language about mental health only adds to the burden and we must strive for open, conscious, and compassionate conversations.

Mental Health First Aiders at Adaptive

Mental health and wellbeing at work are a priority at Adaptive. We have trained Mental Health First Aiders and continues to invest in education, awareness, and support. When people feel safe bringing their whole selves to work, including the ups, the downs, and the “I’m not okay today” moments, that’s when we truly build a great place to work.

Simple steps we can all take

If there’s one thing I hope people take from this, it’s that mental health isn’t someone else’s issue – it’s all of ours. You don’t need to have all the answers to make a difference. Start small:

✅ Check in on a teammate,
✅ share your own story if you feel safe,
✅ or simply make space for others to be real.

The more we normalize talking about mental health and wellbeing at work, the more supported everyone feels, not just when things get hard, but every day. It’s not about waiting for a crisis to start the conversation. It’s about making mental health and wellbeing at work a regular part of the dialogue, so no one ever feels like they have to hide or struggle in silence.

Lastly, whether you’re going through a tough time or supporting someone who is, know this: you’re not alone. Let’s keep talking, keep listening, and most of all, keep showing up for each other and ourselves.

📌 Read Part 1 “Understanding the Impact of Mental Health in the Workplace”, here.