World Mental Health Day: Mental health in everyday working life Focus on prevention and open communication

10 October is World Mental Health Day - an international day of action that focuses on raising awareness of mental health and its importance in everyday (working) life. Especially at a time when stress and strain are increasing for many people, prevention and an open approach to the topic are more important than ever.

"It's completely normal for us to be exposed to many stressors every day. It is important to deal with stress in a healthy way," emphasises Pia Jörling, Head of Mental Health at TÜV NORD GROUP. The psychologist explains that stress is perceived very differently from person to person: "Whether a stress reaction occurs at all always depends on personal judgement. Everyone asks themselves - usually unconsciously: Can I cope with this situation? Do I feel up to the demands?"

It is not always detrimental to the individual; stress can have positive effects, explains Pia Jörling: "If someone is invited to give a presentation in front of 300 people, it can energise and motivate them. People who look forward to passing on their knowledge often perform at their best." But stress is not always productive. "Stress becomes dangerous when I no longer have any opportunities to regenerate. Then you remain permanently at a high level of arousal - in other words, under constant stress. There is a high probability that this will lead to secondary damage, in the worst case to cardiovascular damage, depression or addiction," warns Pia Jörling.

Jörling therefore takes a holistic approach to stress management. "We look at what leads to a stress reaction in those affected, how they evaluate the stimulus and how they can reduce stress." In addition to group workshops on stress and self-management, she also offers individual 1:1 coaching sessions with colleagues in her department. "An important goal is to maintain or, if possible, restore the ability to work. Coaching is also a measure in company reintegration management to guide and stabilise employees back into everyday working life after longer periods of absence."

Pia Jörling particularly emphasises the importance of seeking support at an early stage: "The most important thing is to seek external support early on, but at the latest when the first symptoms of stress such as irritability, insomnia or brooding become noticeable." The offers are anonymous and are often covered by the employer.

With such measures, the TÜV NORD GROUP is sending out a clear signal about the importance of mental health in working life and, with the Nord-Kurs and MEDITÜV programmes, is inviting companies and employees to take responsibility together.

Find out more here: https://www.tuev-nord.de/de/dienstleistungen/beratung/