CAMH Hosts Its First CIHR Café Scientifique -- Is Work More than Making a Living?

“So, it will take 10,000 hours of meditation and walking 10,000 steps, to save companies 10,000 dollars”, said Ted Cadsby (middle left), chair of the CAMH Foundation’s Corporate Leaders Program, member of the Board of Directors, and host for CAMH’s first café scientifique.  His jovial comment summed up an evening’s discussion entitled Is Work More than Making a Living?, which brought together three researchers and almost fifty members of the public to provoke questions and provide answers around promoting and maintaining mental health in the work place  - a topic that is particularly relevant during these turbulent economic times.

CAMH’s Dr. Carolyn Dewa (right), head of the Work and Well-being Research and Evaluation program, kicked off the evening’s discussion by talking about the costs associated with mental illness in the work place.  As Dr. Dewa explained, an employee on 15 days leave for a mental illness costs a company over $3,000.  However, investing in mental health promotion and mental illness prevention initiatives can actually save a company money and promote a healthy environment for staff in the workplace and those returning to work. It’s not quite a $10,000 savings per person, but theses initiatives can have a significant impact on a company’s bottom line and employees.

Dr. Guy Faulkner (left), associate professor in the Faculty of Physical Education and Health at the University of Toronto, then talked about the link between physical activity and mental health. Jobs are significantly more inactive, explained Dr. Faulkner. Many employees sit for long periods of time and may have limited leisure time during the workweek. These changes point to an increase in stress and high rates of preventable disease.  Dr. Faulkner stressed that even small changes in activity can improve both mental and physical health. Consider, he suggested, taking the recommended 10,000 steps daily, walk for one meeting a day, or climb the stairs – these small changes can make a big difference in your health.

Rounding out the presentations was a look at the value of mindfulness meditation, a technique that involves focusing without self-judgment on one's present thoughts and action. CAMH’s Dr. Zindel Segal (middle right), head of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, commented that you don’t need to meditate for half of your day every day.  Research has shown that an eight-week course on meditation is enough to have a powerful impact on the brain and, in turn, your mental health.  Even learning how to reconnect on your present thoughts and actions for just a few minutes a day can reduce stress.  And for someone who’s experienced depression, learning mindfulness techniques can help ensure people sustain recovery so that they stay healthy and can return to work, explained Dr. Segal.

Guests then had an opportunity to ask questions and share information about promoting and maintaining mental health in the workplace. “It was really refreshing to see people with different backgrounds and perspectives engaged in research,” said Heather Bullock, manager of knowledge exchange at CAMH and moderator for the evening. “Guests asked some very thought-provoking questions, and shared some of their own experiences, which made for a very rich and educational discussion.”

With a complex issue like mental health in the workplace, there are no simple solutions.  Meditation, exercise, supportive work environments – these can all help reduce the social and economic burden of mental illness – but it will take more collective effort to create real change.  An event like this, however, can open the conversation and help us all learn how to promote and maintain mental health in the workplace.

Sponsored by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, café scientifiques provide insight into health-related issues of popular interest to the general public.  You don’t need a science degree to take part in a CIHR café scientifique, you just need to have a deep-rooted desire to talk about a particular health subject.  For more information visit CIHR café scientifique.

 

 

 

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