Mental Health In The Workplace: What Psychiatric Consultations Mean For You and Your Employees

Have you ever heard of the saying that a healthy employee is a productive employee? Since the pandemic, the importance of mental health in the workplace has become more apparent. Fighting stigmas around mental health have become critical, and the workplace is an ideal setting to promote these values.

Employee priorities and expectations have shifted in the workplace to the extent that they would rather leave their current job than stay in a company where they are unhappy or unfulfilled, in fact in our recent study, The Great Resignation part 2: The Journey to the Great Retention, we found out that 63% of employees who left their companies discovered better opportunities that would satisfy their needs elsewhere. And who can blame them? An average person spends one-third of their life working. Putting aside the external factors that affect our mental health, such as family/relationship problems, an identity crisis, and other unexplainable circumstances; it’s clear that employees are now looking for employers that promote healthy work practices as part of their work culture. Work should be a place where people can grow and support each other in their careers– not an additional stressor to the unpredictability of life.

Employers that are making changes to meet the demand for positive workplace growth have a clear competitive advantage. Sprout Wellness offers flexible solutions for you to support your employees’ needs. One of the great services Sprout Wellness newly provides is psychiatric consultations. Let’s look at the difference between psychiatry and psychology to understand how Wellness consultations can help improve your business.

Psychological and Psychiatric Consultations are different in terms of who offers them and what they handle, but both play a vital role in nurturing the mental health of your employees. Psychiatry leans on the idea that biological factors like genetics lead to the development of mental and emotional health symptoms, while Psychology tends to focus more on social, cultural, and environmental factors rather than biological ones.

The difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist is one of training and expertise.

A psychiatrist is a licensed medical doctor who can provide mental health care and prescribe medicine for mental health symptoms. Some conditions that psychiatrists may prescribe treatment medication for include anxiety disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, PTSD, schizophrenia, and substance use disorder. After the patient starts taking medication, psychiatrists monitor the symptoms to keep track of signs of improvement, along with any side effects their patient may experience.

They can prescribe antidepressants, antipsychotic medications, mood stabilizers, and stimulants. A psychiatrist may change your dose or prescribe a different medication altogether. In addition to medications, psychiatrists can recommend other treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or mindfulness training. So before you write them off as just another pill-pusher, remember that a good psychiatrist won’t force you to take medication and will take the time to assess and talk things over with you to prescribe the best treatment plan.

A psychologist is a trained mental health professional that provides a safe space for their clients to share emotional distresses, navigate complex emotions, and help people learn healthy ways to handle mental health challenges. Unlike psychiatrists, psychologists are not necessarily medical doctors and they cannot prescribe medication. Rather, they focus on providing psychotherapy (talk therapy) to help patients. Talk therapy can include one-on-one therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, and group therapy.

You’re more likely to go to a psychologist when you’re going through a difficult time or want to improve your understanding of your thoughts and behaviors. Maybe you want someone to talk to about some pain points in your day and need someone to listen to you in a way your family and friends can’t. A counseling psychologist would be best when you’re overcoming day-to-day obstacles. For more complex psychological disorders, they may refer you to a psychiatrist.

“Both Psychiatry and Psychology work hand-in-hand to improve your mental well-being”

If you reach out to a psychiatrist first, it is likely to encourage you to work with a therapist simultaneously. It would be contradictory to assume that psychology and psychiatry compete with each other when both work hand-in-hand to improve your mental well-being but from different angles. A psychologist can refer you to a psychiatrist and vice versa. Psychiatrists can also offer additional treatment recommendations when therapy doesn’t lead to much improvement. But the fact remains that both are important, and good employers should understand the difference so they are better equipped to support their employees.

If you want your company to succeed and operate like a well-oiled machine, it’s essential that you pay attention to your employees’ needs. You can do this by ensuring your employees are happy and feel cared for in their jobs. After all, mental health benefits can reduce attrition, and help your employees perform at their best.