Thursday, October 10, 2024, was World Mental Health Day. The official theme was “It is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace.”

By Dr Sydney Mukonoweshuro

In the mining industry, men make up roughly 85% of the workforce. Everyone will at some stage be affected by mental health problems, whether it is directly or indirectly in a support role as a partner, parent, friend or workmate. Problems such as depression, anxiety and substance use are serious but common conditions.

1 in 8 men will experience depression, 1 in 5 will experience anxiety and around 1 in 14 will have problems with substance use at some stage of their lives, with many others likely going undiagnosed. In most cases, treatment for mental health problems is effective. However, it is estimated that only around 35% of people who are struggling with their mental health seek professional help. Men are statistically less likely to seek help for mental health problems compared to women. This increases the risk of mental health problems going unrecognised and untreated. Left untreated, mental health problems such as depression can be a high-risk factor for suicide.

In Australia, there are approximately 2,200 suicides each year and 80% of suicides are by men. Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under the age of 44 in Australia, and the highest rates of suicide are among men of working age.

Risk Factors for Mental Health Problems In The Mining Industry

There are several factors associated with working in the mining industry that may contribute to mental health problems or make problems worse. These include:

• Repetitive and or dangerous tasks,
• Physically demanding roles,
• Physical health problems including injury at work or chronic
• Fatigue associated with long working hours, shift work, overtime or long commute
• Social isolation, particularly for those working in regional, rural or isolated settings away from extended family or social
• Fly-in-flyout or drive-in-drive-out workers may have difficulty connecting with
• Industry downturn, which can affect people’s sense of job security

There are several early warning signs you can watch out for in yourself or your workmates that might suggest you/they are having problems These include:

• Feeling moody, irritable, sad or
• Shutting off or not wanting to see
• Loss of interest in usually enjoyable
• Sleeping more or
• Eating more or
• Getting easily
• Giving up on
• Feeling sick and run
• Trouble with concentrating or decision
• Putting off
• Not wanting to deal with day-to-day things (e.g. opening mail, paying bills, )
• Relying on alcohol or
• Learn practical tips on how to support someone experiencing problems with their mental
• Find out where and how to access support services for the person you are
• Learn about ways to look after yourself

Everyone experiences these symptoms from time to time. However, if several of these signs persist for more than a couple of weeks and interfere with your ability to manage life, it’s best to go and see a doctor, or talk to someone you can trust like a friend or family member who can help you make an appointment. It can be difficult to take the first step to get some support, but it is important to take action before mental health problems reach a crisis point.

There are a range of effective treatments, health professionals and services available (see Other Resources below). There are also many things that you can do to help yourself. To maintain your own wellbeing and reduce stress, try adopting some of these practical tips:

Postpone major life changes – Making major changes in your life can be stressful at any time. Resolve personal conflicts – Ongoing stress in personal relationships can contribute to anxiety. Take part in activities and learn to relax, such as allocating time to do enjoyable activities such as exercising, meditating, reading, gardening or listening to music. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating healthily, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep.

Recommendations On Setting Up a Mental Health Programme:

1. Promote mental health awareness and remove any
   • Raise awareness through global and local mental health activities and
   • Increase knowledge through regular
   • Reduce stigma by educating on the critical role of well-being.
2. Support colleagues and encourage
   • Enhance capacity globally through Mental Health First
   • Articulate support internally and
   • Enable colleagues through a colleague
3. Create and sustain a safe
   • Early recognition and intervention through Line manager and HR mental health
   • Risk factor-based education g. workplace stress, lifestyle factors (drugs/alcohol)
   • Promote work-life balance g. through well-being, flexible working.
4. Build and maintain a positive
   • Normalise mental health – spaces to discuss factors affecting well-
   • Revised HR policies reflecting support of and commitment to mental
   • Integrate into employee life-cycle – recruitment, sickness absence and returning to
5. Monitor, review and improve

·         Implement a robust measurement approach.

• Review risk factors contributing to mental illness and make workplace adjustments as
• Analyse feedback from employee engagement surveys, exit interviews etc to identify trigger