Working in the licensed trades can be amazing when times are good. It’s a great industry to be in, but it can be really challenging at times too.
Connecting with people, being ‘always on’ and building great teams is hard (but rewarding) work. But, life happens. It might be a money worry. Or problems at home. A health niggle that won’t go away. Or just that you’re not quite feeling yourself.
The LTC can help.
Understanding mental health
It’s rare to wake up and ‘be depressed.’ Usually, it’s a sequence of events that lead to the day we can’t get out of bed. It might be that you’ve got money worries. Or housing issues. Or family problems are reaching breaking point. Maybe you’ve been burning the candle at both ends for a bit too long.
All these issues can cause stress and anxiety and a mounting feeling of helplessness.
Maybe you’ve got a difficult customer who is hammering your self-esteem. A team member isn’t playing ball. Or the pressure of management is simply getting too much.
It might be that you’re worried about someone else – a family or team member who just doesn’t seem themselves.
Signs your mental health needs some help:
- Mood changes. We’re not just talking about having a bad day. If you’re experiencing persistent feelings of anxiety, irritability or sadness that won’t go away, it’s time to get help.
- Struggling to concentrate. If you’re struggling to focus or complete your daily tasks, it could be an indicator that things aren’t quite right.
- Changes to your sleep. If you can’t sleep, are walking up in the middle of the night or can’t get out of bed in the morning, it could be a sign of something going on with your mental health.
- Reliance on alcohol or drugs. If you’re constantly overdoing it, it could be a growing dependency, or mental health issues.
- Physical symptoms. Mental health can show itself in physical issues too. Ongoing headaches, digestive issues or other recurring symptoms can all point to mental health issues.
- Feeling overwhelmed. If you’re constantly feeling helpless, struggling with everyday activities or everything feels like it’s getting too much, it’s definitely time to seek help.
- Social withdrawal. If the things you usually find fun are no longer appealing, spending time with friends and family is a chore or the energy of the licensed trade is leaving you exhausted and uninterested, it’s time to speak to someone.
- Relationship problems. If you’re arguing more than usual, or experiencing domestic violence, don’t wait. We’re here to help, 24/7.
Here are just some of the ways we can help:
- Mental health support: We have fast track counselling and specialist therapies available for you and your family, to get you the help you need now.
- Financial support: Support, grants and advice on money worries. Whether its managing debt or money, benefits advice or funding an emergency purchase, we can help. We also have a free brilliant financial wellbeing tool from our partner, nudge
- Wellness and work life balance: We can help with practical tips, tools and support partners to help get you back to your best.
- Practical advice: We can help with balancing work and family life and all those little niggles that can impact your mental health.
- Management and career advice: We can help with ways to make work easier, from finding the right role and writing your CV, to ways to become a better manager and finding your work/life balance.
Making the decision to seek help can feel daunting. You can tell yourself it’s something trivial and that things will get better, but reaching out to us can be a catalyst for change before things get worse.
Our teams of trained professionals are available 24/7 and can help you identify what’s going on and get the help you need for yourself, a family member or a colleague.
It’s often easier to talk to a stranger than someone you know. We offer support in person, online, or over the phone; in a way that works for you.
