On Thursday, 13th of September, it was R U OK? Day. R U OK? Day is about raising the awareness of suicide prevention, which is an enormously complex and sensitive challenge. This is a movement very close to my heart, as four years ago I was almost one of those statistics you read about. I was depressed, struggling badly with anxiety, and deep in the throes of a relapse with anorexia. A simple conversation changed my life and put me on a path of wanting to live.
In the accounting industry, mental health is something that is still quite frequently overlooked, which is quite concerning. The number of both women, and men, who have anxiety, depression, eating disorders to name a few, is actually unknown in the accounting profession in Australia.
“Nearly a third of accountants (30.4%) suffer from mental health issues, with more than half (51%) admitting depression and anxiety leaves them dreading going to work” – Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales
R U OK? put together this flowchart:
Just by following the above steps and chatting with your friends, family, colleagues, you could change someone else’s life too. Be kind, be empathetic, and show you care.
So, I encourage you all to speak out. Break the stigma. Look out for your family, friends and colleagues. Because a simple “R U OK?” could just save a life, it certainly saved mine.
If you are struggling, please contact one of the organisations listed here.
I chose to live. I hope you do too.
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Images from: https://www.ruok.org.au/
Quote: Economia.icaew.com. (2018). Third of accountants suffer from poor mental health. [online] Available at: https://economia.icaew.com/news/january-2018/third-of-accountants-suffer-from-poor-mental-health [Accessed 14 Sep. 2018].
Sammie Johannes 