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Mental Health For Software Developers and Data Practitioners Gift Ojeabulu

About me - Basketball Data Scientist & Software Developer at CBB Analytics. - Technical Writer at Towards AI.

Content Synopsis OVERVIEW OF KEY IDEAS The WHO Definition Stackoverflow survey Common Disorders Risk Factors How to get help Questionnaires Thank you

What is Mental Health by W.H.O? Presenter: Gift Ojeabulu

Mental health is a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with other stress of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.

65K Developers STACKOVERFLOW 2O20 DEVELOPER SURVEY A research project that included participation from over 65K developers — 15% of respondents admitted having some type of mental issue, with anxiety and depression being the most common ones. These results indicate a significant prevalence of mental issues among coding professionals

Anxiety Disorders A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome Depression disorders A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome Common Disorders

Risk Factors for Mental Issues in a developer’s career? Presenter: Gift Ojeabulu

- Isolation - Sedentarism - Stress - Non-inclusive Environment - High Screen Time

Contrary to what the “socially awkward nerd” stereotype may lead you to believe, a successful programming career do not require some social skills. Programmers need to be able to discuss solutions with their team, mentor junior developers, report to managers, and expand their networks to progress in their jobs. Isolation in developer’s career

There is extensive research linking sedentarism to concerning health issues like obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and a higher mortality rate. But the dangers of spending 40 hours a day sitting at a desk are beyond the physical scope. Brain activity requires oxygenation, which is achieved by efficient breathing and blood circulation. This is why sedentarism has been associated with lower mental acuity, increased stress, anxiety, depression, and reduced well-being. Sedentarism in developer’s career

Tight deadlines. The pressure to keep up with the latest tech trends. The junior dev who won’t stop asking for help. The pull request that was not approved for the third time. The noisy open space, and the manager emails after 8 p.m. All of this is part of the (in)famous word: stress. Stress in developer’s career

Sleep is one of the pillars of well-being. It is impossible for someone to reach peak productivity when feeling tired. Sleep deprivation also creates a dangerous cycle, pushing someone to sedentary activities and consuming stimulants (like caffeine and nicotine) which are going to decrease sleep quality even more. High Screen time in developer’s career

Examples are LGBTQ, Black and Hispanic Graduates. There is still a long way of equality in tech. Equality reports reveal how gender and racism still affect thing like salaries, benefits, career progression, leadership and promotion opportunities. Non-inclusive environment

Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and also more hard to bear. C.s Lewis

How can developers prevent mental health issues. 1. Talk to your doctor. 2. Reach out to tech community. 3. Self Awareness

Quick check for mental health questionnaires? + Have you been feeling sad or depressed. + Do you have problem sleeping too little or too much. + Have you been feeling tired or feeling little energy. + Do you feel guilt about yourself or feel that you are worthless. + Do you have trouble in attention or concentration while doing day to day activities. + Have you been less confident than before. + Do you feel happier or angrier than usual self.

Thank you for your time. @GiftOjeabulu_ Linkedln: gift ojeabulu Medium: @giftojeabulu