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Looking After Your Mental Health, a Guide for Software Developers

Looking After Your Mental Health, a Guide for Software Developers

Slides from my talk about Looking After Your Mental Health, a Guide for Software Developers given at PHP Yorkshire 2018

Mark Railton

April 14, 2018
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Transcript

  1. "Why is it so acceptable to tell the entire office

    about your suspected case of summer flu, but not approach your boss about the stress or anxiety that is making it hard for you to do your job?" Bryony Stone, Writer @railto
  2. Mental Health Foundation “One in four people in the UK

    will experience a mental health problem in their lives, and nine out of ten of these people will suffer discrimination because of it.” @railto
  3. Who am I? • Senior Software Developer @ Transpoco •

    Software Development Mentor @ Code Institute • Open Source Project Maintainer for joind.in • PHP-FIG Secretary • Volunteer with Open Sourcing Mental Illness (OSMI) @railto
  4. Who am I not? • A Doctor • A Mental

    Health Worker • Qualified to make a diagnosis or advise on treatment @railto
  5. However, I myself struggle with mental health issues and I

    am passionate about overcoming the stigma associated with mental health problems. @railto
  6. 57% of the general population believes that society at large

    is caring and sympathetic toward people with mental illness; US Centers for Disease Control @railto
  7. only 25% of people with mental health symptoms believed the

    same thing. Society is less understanding and sympathetic regarding mental illness than it thinks it is. US Centers for Disease Control @railto
  8. Pressure and competitiveness of creatives along with the insecurity of

    workflow can lead to anxiety and illness Dr. Victoria Tischler, University of West London @railto
  9. 19.7% of UK Population over 16 showed symptoms of anxiety

    or depression: Increased from 15.5% in 1993 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, 2014 @railto
  10. 5,965 suicides in the UK in 2016. Around ¾ of

    all suicides in the UK in 2016 were male Office for National Statistics @railto
  11. Currently, suicide remains the most common cause of death in

    men aged between 20-49 in the UK. Office for National Statistics @railto
  12. Mental Illness often goes untreated. Historically, treatment options for mental

    health compare unfavourably with those for physical conditions House of Commons Library Briefing on Mental Health Policy @railto
  13. Mental Illness estimated to account for almost 25% of disease

    burden. Only 13% of NHS budget is spent on mental health services House of Commons Library Briefing on Mental Health Policy @railto
  14. 54% of software professionals report suffering from depression, anxiety and

    insomnia. U.S. National Institute of Health @railto
  15. • Offer a listening ear • Don’t pry and ask

    for information they are not prepared to offer • Seek help when necessary from HR or your manager How can colleagues help? @railto
  16. • Create a culture that supports staff to be open

    about their mental health • Be able to speak sensitively and empathetically with someone about their mental health • Know how to support someone experiencing a mental health problem • Be willing to provide time off when necessary How can employers help? @railto
  17. • Eat properly • Exercise • Get time away from

    your computer • Find someone you can talk to How can you help yourself? @railto
  18. No Q&A. Feel free to speak to me in person

    if you’d like to discuss anything from this talk. @railto