Consider these names: Abraham Lincoln... Theodore Roosevelt… Winston Churchill… Alexander Hamilton… Now consider these two questions: (1) What characteristic did these men have in common?, and (2) If offered the opportunity, would you have hired them?

The answer to the second question is probably, "Sure who wouldn't?" And the answer to the first question is - a persistent mental illness. Mental illnesses affect millions of Americans, yet it remain among the most misunderstood of all medical maladies.

Securing and sustaining meaningful employment is obviously beneficial to the individual with persistent mental illness. What may be less obvious is that including these individuals in the workforce can be tremendously beneficial to the companies employing them, as well.

Individuals with persistent mental illnesses are among the most creative and imaginative members of our society. What might the world have been like if leaders such as Lincoln, Churchill, and others had been relegated to the ranks of the unemployed? Many people find it difficult to believe that individuals whose accomplishments were so momentous as to change the very course of history could have suffered from a serious mental illness. But they did-and they are far from alone.

Research demonstrates that far from hindering creativity, the medications now available serve to actually enhance productivity. Harnessing the talent, creativity, and capability of individuals with bipolar disorder holds enormous potential benefits for the enterprises employing these individuals.

Kids are naturally curious and have questions about mental illnesses. Understanding mental illnesses can be challenging for adults as well as for children. Myths, confusion, and misinformation about mental illnesses cause anxiety, create stereotypes, and continue stigma. During the past 50 years, great advances have been made in the areas of diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses. Parents can help children understand that these are real illnesses that can be treated.In order for parents to talk with a child about mental illnesses, they must be knowledgeable and reasonably comfortable with the subject.

Some parents may have to do a little homework to be better informed. Parents should have a basic understanding and answers to questions such as, what are mental illnesses, who gets them, what causes them, how are diagnoses made, and what treatments are available. When explaining to a child about how mental illnesses affect a person, it may be helpful to make a comparison to a physical illness. For example, many people get sick with a cold or the flu, but only a few get really sick with something serious like pneumonia. People who have a cold are usually able to do their normal activities. However, if they get pneumonia, they will have to take medicine and may have to go to the hospital.

Similarly, feelings of sadness, anxiety, worry, irritability, or sleep problems are common for most people. However, when these feelings get very intense, last for a long period of time, and begin to interfere with school, work, and relationships, it may be a sign of a mental illness.Parents should be aware of their child's needs, concerns, knowledge and experience with mental illnesses. When talking about mental illnesses, parents should:

• communicate in a straightforward manner
• communicate at a level that is appropriate to a child's age and development level
• have the discussion when the child feels safe and comfortable
• watch their child's reaction during the discussion
• slow down or back up if the child becomes confused or looks upset

Considering these points will help any child to be more relaxed and understand more of the conversation. Pre-school age childrenYoung children need less information and fewer details because of their more limited ability to understand. Preschool children focus primarily on things they can see, for example, they may have questions about a person who has an unusual physical appearance, or is behaving strangely. They would also be very aware of people who are crying and obviously sad, or yelling and angry.School-age childrenOlder children may want more specifics. They may ask more questions, especially about friends or family with emotional or behavioral problems. Their concerns and questions are usually very straightforward. "Why is that person crying?" "Why does Daddy drink and get so mad?" "Why is that person talking to herself?"

They may worry about their safety or the safety of their family and friends. It is important to answer their questions directly and honestly and to reassure them about their concerns and feelings.Teen-agersTeen-agers are generally capable of handling much more information and asking more specific and difficult questions. Teen-agers often talk more openly with their friends and peers than with their parents. As a result, some teens may have already have misinformation about mental illnesses. Teen-agers respond more positively to an open dialogue that includes give and take. They are not as open or responsive when a conversation feels one-sided or like a lecture.

Talking to children about mental illnesses can be an opportunity for parents to provide their children with information, support, and guidance. Learning about mental illnesses can lead to improved recognition, earlier treatment, greater understanding and compassion, as well as decreased stigma.

By the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

(Note: Many Allen County offices have recently transitioned to 4-day work weeks.) 

Stress has permeated American culture. Heart disease is on the rise, more people are on anxiety meds than ever, people are jetting off to appointments and meetings all day long and even children have rigidly scheduled daily lives. We are a country that could really use a breather. Yet, our culture encourages us to work harder and longer, especially as the economy starts to falter.

Being exhausted, stressed out, anxious and overextended isn’t the only consequence of the tough American work week. Long commutes cause pollution and are a big drain on energy resources. As gas prices are rising, people are trying to find ways to cut back, but our country wasn’t built for mass public transportation and we still have to get to work. The solution that some people are promoting could have a positive effect not only on oil consumption, but American life in general: a four day work week.

The idea is taking root in communities around the country.

The state of West Virginia is considering a four-day week for government workers there.

Working four days instead of five would mean 20 percent fewer trips to and from work, reducing gasoline consumption by an estimated 65 million gallons per day, not to mention more time with family, and for Mike Cummings, a bit more hope for the future.

“I think this would help with a lot of the planet’s problems, I think it would help with our oil problems and give them a little better life,” he said.

Marion County Florida recently switched to a four-day work week for county workers. They expect to save $250,000 in energy costs this year alone.

Would you work an extra two hours per day, four days a week in order to have a three day weekend? Doesn’t the system of living to work, rather than working to live, seem unfair to you? The idea that we have to spend so much of our lives away from our friends and family, doing things we most often don’t even like doing just so we can support ourselves is a difficult one to swallow, yet it’s the expected system in this country. The thing is, it doesn’t have to be that way.

The benefits of a four day work week wouldn’t just affect oil consumption and our stress levels. The increase in family time could be just what our culture needs, and people need to be able to cultivate interests outside of their employment. Imagine how much more well rounded we’d be as people if we spent that extra day volunteering in our communities, reading books, gardening, exercising and participating in other beneficial activities.

From

Like all workers, people with severe mental illnesses can benefit greatly from the security and self-sufficiency that come with stable and fulfilling employment.

In addition to providing a living, work gives people a sense of belonging and community. It also creates a network of friends and colleagues.

Mental health problems can occur at any age. Young people with mental health problems may be looking for entry-level jobs. Adults with mental illness may need to learn new skills, pursue different employment paths, or develop ways to stay on their current job. At any point in a person's life, severe mental illness will present challenges which, with the right support, people can overcome.

"Before I had bipolar disorder, I was an electrical engineer. Manic depression did not take that away from me-I still have that knowledge, those skills, and that experience."

Getting and Keeping a Job

Many communities have resources to help people with mental illness acquire the skills needed to find and keep a job.

Supported employment - which can include vocational training or retraining and job coaching - is one way that people with mental illness can make their way into the work world. Models of supported employment include individual placement and support (IPS) and clubhouses. The Employment Intervention Demonstration Program, a new initiative funded by the Center for Mental Health Services in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, is studying ways to help consumers keep competitive jobs-real work for real wages in the real world.

Taking the First Steps

For people with severe mental illness who are just entering the workforce, there are a few ways to start their job search. They may ask their therapist, social worker, case manager, or psychiatrist to recommend a supported employment agency. They can ask friends to recommend helpful programs. Consumer advocacy organizations often offer employment guidance or can refer people to agencies in their community.

State and local governments have local employment service agencies. Most also have vocational rehabilitation agencies that can help people with mental illness acquire new skills and be successful in the job market.

Equal Protection Under the Law: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The ADA mandates that all people have a fair chance to pursue their dreams. The Act prohibits businesses that employ 15 or more people from discriminating against a qualified candidate on the basis of his or her disability-including mental illness. Businesses must make reasonable accommodations - such as adapting training materials and providing flexible work schedules or routines - for qualified people with disabilities.

Coping in the Workplace

• Finding services that meet their needs-whether that treatment is "talk" therapy, medication, alternative therapy, support groups, or a combination of these.
• Asking for support from family and friends.
• Focusing on the positives of working-financial security, independence, and personal satisfaction.
• Recognizing the influence of individual personalities and office politics.
• Keeping life in balance.