I remember when Tim came home
from treatment two months before he passed away; he was looking forward to a “new start.” He told me that while he was getting care he met many people from all levels within the construction industry who were also in treatment and who also supported community groups with him. He felt less isolated and less ashamed when he realized several of his colleagues were also living with this as well. When he passed away, so many people
from within the industry who knew us both reached out. I was surprised at the number of people who told me that they were in recovery and felt they should have reached out to Tim when they noticed he might be struggling. Tis is the reason I advocate strongly for mental health edu- cation in the workplace.
Awareness and Education are Key Mental health is as important as taking care of our physical health. When a person is sick or has a physical medical condition, they take care of themselves by resting or seeking medical attention, so they can recover and get back to fully functioning. Te same should be true for mental health; however, there is a stigma often associated with mental health. Historically, many of these conditions have been seen as a character flaw rather than what they are – a medical condition, which is often treatable. Tanks to focused research over the past several decades, various mental health conditions, brain functionality and other neurodiverse outcomes are now better understood by both medical professionals and society. We still have a long way to go in under- standing, accepting and treating mental health issues. One of the best ways that the construction industry can help pro- mote complete worker health and safety is through mental health awareness and education.
CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022
17
Employees of all backgrounds and functions in the construction industry have one of the highest rates of substance use disorder and suicide, compared to the general population where one in two people in the U.S. either lives with a mental health condition (including a substance
use disorder) or has been affected in some way by someone with a mental health condition (either a family member, friend or colleague). A study from New York University
(NYU) affirmed the high level of substance use disorders in construction. According
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