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Mental Health For You & Others

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Looking after your mental wellbeing…

Hospitality is an exciting, yet demanding sector that can put a lot of pressure on the people working in it, whether you’re an owner-operator or staff. In 2018, R U OK? surveyed those working in hospitality and found that issues such as fatigue, feeling depressed, anxious or manic, long hours, and high turnover are current challenges facing the sector.

We can take steps, no matter how small, to better UNDERSTAND, TAKE ACTION, and MAINTAIN our mental health, so we’re sharing some useful resources to help you and others.

Need Immediate Help?

IN THIS SECTION…

HELPING MYSELF…

understanding mental health

What is mental health anyway?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and behave, determining how we cope with life’s changes & challenges, how we relate to others, and how we contribute to work and the community. Learn The Facts from Beyond Blue.

What are the most common mental health problems?

Almost half of Australians have a mental health issue at some point in their lives, with the most common being anxiety, depression and substance use disorders. Find out more about common mental health problems from Heads Up.

Who does it affect?

Mental illness doesn’t discriminate and can affect anyone, at any time. We know that because of the nature of work in hospitality, staff and owner-operators can be particularly vulnerable to mental health issues. Learn more about who is affected from Beyond Blue.

How can I learn skills or gain more knowledge?

Whether you want to improve your skills or increase your knowledge, you can start with any of the courses or learning series below:

  • ONLINE (Free): Mental health conversations in hospitality by Allara Learning & R U OK?

  • FACE-TO-FACE (Paid): Evidence-based skills training to support someone by Mental Health First Aid

  • FACE-TO-FACE (Paid): Range of awareness and crisis training programs by Lifeline Tasmania

  • ONLINE (Free): Hospitality mental health video series by Hospo For Life Happy Hour

  • FACE-TO-FACE or ONLINE (Donation): Mental health awareness presentations by Stay ChatTY

Resources to help you understand mental health:

TRAINING TO IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE:

TAKING ACTION for yourself

Know the signs and track your moods

It may be that others will notice before you do that you’re not quite yourself. Knowing your own signs, symptoms, and triggers can let you and others know when you’re struggling.

Where can I go to get professional support in Tasmania?

Sometimes we need more than just self-care. Know when to seek professional support and please don’t be afraid to ask for help. Get in touch with any of the people below either online or by calling directly:

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU TAKE ACTION:

MAINTAINING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

How can I stay mentally healthy?

The demands of hospitality mean that taking care of yourself and staying well is important to coping with work and our every day lives.

Stay connected and supported

There are a range of general support networks and hospitality specific communities to keep you connected right here in Tasmania. Be sure to follow them on Facebook or Instagram for up to date information and to connect with their online communities.

TASMANIAN SUPPORT NETWORKS

HOSPITALITY SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU maintain your mental health:

RESOURCES FOR HOSPITALITY:

VIDEO: OWNER STORIES

Hear from small business owners on looking after yourself from Heads Up

HELPING OTHERS…

UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNS

How do I know if someone is struggling?

You don’t have to have a ‘diagnosis’ to experience mental health problems. We can all learn to recognise changes in someone through what they are saying, doing or something going on in their life, that might be cause for concern. Learn how to support someone at work at Heads Up.

You can also learn the facts about warning signs, ways to cope, and available support from Lifeline for different issues:


What is a mental health crisis?

A mental health crisis is any situation in which a person's behaviour puts them at risk of hurting themselves or others and/or prevents them from being able to care for themselves or function effectively. It includes things such as feeling suicidal, trauma responses, and severe anxiety such as panic attacks.

Access individual and community Conversation Matters resources from Everymind, to understand what you should know to prepare for and engage in conversations.


RESOURCES TO HELP OTHERS:

VIDEO: TRUST THE SIGNS

When you notice a change in someone's behaviour, no matter how small, Trust the Signs and learn more.

TAKING ACTION TO SUPPORT SOMEONE

Having a conversation

The most important thing we can do is notice the signs and start a conversation. R U OK? have identified 4 simple steps. Learn more

  1. Ask

  2. Listen

  3. Encourage Action and

  4. Check In

Promote a culture at work

It’s so important to have a workplace that encourages your work family to look out for one another and offer their support in the kitchen, on the floor, during their shift and whenever it's needed. Download the hospitality toolkit from R U OK?

Our language matters

The way we talk about mental illness and the things we express publicly in our homes and in our workplaces can make a difference to reducing stigma and encouraging others to feel more comfortable about opening up and asking for help. Learn more about how to use more non-judgmental language from Everymind.

RESOURCES TO take action for others:

VIDEO: ASKING R U OK?

Hear from Tasmanian Chef and R U OK? Hospitality Ambassador Malcolm Meiers on reaching out to our work family.

MAINTAINING CONNECTION

Support and connection for others

Feeling supported with at work or at home can make all the difference for someone getting help and recovering faster. Learn from Beyond Blue about how to best support someone and about recovery.

Looking after yourself

It’s also important that you look after yourself too! Supporting someone through their mental health problems can make us vulnerable. Understand about self-care from Beyond Blue.


RESOURCES TO support others: