The uncommon leave more and more workers are taking
Her first panic attack came at a company-wide meeting, right before her scheduled presentation. Carolina Lasso had given many similar talks about her marketing team's accomplishments. When her name was called this time, she couldn't speak.
'I felt a knot in my throat,' Lasso said. 'My head, it felt like it was inside a bubble. I couldn't hear, I couldn't see, and it felt like an eternity. It was just a few seconds, but it was so profound, and in a way earth-shattering to me.'
Lasso was struggling after a cross-country move followed by a divorce. Her boss suggested a mental health leave, a possibility she didn't know existed. She worried whether taking time off would affect how her team viewed her or cost her a future promotion, but in the end she did.
'I'm thankful for that opportunity to take the time to heal,' Lasso, 43, said. 'Many people feel guilty when they take a leave of absence when it's mental health-related ... There is some extra weight that we carry on our shoulders, as if it had been our fault.'
Despite a fear of repercussions, more adults are recognising that stepping back from work to deal with emotional burdens or psychological conditions that get in the way of their lives is a necessary choice, one that a growing number of employers recognise.
Loading
ComPsych Corp, a provider of employee mental health programs and absence management services, encourages its business clients to make the wellbeing of workers a priority before individuals get to a breaking point while also having processes in place for those who require leaves of absence.
'Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, collectively we've just been in this constant state of turmoil,' Jennifer Birdsall, the senior clinical director at ComPysch, said. 'We just have had this barrage of change and uncertainty.'
Depression, anxiety and adjustment disorder, which involves excessive reactions to stress, were the top three diagnoses of employees who took mental health leaves in the past two years among clients of Alight, a Chicago-based technology company which administers leaves and benefits for large employers.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
7NEWS
3 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Aussies should have the right to ‘choose the sex' of their baby, IVF doctor says
An in vitro fertilisation doctor has argued Aussies should have the right to choose the sex of their child. According to IVF specialist Daniel Potter, it was infantilising for medical professionals to not disclose embryo-related information, and the government should not be involved in such a personal decision. 'I don't really see what the harm is, and people that are obviously highly motivated to be parents, you know, pursuing what they see as life, liberty and happiness ... their version of happiness, not the government's version,' he said. Currently, sex selective IVF is banned in Australia on ethical grounds. The procedure is only allowed on medical grounds such as genetic disorders associated with gender. It is estimated that hundreds of Australians travel overseas each year to gain access to the procedure, which is becoming increasingly more socially acceptable in Australia. 'I respect everybody's opinion, and I think that just because you disagree with something, doesn't mean other people shouldn't be able to do it,' Potter, who appeared on Sunrise on Thursday, said. 'I think it's almost treating them like children .... (to say) we have this information, but we are not going to disclose it to you, because we are concerned you will use this information to make a choice that we might not agree with. 'What right do they have to tell you what to do with your life?' The demand for the service has doubled, according to Sunrise. 'The conversation here in Australia, I think, it's ripe to happen,' Potter said. 'I don't know, ask yourselves why, if someone here in Australia does in vitro fertilisation, they know the gender of the embryos, but they won't disclose it to them, and this is information that may or may not be important to that person or that couple. 'But it seems to me that it should be their information to make decisions about their life and what they feel makes them happy.' 'Mix of opinions' Influencer Caitlin Bailey has sparked debate after travelling to the United States to access sex selective IVF. She spent $45,000 on the procedure, which allowed her to conceive a girl. The Melbourne-based single mother, due to give birth in August, already has two naturally conceived boys and a girl, aged between one and five. 'I have three children already. I have a girl and two boys. And I just had this longing and this desire to have another baby girl,' Bailey told Sunrise on Thursday. 'So, I looked into it, and I found a company called Gender Selection Australia and I went through them, and they linked me in with Dr Potter, and it kind of all went from there.' Bailey said she has received a mix of feedback. 'To be honest, I have had overwhelmingly had positive feedback, but of course no two people are the same. 'Everyone is unique. Always no matter what you do is there will be positives and negatives and people who do and don't agree. 'There have been people who voiced their concerns, or they might not agree, but I just usually say that's my choice and my life and what you do in your life, as long as you are not hurting anyone, then you do you.'
The Advertiser
15 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Extra cash needed to solve spiralling surgery crisis
Only a continued funding boost can halt a growing crisis in public hospitals, as more patients wait longer for elective surgeries, officials concede. The waitlist in NSW has grown to more than 100,000 people, just shy of the all-time peak that was reached after widespread cancellations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Crucially, those waiting longer than critically recommended for a surgery jumped a whopping 151 per cent over the year to 8857. A "concerned" Health Minister Ryan Park responded to the latest quarterly performance report from the NSW Bureau of Health Information on Wednesday by announcing a $23 million injection to facilitate 3500 extra surgeries. But he said similar investments that employ more staff, fund medical supplies and allow surgeries to be shifted to private hospitals would be needed. "We need investment to be consistent (so) local health districts can predict, can allocate the funds and get those surgeries done as quickly as possible," the minister said. The waitlist grew seven per cent from a year earlier despite 3.6 per cent more surgeries taking place in the March quarter, compared to the same quarter last year. Reducing the waitlist after the pandemic only occurred with major extra resources, general surgeon and Australian Medical Association NSW vice president Fred Betros said. "That's just not sustainable under the current resourcing that we have," the surgeon told AAP. Overdue surgeries were 14,000 when Labor was elected in 2023 and dipped as low as 1850 nine months ago. Opposition health spokeswoman Kellie Sloane labelled the government's additional spend "like putting a band-aid on a broken arm". "It's not going to fix the problem ... and behind every one of those numbers is a patient that is sick, that is in pain or waiting for diagnosis," she told 2GB. Wait times are also blowing out, reaching 65 days for semi-urgent surgeries and 322 days for non-urgent procedures. Reality could be even worse than the quarterly figures suggest, with reports alleging major NSW public hospitals have manipulated surgery wait data to hit key performance indicators. Clinicians were often asked to class surgeries as less serious than they were to provide the hospital more time, Dr Betros told AAP. "The people that make these requests are often the meat in the sandwich, with pressure coming from above to meet KPIs, and pressure from doctors coming from below who won't recategorise," he said. The AMA said better funding of public hospitals, improved work conditions and specialist positions and a focus on preventative measures, including a sugar tax, would improve the health system. The NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, which has been in pay talks with the government for more than a year, said the upcoming state budget must help hospital workers get a wage boost. "Our public hospitals are struggling to cope with the population demands and we are yet to see meaningful efforts by the government to address the ongoing recruitment and retention issues," assistant general secretary Michael Whaites said. Only a continued funding boost can halt a growing crisis in public hospitals, as more patients wait longer for elective surgeries, officials concede. The waitlist in NSW has grown to more than 100,000 people, just shy of the all-time peak that was reached after widespread cancellations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Crucially, those waiting longer than critically recommended for a surgery jumped a whopping 151 per cent over the year to 8857. A "concerned" Health Minister Ryan Park responded to the latest quarterly performance report from the NSW Bureau of Health Information on Wednesday by announcing a $23 million injection to facilitate 3500 extra surgeries. But he said similar investments that employ more staff, fund medical supplies and allow surgeries to be shifted to private hospitals would be needed. "We need investment to be consistent (so) local health districts can predict, can allocate the funds and get those surgeries done as quickly as possible," the minister said. The waitlist grew seven per cent from a year earlier despite 3.6 per cent more surgeries taking place in the March quarter, compared to the same quarter last year. Reducing the waitlist after the pandemic only occurred with major extra resources, general surgeon and Australian Medical Association NSW vice president Fred Betros said. "That's just not sustainable under the current resourcing that we have," the surgeon told AAP. Overdue surgeries were 14,000 when Labor was elected in 2023 and dipped as low as 1850 nine months ago. Opposition health spokeswoman Kellie Sloane labelled the government's additional spend "like putting a band-aid on a broken arm". "It's not going to fix the problem ... and behind every one of those numbers is a patient that is sick, that is in pain or waiting for diagnosis," she told 2GB. Wait times are also blowing out, reaching 65 days for semi-urgent surgeries and 322 days for non-urgent procedures. Reality could be even worse than the quarterly figures suggest, with reports alleging major NSW public hospitals have manipulated surgery wait data to hit key performance indicators. Clinicians were often asked to class surgeries as less serious than they were to provide the hospital more time, Dr Betros told AAP. "The people that make these requests are often the meat in the sandwich, with pressure coming from above to meet KPIs, and pressure from doctors coming from below who won't recategorise," he said. The AMA said better funding of public hospitals, improved work conditions and specialist positions and a focus on preventative measures, including a sugar tax, would improve the health system. The NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, which has been in pay talks with the government for more than a year, said the upcoming state budget must help hospital workers get a wage boost. "Our public hospitals are struggling to cope with the population demands and we are yet to see meaningful efforts by the government to address the ongoing recruitment and retention issues," assistant general secretary Michael Whaites said. Only a continued funding boost can halt a growing crisis in public hospitals, as more patients wait longer for elective surgeries, officials concede. The waitlist in NSW has grown to more than 100,000 people, just shy of the all-time peak that was reached after widespread cancellations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Crucially, those waiting longer than critically recommended for a surgery jumped a whopping 151 per cent over the year to 8857. A "concerned" Health Minister Ryan Park responded to the latest quarterly performance report from the NSW Bureau of Health Information on Wednesday by announcing a $23 million injection to facilitate 3500 extra surgeries. But he said similar investments that employ more staff, fund medical supplies and allow surgeries to be shifted to private hospitals would be needed. "We need investment to be consistent (so) local health districts can predict, can allocate the funds and get those surgeries done as quickly as possible," the minister said. The waitlist grew seven per cent from a year earlier despite 3.6 per cent more surgeries taking place in the March quarter, compared to the same quarter last year. Reducing the waitlist after the pandemic only occurred with major extra resources, general surgeon and Australian Medical Association NSW vice president Fred Betros said. "That's just not sustainable under the current resourcing that we have," the surgeon told AAP. Overdue surgeries were 14,000 when Labor was elected in 2023 and dipped as low as 1850 nine months ago. Opposition health spokeswoman Kellie Sloane labelled the government's additional spend "like putting a band-aid on a broken arm". "It's not going to fix the problem ... and behind every one of those numbers is a patient that is sick, that is in pain or waiting for diagnosis," she told 2GB. Wait times are also blowing out, reaching 65 days for semi-urgent surgeries and 322 days for non-urgent procedures. Reality could be even worse than the quarterly figures suggest, with reports alleging major NSW public hospitals have manipulated surgery wait data to hit key performance indicators. Clinicians were often asked to class surgeries as less serious than they were to provide the hospital more time, Dr Betros told AAP. "The people that make these requests are often the meat in the sandwich, with pressure coming from above to meet KPIs, and pressure from doctors coming from below who won't recategorise," he said. The AMA said better funding of public hospitals, improved work conditions and specialist positions and a focus on preventative measures, including a sugar tax, would improve the health system. The NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, which has been in pay talks with the government for more than a year, said the upcoming state budget must help hospital workers get a wage boost. "Our public hospitals are struggling to cope with the population demands and we are yet to see meaningful efforts by the government to address the ongoing recruitment and retention issues," assistant general secretary Michael Whaites said. Only a continued funding boost can halt a growing crisis in public hospitals, as more patients wait longer for elective surgeries, officials concede. The waitlist in NSW has grown to more than 100,000 people, just shy of the all-time peak that was reached after widespread cancellations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Crucially, those waiting longer than critically recommended for a surgery jumped a whopping 151 per cent over the year to 8857. A "concerned" Health Minister Ryan Park responded to the latest quarterly performance report from the NSW Bureau of Health Information on Wednesday by announcing a $23 million injection to facilitate 3500 extra surgeries. But he said similar investments that employ more staff, fund medical supplies and allow surgeries to be shifted to private hospitals would be needed. "We need investment to be consistent (so) local health districts can predict, can allocate the funds and get those surgeries done as quickly as possible," the minister said. The waitlist grew seven per cent from a year earlier despite 3.6 per cent more surgeries taking place in the March quarter, compared to the same quarter last year. Reducing the waitlist after the pandemic only occurred with major extra resources, general surgeon and Australian Medical Association NSW vice president Fred Betros said. "That's just not sustainable under the current resourcing that we have," the surgeon told AAP. Overdue surgeries were 14,000 when Labor was elected in 2023 and dipped as low as 1850 nine months ago. Opposition health spokeswoman Kellie Sloane labelled the government's additional spend "like putting a band-aid on a broken arm". "It's not going to fix the problem ... and behind every one of those numbers is a patient that is sick, that is in pain or waiting for diagnosis," she told 2GB. Wait times are also blowing out, reaching 65 days for semi-urgent surgeries and 322 days for non-urgent procedures. Reality could be even worse than the quarterly figures suggest, with reports alleging major NSW public hospitals have manipulated surgery wait data to hit key performance indicators. Clinicians were often asked to class surgeries as less serious than they were to provide the hospital more time, Dr Betros told AAP. "The people that make these requests are often the meat in the sandwich, with pressure coming from above to meet KPIs, and pressure from doctors coming from below who won't recategorise," he said. The AMA said better funding of public hospitals, improved work conditions and specialist positions and a focus on preventative measures, including a sugar tax, would improve the health system. The NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, which has been in pay talks with the government for more than a year, said the upcoming state budget must help hospital workers get a wage boost. "Our public hospitals are struggling to cope with the population demands and we are yet to see meaningful efforts by the government to address the ongoing recruitment and retention issues," assistant general secretary Michael Whaites said.
The Age
21 hours ago
- The Age
Is your house making you sad? This guide to anti-depressive living will help
We all know by now that our living environments can make us sick. From toxic mould to poor indoor air quality, plenty has been written about the risks of unhealthy homes to our physical wellbeing. Less, however, is known about the impact of our homes on our mental wellbeing. Lockdown experiences during COVID-19 would indicate that some residential environments can make us happier than others. Indeed, while some Australians enjoyed time spent in spacious homes on large estates, others struggled in less luxurious surrounds. And although the restrictions lifted long ago, for many, their homes still leave a lot to be desired so that rather than feeling rejuvenated, comforted or invigorated by their spaces, they feel, well, a bit sad. But is it possible for your home to be designed for happiness? Stefania Reynolds, project director and head of interiors at Sydney-based firm Studio Johnston Design, says the answer is firmly 'yes'. 'Design has a profound impact on how we feel at home. It shapes our emotional responses, mental wellbeing, and even our physical comfort,' says Reynolds. 'Spaces that balance openness with intimacy help foster deeper connections without being overwhelming.' Creating a home that nurtures, she says, is less about size and more about understanding the elements that make it a pleasure to come home to, and to live in. Loading 'A lot of the time during those early days of exploring the brief we need to draw out the 'why' behind the client's wishlist,' she says. 'We try to translate practical needs into emotional outcomes.'
