Stressing down with Lifeline
Gippsland Water and Lifeline Gippsland joined forces recently to acknowledge the destructive influence of stress on our lives.
Coinciding with Lifeline’s national Stress Down Day, staff at Gippsland Water paused to hear about the ways stress impacts on an individual’s life and, more importantly, what we can all do to lower that impact.
“Mental health is a more present issue for all workplaces,” said General Manager of Customer Service and Communications at Gippsland Water, Paul Clark.
“At Gippsland Water we have a supportive culture as well as formal support mechanisms in place. However that doesn’t mean that an individual isn’t experiencing stress, anxiety or depression in isolation. Hearing from Lifeline is a timely way of reminding someone that there are ways of reaching out for assistance and making a difference,” concluded Paul.
CEO of Lifeline Gippsland Claire Davis said that she is always interested in speaking to work groups and businesses around the region to raise people’s awareness of the issues.
“Lifeline Gippsland takes around 2,000 calls each month, so we know there is demand in the community. What speaking to a business allows us to do is raise the issues of anxiety and depression in a relaxed atmosphere and maybe have some one on one conversation with people too. I find that sometimes by explaining what anxiety is and some of the really simple things people can do to reduce it, it gives an individual the opportunity to make a small change and take a bit more control of how they are feeling.”
Lifeline Gippsland runs a 24 hour crisis telephone service in three Gippsland locations. Someone who wishes to speak to a counsellor should call 131114.
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