More Common Than You Think: Mental Illness

in TechBy Tracy Boggiano

Tracy Boggiano

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• SQL Server DBA with over 20 years experience

• Co-author of Query Store for SQL Server 2019 book

• SentryOne PAC Ambassador

• OSMI Speaker

• Guardian ad Litem

• PAIMI Council member for DRNC

Twitter: @TracyBoggiano

Blog: databasesuperhero.com

Who I Am?• Not a mental health professional

• Suffered from mental illness

• Family members with mental illnesses

•Work has been affected by mental illness

•Work has affected my mental illness

• Ready to talk publicly and raise awareness

What is Mental Health?• Our emotional, psychological, and

social well-being

• Affects how we think, feel, and act

• Helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices

• Balance between work and leisure activities

• Not just the absence of a mental illness

20%

80%

Mental Illness US Population

Have Have Not

42%

58%

Mental Illness in Tech

Have Have Not

Work Causes

•Stress

•Burnout

•Harassment

•Bullying

Mental Health Disorders

• ADHD

• Anxiety Disorders*

• Bipolar Disorder

• Borderline Personality Disorder

• Depression*

• Dissociative Disorders

• Eating Disorders

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

• Schizoaffective Disorder

• Schizophrenia

Why Am I Speaking Out Now?• Looked at the stats•Personal experience • Tired of the stigma•After 2018-2019, I am ready to

inspire people to speak up•People need to realize they are

not alone

Personal Experience

•Bipolar

•Depression

•Anxiety

•PTSD

Burnout and Stress

Poll of 11,000 people

56% reported burnout and stress

More Stats

• 68% would not discuss with employer at all

• 44% are not aware of what healthcare coverage they have

• 63% says employer has not formally discussed mental health

• $1 trillion is lost to productivity globally

• $225 billion to depression alone

• $69 billion to suicide, 10th leading cause of death in 2019

How mental illness has affected me

•Negatives•Missed work•Lack of focus•Lack of motivation

•Positives•Extreme energy•Work well under work stress

How it can affect you?

•Make you sad and/or irritable

• Extreme mood changes highs and lows

•Have excessive fears, worry, or anxiety

•Pulling away from people and activities

•Changes in sleep and eating habits

• Trouble concentrating

How mental illness can affect anyone

What you can do for yourself?

• Take care of yourself• Eat well• Exercise• Sleep

•Develop hobbies away from the computer

•Get away from social media

•Mental Health First Aid certification

Where to get help

•Talk to a friend

•See a therapist

•See a doctor

What can you do as a friend?

• Listen

• Check in on friends

• Don’t sugar coat things

What you can do as an employer?

•Highlight mental health polices

• Encourage employees to take time for themselves

•Create safe environments to share

• Set an example by taking time for yourself

What can you do as an employer?

What you can do as an employer?

• Lead getting mental health initiatives setup

•Gain an understanding of mental health issue – Workplace Mental Health Topics website

•Provide accommodations for employees - Job Accommodations Network website

What can you do as an employer?

What not to say to people

• Stop acting crazy

• Just don’t worry about it

• Therapy is for people who are weak

• Things will be better in the morning

• Stop focusing on the bad stuff

What not to say to people

• Snap out of it

• Just pray about it

• You have the same illness as my __________

• Just distract yourself

•Don’t take medication

What to say to people

•How are you?

•Do you want to out?

• I’m so glad you are in my life.

•Remember when…

What to say to people

• You can honest with me.

•Do you want to go for a walk?

•Want a hug?

•How is treatment going?

Podcasts

• The Hilarious World of Depression

• The Anxious Achievers

• Mental Illness Happy Hour (NSFW)

• Neurodiversity at Work; Eliminating Kryptonite, Enabling Superheroes

• Not Crazy (Mostly SFW)

• The Pysch Central Podcast: Psychology Made Simple

• Tremendous Upside

Tracy Boggiano

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Please fill out speaker evals and let me know what you liked and what you didn’t like.

Twitter: @TracyBoggiano

Blog: databasesuperhero.com

Resources

• Open Sourcing Mental Illness Resources -https://osmihelp.org/resources

• Are You More Than Okay: The State of Mental Health in Tech in 2016 - https://modelviewculture.com/pieces/are-you-more-than-okay-the-state-of-mental-health-in-tech-in-2016

• Supporting Mental Health in the Tech Workplace -https://www.infoq.com/articles/mental-health-tech-workplace/

• Mental Health in the Tech Industry -https://twloha.com/blog/mental-health-in-the-tech-industry/

Resources

• World Mental Health Day: It’s time for the tech industry to address the issue - https://diversityq.com/world-mental-health-day-its-time-for-the-tech-industry-to-address-the-issue-1507895/

• Geeks & Depression: Highlighting Mental Health Issues In The Tech Community - https://www.tpr.org/post/geeks-depression-highlighting-mental-health-issues-tech-community

• 9 Ways To Fight Mental Health Stigma -https://www.nami.org/blogs/nami-blog/october-2017/9-ways-to-fight-mental-health-stigma

Resources

• Workplace Mental Health – Mental Health Topics -http://www.workplacementalhealth.org/Mental-Health-Topics

• Job Accommodations Network - https://askjan.org/

• Suicide Statistics - AFSP - https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/

• World Health Organization – Mental Health in the Workplace -https://www.who.int/mental_health/in_the_workplace/en/