Negative feelings experienced by people with mental disorder in the workplace: A qualitative study

Abstract

Mental disorders are a significant cause of disability and loss of workplace productivity. Many people with mental illness want to work. Occupational health in the world has to face up to psychosocial risks to protect the health of employees. My study aims are to improve negative feelings in work place and work functioning and to stimulate better coping mechanisms. Participants were collected from “Mental health daycare facility”, “Regional living assistance center” and “B-type employment assistance office” in Japan. I took interviews with 25 members. The content of the interviews was categorized about negative feelings in work place. A total of 33 small category negative feelings of mental disorder were extracted and were classified into 11 subcategories. These subcategories were then classified into two higher-level categories: inward-directed feelings and outward-directed feelings. Inward-directed feelings include “reserve or timidity,” “hesitation about being open about the illness,” “anxiety about being dismissed,” “regrets about resigning,” “sense of isolation,” “feelings of remorse,” and “suffering.” Outward-directed feelings include “failure in interperso nal relationships,” “distrust,” “frustrations,” “ne gative feelings toward those with mental disorder.” Employment has been linked to having better social networks, to enhanced quality of life and to overall wellbeing. We will have to defend them legally. The legal and moral obligations placed on the employer require that it provides a healthy, harassment-free work environment.