Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, cancer, and the workplace

It is highly likely therefore that in any workplace someone will be struggling be they employer or employee, and that their struggle has its origins in a cancer diagnosis.

This is important to note not least because as Danny Bell from Macmillan comments a common perception is that ‘people should feel lucky to have survived cancer’. The reality is that many feel abandoned and left to deal with issues like depression, anxiety, and as the Malaysian study shows symptoms of PTSD.

Why is this of note for business? Well has been much effort and initiative put into mental health awareness during the course of 2017 from the government Mental Health Task Force and Teresa May’ speech in January to more recent references to the responsibilities of employers to their employees mental wellbeing.

Awareness and sensitivity to colleague and employees who may be experiencing difficulty is key to a healthy work environment. The Malaysian study and NHS web pages reference symptoms of PTSD. The diagnosis of such is for the clinician. However being aware of possible indicators is surely helpful and alertness to depression; emotional flatness; anxiety; irritability; uncharacteristic outbursts; sleep problems and difficulty concentrating is merited.