Will We Ever Get Serious About Improving Our Mental Wellness?

On a recent business trip, I was talking with a commercial pilot about the stresses they face and what they do to manage it. When I specifically asked about “mental wellness” they immediately said, “Oh you don’t talk about anything related to mental health. That will get you grounded in a heartbeat.” When I inquired further, they said, “You just tell them everything is good.”

As an airline passenger, I certainly want my pilot and co-pilot to be in a state of good mental health. I also know that they are human, and subject to good days and bad days. Thankfully, having two people in the cockpit minimizes the dangers if one of them is indeed NOT in a mental “good place.”

While the focus was the work of pilots, I believe it could have just as easily have been a conversation about almost any workplace. Don’t talk about anything related to mental health. Tell them everything is good.