Poor mental health is an issue that has grown at a fierce speed over the past few years, and takes too many lives away.
Mental health struggles have always been around, but many people once felt uncomfortable talking about them. This was especially true for men, as admitting a weakness in your armour is not the macho thing to do.
As a chef, the pressure of working in a kitchen – the pace of that environment – and trying to also balance life at home can affect mental health.
But, I do believe that the tide is turning, with people talking more easily, to each other and to professional help that is out there.
The stigma of admitting you are not firing on all cylinders and feeling down is lifting. The end result is that people are happier, or feel they have support, meaning fewer unnecessary suicides and more open roads to recovery.
Real living wage integral to good quality of life
Views on work-life balance have changed, too, with hospitality businesses reducing their hours and the number of days staff work, so they can live a life outside of the kitchen. But, this can create other problems, as the cost of living is increasing every day just now. Working fewer hours means less money, but people are facing bigger bills.
Businesses need to respect their staff and make sure they get paid well for what they do. This is why The Bay pays the real living wage rate, and why I am on the steering group for hospitality in Scotland, to try to make sure everyone in the industry is paid fairly.
At The Bay, we recognise that keeping active and having good fitness helps with stress and maintaining good mental health, as well as physical wellbeing, so we offer full gym memberships for all our staff.
Outside of the gym, summer is a great time of year to go out for a walk, get fresh air and some vitamin D when the sun does shine. It’s my happy place, where I can switch off.
Talk, listen and find the tools you need
I listen to podcasts and audio books when walking – it’s a revelation for me. Being dyslexic, I have read about three books in my life, but I have now listened to 15 books this year alone.
Remember that it’s good to talk
There are some amazing tools and support out there that can help make things feel and look a lot better if you are at a low point – you just need to reach out.
Remember that it’s good to talk. Bottling things up is a pressure cooker waiting to explode; it’s best to lift the lever and let some steam out.
- If you are struggling with your mental health, you can call Samaritans to talk on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org at any time
Calum Richardson is owner of The Bay Fish & Chips in Stonehaven
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