For World Mental Health Day, I could regale you with just how many diazepam it took me to get in a car for a three-hour journey after a monumental breakdown. FYI, it was enough to tranquilise an elephant, but not enough to even induce a light nap. My dead-behind-the-eyes post-natal depression years don’t make for fun reading either, but it was astounding to be stick thin. Believing that most foods would kill me made for an effective, but not recommended diet plan. This was the only time I have ever asked if a dress came in an 8…

I could share my maternal fears as the parent of adult children; from the harm that could potentially be delivered to them by recreational drugs, eating disorders & abusive relationships to the terrifying suicide statistics in their age group. I could describe the difficulty accessing CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) when I needed to and, yet, the ease of accessing anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds. I could reminisce about a tour of The Priory. Fabulous care but the £20k price tag was a no-go so I took the prospectus and worked out an amateur version on one of my kids. With success I might add!

I could throw some employees and some brides into the mix and look at the spectrum of events that have impacted on their wellbeing. I could argue that the use of the word “Bridezilla” can reduce genuine pain to a dismissive, sexist insult. It’s on the list of words we prefer to tune out of our vocabulary here at Miss Bush, along with “Fit ‘n’ flare” and “meringue.” It’s not a mental health specific list…

Last year I read Mary Portas’ book, Work Like A Woman, and I realised that in my female owned, female populated workplace, with our female client base, we run a nurturing matriarchy. By necessity we have always been flexible; by nature, emotional and instinctive. Most of Mary’s manifesto is alive and at work at Miss Bush and the frustration for me has been the difficulty in creating meaningful change in the bridal industry beyond our four walls. I am not saying that our entire industry is a polluting, size-ist, age-ist group of Venture Capitalists gaslighting starry-eyed boutique owners, but in many quarters, it is hard to defend.

When I looked at the official World Mental Health Day website and saw that part of the campaign was specifically directed at businesses, stating that:

The day provides an opportunity for you and your organisation to add to the wider conversation that will be occurring on social media… Highlight the fantastic work you're already doing to address mental health stigma in the workplace, and introduce new and targeted activities anchored to the event.

I realised it is, simply, not enough to say that there is no mental health stigma in ‘our’ workplace. Yes, we are caring and kind, and, as Portas says, I believe our strength is “grounded in perseverance and emotional openness.” Yes, we give back. Yes, we collaborate. Yes, all of us have cried, all of us have suffered bouts of poor mental health but, *lightbulb moment* I suddenly realised that is not the same as making a public corporate commitment.   

I have duly downloaded the Time To Change pack, and much like my Priory visit, will be co-opting and working through the content with my work family. Frighteningly, I ‘assume’ that the team know that anything, and everything, is up for discussion.  It is, however, not enshrined in our policy document. When you are a tiny team it seems less necessary. Workshops 1 – 15 are going into the diary.

In the ‘tips’ section of the pack it suggests, to help build a strong article, you open with a paragraph from a colleague who has experienced a mental health problem. I thought I ought to start with myself…

Emma x

This entry was posted in Behind the scenes, Latest News. Bookmark the permalink.

One response to “World Mental Health Day at Miss Bush”