Mental Health Awareness | You’ve Got Backup

Alright troops, huddle up. We’ve got some important topics to cover. As you probably already know, Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS) is raising awareness for mental health with our #LightenTheLoad campaign. We’ll deliver the facts, spread the word, and provide the resources. All you need to do is hop in the rig with us to support this initiative. After reading this, that won’t be hard. Heck, you may already be riding shotgun.

Get a load of this. When the CDC ranks industries by highest suicide rate, the construction industry, our industry, consistently ranks in the top tier. That is not a rank we want to wear on our sleeves. We need to do better.

• Men in construction die by suicide at a rate 3.5x higher than the general population of adults. SOURCE
• Approximately 5,890 people in construction/extraction died by suicide in one year. By contrast, about 600 people die each year from the “Fatal Four” (falls, struck by object, electrocution, caught in between). SOURCE
• Average healthcare costs for employees with depression are $6,252 higher than those without depression. SOURCE

Listen up Charlie, we’ve got more to talk about. Now that you have the cold hard facts, let’s dig a little deeper into the trench. Mental health is tied to other complex matters than just suicide. Mental health is a critical part of our overall wellness. It could be related to stressors in your home-life, connected to a past trauma you experienced, or even a battle with substance abuse.

We recognize that it’s not always the easiest thing to talk about. Although, based on the facts that remain, mental health discussions are of the essence. We advocate for safety on the job site all the time. So bite the bullet and let’s talk about it because simply put, it will save lives. Believe it or not, the discussion can actually be positive! Check out what ESS is doing to spread the word. 😎

If you’re an employee-owner, make sure to rep a #LightenTheLoad wristband to show your support for mental health awareness. Wearing it might even strike up an important conversation. It’s also pretty cool looking.

If your equipment stopped running, you wouldn’t let it stay that way. Just like our excavators, all of us need a little refueling, recharging, and fixing up from time-to-time. ESS wants to make sure you have the horsepower to fight this stigma surrounding mental health and get the support you need to put it in drive.

Over half of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 27 million adults in the U.S. who are going untreated (source). Let’s switch gears from that perspective. Getting help is and always has been, courageous. There should be a metal for that.

So don’t get stuck in “No Man’s Land.” You have allies at ESS and through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). When we say “you’ve got backup”, it’s because you really do have an entire army of resources out there. Call on the front lines:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Veterans Crisis Line (call, chat, text): www.veteranscrisisline.net/
• Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741741. Every person is connected with a crisis counselor, who is trained to listen and offer sound advice.
• https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Employee Assistance Program
• www.PreventConstructionSuicide.com
• Construction Industry Alliance for Suiciide Prevention (CIASP)
• Center for Workplace Mental Health (www.workplacementalhealth.org)
• American Association of Suicidology (www.suicidology.org)
• Man Therapy (www.mantherapy.org)

If you’ve read up until this point, bravo. You can probably take the wheel from here. ESS encourages you to continue the conversation on mental health now that you’ve got the facts, the wristband, and the resources. At ease, soldier. Or should we say, #LightenTheLoad.