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\begin{document}

\title{The Field of Computing Needs to Take Care of Its Mental Health}



\author[1]{Ann E. Jeffers}%
\affil[1]{Affiliation not available}%


\vspace{-1em}



  
  \date{May 19, 2024}


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\section*{Introduction}

{\label{283024}}

Most people tend to shy away from conversations around mental health.
This is due to the stigma that is rooted in the long mistreatment of
people with mental illness. In this article, I aim to bring
conversations about mental health to the forefront and advocate for a
change in culture so that the field of computing better supports the
mental health of the community and is more inclusive of people with
mental illness.

\section*{Mental Health vs. Mental
Illness}

{\label{252885}}

Before we can talk about mental health from the computing perspective,
we need to define some terms.~\emph{Mental health} is defined here as
the state of mental and emotional well-being of a person. Everyone has
mental health just like every person has physical health, and it exists
on a continuum from ``good'' to ``poor.'' Various factors affect mental
health, as discussed in the following section.

\emph{Mental illnesses} are diagnosable conditions that affect thoughts
and behaviors. Mental illnesses include conditions like depression,
anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Like mental health, mental illness exists
on a continuum, from ``no mental illness'' on one end to ``severe mental
illness'' on the other. The causes of mental illness are complex and
involve biological, psychological, and environmental factors.

If we plot mental health against mental illness (Fig. 1), we can see
clearly that every person, regardless of mental illness status, can have
good or poor mental health. Thus, the conversation around mental health
centers on the whole community, not just those who have a mental
illness. In other words, a person can have poor mental health and not
meet the criteria for having a diagnosable mental illness. Poor mental
health can have serious effects in the long-term if not properly taken
care of.\selectlanguage{english}
\begin{figure}[H]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.70\columnwidth]{figures/image1/image1}

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\end{figure}

Fig. 1: Relationship between mental health and mental illness (adapted
from {[}1{]})

\section*{Factors Affecting Mental
Health}

{\label{888728}}

Mental health is affected by a number of factors, including stress,
diet, sleep, and exercise. While stress in small doses can actually
improve workplace performance, severe or prolonged stress can have
significant negative effects. A paper by Park {[}2{]} states that
significant workplace stress affects mental and physical health and also
leads to workers being unhealthy, unmotivated, less productive, and less
safe at work. From a mental health standpoint, severe stress can
negatively impact personal relationships and leads to irritability,
sleep disruptions, and concentration difficulties. In some
circumstances, high-stress levels are even linked to an individual
developing a diagnosable mental illness {[}3{]}.

It should be noted that there is a whole body of literature showing that
healthy behaviors (e.g., exercise, meditation, a healthy diet, and
better sleep quality) positively affect mental health. While I agree
that healthy behaviors should be promoted, employers are often too quick
to push a yoga class on their employees rather than address
the~\emph{systemic issues} causing poor mental health in the workplace.
Admittedly, there is no quick fix that can solve a toxic work
environment. In this article, I will focus on the workplace policies and
culture that negatively impact mental health (e.g., that are sources of
workplace stress) and offer suggestions on how these issues can be
overcome.

\section*{The Role of the Pandemic}

{\label{389206}}

I would be remiss if I didn't address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,
which has brought discussions about mental health to the forefront. The
literature is swelling with studies on the myriad ways the pandemic has
affected mental health. Indeed, the pandemic created an ever-changing
sea of uncertainty, and people had to react quickly to lockdowns,
working from home, social distancing, masking and other new personal
hygiene routines, loss of childcare/virtual schooling for children,
supply shortages, and so on. An epidemiological review by Hossain et al.
{[}4{]}, for example, showed that mental health conditions, like
depression and anxiety, were reported at a higher rate during the
pandemic compared to pre-pandemic levels. Other research is finding that
people experiencing the pandemic may exhibit traumatic stress reactions
like ``intrusive re-experiencing'' and ``heightened arousal'' {[}5{]}.

While those of us with serious mental illness\textsuperscript{1} have
known for a long time about the importance of mental health, the many
who are newly impacted by the pandemic are realizing the challenges of
living in an environment that harms mental health. These individuals
have amplified our sentiments about needing change that promotes
positive mental health, making this an opportune time to have a
conversation about mental health in the field of computing.

\section*{Mental health in STEM
fields}

{\label{919657}}

STEM professions are known for cultivating high-stress environments.
Often, employees work long hours, face deadlines, and deal with
scientific explorations that have high potential for failure. The
reigning pressure to publish isn't helped by metrics that measure
journal impact and citations, while publications still dominate the list
of criteria for promotion and merit raises. The process of peer review
can be brutal, and funding is scarce, meaning that rejection is common.
It goes without saying that the STEM workforce is also susceptible to
problems found in~\emph{any} workplace, like bullying, poor management,
interpersonal conflict, and turnover. These stressors negatively affect
mental health overall.

Moreover, in addition to the nature of the work, those who are
underrepresented (e.g., women {[}6{]}, persons excluded from science for
ethnicity and race {[}7{]}, LGBTQ individuals {[}8{]}) face overt
discrimination, harassment, and microaggressions at alarming rates. Such
toxic work environment leads to burnout over time, resulting in the loss
of exceptional contributors to the STEM discipline.

\section*{Workplace policies that support mental health and create a
culture of
inclusion}

{\label{610954}}

Regardless of where an individual sits in the chart of Fig. 1, I'd like
to ask that we all work together to come up with solutions to make the
workplace less toxic and more supportive of positive mental health. I
promise that doing so will create an environment that is more inclusive,
meaning that those who have been traditionally marginalized by having
mental illness (and especially those with intersecting identities in
terms of race, gender, and so on) will be able to have a seat at the
table. I'm not advocating for drastic changes in the workplace; small
changes can go a long way toward promoting the good mental health of the
members of an organization.

Note also that I am primarily speaking to the leadership of
organizations. These individuals generally have the power to make
changes to workplace policies and are generally responsible for
resolving conflict. These individuals have a lot to gain by promoting
positive mental health because a healthy workplace is more likely to be
productive, innovative, and collaborative, meaning that the organization
will thrive under these conditions.

The following recommendations are based largely on my personal
experience as a faculty member at the University of Michigan. While my
experience is limited to academia, you can see that my recommendations
can apply to nearly any work environment.

\begin{itemize}
\tightlist
\item
  \textbf{Change what defines success.} Understand that success can look
  different for different people and that all members of the
  organization have something to contribute. Service should be based on
  the hours put in and the outcomes. It should not be viewed as
  secondary (or supplementary) to research.
\item
  \textbf{Be flexible with in-person attendance requirements when
  possible.} One thing we've learned during the pandemic is that people
  can successfully carry on with most business from the comforts of
  their homes. This is a game-changer from a mental health standpoint
  because it allows people to have greater control over their work
  environment and they can put the time they'd normally spend on
  commuting toward self-care, whether that means an extra thirty minutes
  of sleep or the freedom to dress down for a day.
\item
  \textbf{Respect weekends and vacation time.} Employees need time off
  from work to recover and come back with fresh ideas and perspective.
  Allow employees to have a break from phone calls and emails when
  possible so that time away from work is really a break.
\item
  \textbf{Be flexible with what constitutes the work day.} In the U.S.,
  8am to 5pm Monday through Friday is the standard work week, but those
  hours are not optimal for everyone. Giving the flexibility for an
  employee to start later (e.g., 10am to 7pm) or shorten the work week
  to four days can allow that individual to balance their personal life
  better, which will lead to positive mental health outcomes.
\item
  \textbf{Address toxic work environments.} If bullying, harassment,
  discrimination, or conflict arise, deal with them immediately. Seek
  outside help if necessary. Allowing a toxic environment to persist
  will negatively impact the mental health of everyone in the
  organization.
\item
  \textbf{Create a culture that values diversity and promotes equity and
  inclusion.} A workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion
  (DEI) may focus on supporting those who are traditionally
  underrepresented but benefits the workplace as a whole.
\end{itemize}

By creating flexibility, the workplace automatically becomes more
accommodating to people who are struggling with mental health,
especially those with mental illness. This is because it allows these
individuals to structure their work week around their optimal times for
productivity. Many people don't realize that people with mental illness
often have to take medications that are sedating, or their sleep is
regularly disrupted. Sometimes that hour saved on the commute can mean
the difference between a good day and a bad day.

\section*{Conclusions}

{\label{256546}}

One good thing that has come about since the pandemic is the increased
attention that is being paid to the topic of mental health. The field of
computing should capitalize on this opportunity to address workplace
conditions that are detrimental from a mental health perspective.
Building on the flexibility that was needed during the ever-changing
conditions of the pandemic, I advocate for added flexibility for workers
in terms of what constitutes the workday. We also need to rethink what
is meant by ``success'' in our discipline and allow for the adoption of
other models of success that may focus more on service and outreach.
Toxic work environments need urgent attention as well because they lead
to poor mental health outcomes. Lastly, a focus on DEI will benefit all
in the workplace, especially those who are traditionally
underrepresented. By making these changes, employers can expect the
well-being of their employees to improve.

\subsection*{Footnote}

{\label{896679}}

\textsuperscript{1} The author of this article has a diagnosis of
bipolar disorder.

\section*{References}

{\label{161116}}

{[}1{]} School of Mental health Ontario
website:~\url{https://smho-smso.ca/students/learn-more/about-your-mental-health/},
accessed 3/12/2022.

{[}2{]} Park, J. (2007). ``Work stress and job
performance,''~\emph{Statistics Canada} .

{[}3{]} Pearlin, L. I. (1999). ``Stress and mental health: A conceptual
overview,'' In A. V. Horwitz \& T. L. Scheid (Eds.), A handbook for the
study of mental health: Social contexts, theories, and systems (pp.
161--175). Cambridge University Press.

{[}4{]} Hossain, M.M., Tasnim, S., Sultana, A., Faizah, F., Mazumder,
H., Zou, L., McKyer, E.L.J., Ahmed, H.U., Ma, P. (2020). ``Epidemiology
of mental health problems in COVID-19: a review,''~F1000Research 9, DOI:
~\href{https://dx.doi.org/10.12688\%2Ff1000research.24457.1}{10.12688/f1000research.24457.1}\emph{~}
.

{[}5{]} Bridgland, V.M.E., Moeck, E.K., Green, D.M., Swain, T.L.,Nayda,
D.M., Matson, L.A., Hutchison, N.P., Takarangi, M.K.T. (2021). ``Why the
COVID-19 pandemic is a traumatic stressor,''~\emph{PLoS ONE,} 16(1),
DOI:~\url{https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0240146}\emph{.}

{[}6{]} Pedersen, D.E., and Minnotte, K.L. (2017). ``Workplace climate
and STEM faculty women's job burnout,'' \emph{Journal of Feminist Family
Therapy} 29 (1-2), 45-65, DOI:
\url{https://doi.org/10.1080/08952833.2016.1230987}.

{[}7{]} Rolle, T., Vue, Z., Murray, S.A., Shareef, S.A., Shuler, H.D.,
Beasley, H.K., Marshall, A.G., Hinton Jr., A. (2021). ``Toxic stress and
burnout: John Henryism and social dominance in the laboratory and STEM
workforce,''~\emph{Pathogens and Disease} 79 (7), ftab041,
DOI:~\url{https://doi.org/10.1093/femspd/ftab041}\emph{~} .

{[}8{]} Cech, E.A., and Waidzunas, T. (2022). ``LGBTQ@ NASA and Beyond:
Work Structure and Workplace Inequality among LGBTQ STEM
Professionals,''~\emph{Work and Occupations} , 07308884221080938,
DOI:~\url{https://doi.org/10.1177\%2F07308884221080938}.

\par\null

\textbf{Ann Jeffers} is an Associate Professor of Civil and
Environmental Engineering at the~University of Michigan in~Ann~Arbor.
Her research focus is~fire safety engineering, finite element analysis,
and computational methods. She received an NSF~CAREER Award (2013) and
the Harry C. Bigglestone Award (2013) for a paper published~in Fire
Technology. Contact her
at:~\href{mailto:jffrs@umich.edu}{\nolinkurl{jffrs@umich.edu}}

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