"I apologize ahead of time to anyone who works in mental health care. You've all done so much to reduce stigma and encourage people to get help when they need it. It would be really very wrong to use persisting stigma to get out of an awkward situation at work. And some of the worst trolls are "concern trolls," who say "I'm just worried about..." to use concern to undermine people."
"When you have a private moment with your boss, tell him you're all worried about him. It must have been traumatizing to go to the ER. You all respect his privacy about personal medical matters and are surprised that he is sharing personal details with his staff. You wonder if he needs help processing the trauma, since it is still weighing so heavily on his mind. Is there an employee assistance program (EAP) he could refer to? Maybe he should talk to someone?"
Using persisting stigma about mental health to avoid an awkward situation at work would be wrong. Some people pose as "concern trolls" to use worry to undermine others. A private, compassionate approach is recommended: tell the boss that colleagues are worried, acknowledge that going to the ER was likely traumatizing, and note surprise that he is sharing personal medical details with staff. Suggest that he might need help processing the trauma and ask whether an employee assistance program (EAP) is available. Encourage him to consider talking to a mental-health professional, while recognizing that this advice could be wrong depending on the boss.
Read at Slate Magazine
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