Wellness Analysis

Self-reflection
Individual Framework of Perception
Critically analyzing the issues of anxiety and depression has significantly influenced my framework of perception concerning the community around me. In particular, I now understand that mental health issues such as anxiety and depression are often ignored in fields outside the healthcare systems, such as in the business environment. However, a critical analysis of anxiety and depression issues has made me understand the magnitude of the problem in the area of residence, in school, in the nation at large, and the world. Mental health disorders are now the leading causes of global health-related burden, with the two most disabling mental disorders being anxiety and depressive disorders (Santomauro et al., 2021). Given this understanding, I now view those affected in the community with a non-judgmental view, recognizing that the condition can affect anyone at any time. Treating those affected by this condition with compassion and empathy without judging them is a crucial step toward offering people the support they need in their recovery journey. In addition, a critical analysis of anxiety and depression has changed my view of how I view mental wellness in school and the workplace. Whereas depression and anxiety may begin from stressful or traumatic events in school or at the workplace, they may also be sparked by other factors, such as social isolation and physical illnesses. This has heightened my role in creating a supportive environment for colleagues at work and school.
Impact of Bias Awareness on One’s Perception
Awareness of bias can change one’s perception of others and the community. Often, bias refers to unintentionally being inclined towards a particular belief or outcome that can affect how an individual searches for and processes information ((Behimehr & Jamali, 2020). In the past, I often viewed depression and anxiety as a mental issue that affected the weak people in society, especially those who cannot handle their emotions and personal concerns. However, with an evaluation and understanding of my bias regarding anxiety and depression, my perception of others has significantly changed my world perception. Notably, I now recognize that depression and anxiety are never associated with personal weaknesses and that it is an issue that can affect everyone in society. Moreover, I have often viewed people with depression as those who could likely pose a threat and a burden to others. For instance, having undiagnosed depression and anxiety increases costs related to unproductivity and reduces health-related quality of life (Collins et al., 2023). However, with a heightened awareness of my personal bias, I now recognize my role as a key player in addressing the financial burden that such issues may pose. Being close to the people affected by mental health issues helps identify people with undiagnosed mental health issues, take proactive steps to address the issues, and minimize related costs.
Influence on the Field of Study or Profession
A critical analysis of wellness, especially regarding anxiety and depression, is critical to my field of business administration and profession. Regarding my areas of study and profession, I now understand the various ignored concepts that may affect business and organizational performance. Mental health issues, especially depression and anxiety, have an impact on businesses and employees directly through increased absenteeism, adverse effects on profits and productivity, and increased costs to deal with the issues (Sarkar et al., 2023). In addition, I currently understand that these two issues may adversely affect employee morale, leading to burnout, workplace conflicts, and disruption in the effective working of workplace teams. Given this understanding, I now recognize that the role of addressing mental health problems rests on the employees and management to address the issues effectively. In addition, the analysis and understanding of mental health problems and their magnitude have enabled me to be an active advocate of support systems in the workplace and school environment. Creating support systems in these critical areas can help support employee and student mental health, significantly contributing to overall productivity.

 
References
Behimehr, S., & Jamali, H. (2020). Cognitive biases and their effects on the information behavior of graduate students in their research projects. Journal of Information Science Theory and Practice / Journal of Information Science Theory and Practice, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.1633/JISTaP.2020.8.2.2
Collins, B., Downing, J., Head, A., Comerford, T., Nathan, R., & Barr, B. (2023). Investigating the impact of undiagnosed anxiety and depression on health and social care costs and quality of life: Cross-sectional study using household health survey data. BJPsych Open, 9(6). https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2023.596
Santomauro, D. F., Herrera, A. M. M., Shadid, J., Zheng, P., Ashbaugh, C., Pigott, D. M., Abbafati, C., Adolph, C., Amlag, J. O., Aravkin, A. Y., Bang-Jensen, B. L., Bertolacci, G. J., Bloom, S. S., Castellano, R., Castro, E., Chakrabarti, S., Chattopadhyay, J., Cogen, R. M., Collins, J. K., & Dai, X. (2021). Global prevalence and burden of depressive and anxiety disorders in 204 countries and territories in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lancet, 398(10312), 1700–1712. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02143-7
Sarkar, S., Menon, V., Padhy, S., & Kathiresan, P. (2023). Mental health and well-being at the workplace. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 66(Suppl 2), S353. https://doi.org/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_608_23