It is normal in life for the working class to have a case of the “Mondays” from time to time in relation to their workplace. When these emotions increase in intensity and start to interfere with people’s working productivity, it may signal depression (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2011). Individuals in the working environment become estranged from their purpose in society when they lose control over the production process. Marxists believe that forced division of labour and exploitation creates alienation among individuals (Mullaly, 2007). This is an ongoing issue within the capitalism system that effects the working classes mental health. Although the welfare state does not solve the problem, they do provide a better understanding and recognition of the capitalist system to the people in the workplace (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2011). Therefore the social work practice reinforces conformity of the individual’s purpose to the systems values to reduce workplace challenges.
Mullaly (2007) writes, “when humans lose control over the production process and form the product of their labour that the person becomes alienated from his or her true essence and from society” (p. 141). This text refers to the industrialization of people in the workplace, where individuals lose focus on their role in the capitalist system. An example of this would be when an individual is required to work in an assembly line for a factory. The individual may only deal with one part of the finished product thus, losing control of the production process. Social work practices are used to reduce work impairment caused by the problems that lie within a capitalist society.
Marxists believe that there are two ways of looking at the welfare state within capitalism. While “the welfare state does provide minimal help to some people, its main function is to support and strengthen the liberal-capitalist system” (Mullaly, 2007, p. 149). Looking at the broader scope of the welfare state, the social work practices that are put in place do not truly solve the individual’s problems with depression in the workplace. The social work practices only reinforce conformity to the capitalist systems values, which created the individuals mental illness in the first place.
Marxists believe that capitalism was doomed because of its internal class conflicts that would eventually lead to its self-destruction (Mullaly, 2007). What Marxists did not account for was the evolution of capitalism into a complex and adaptive system. By using the welfare state to keep the ongoing challenges of individual’s mental health under control, the system can continue production. Completely solving the effects of capitalism on the individuals within the working environment would require deep-seated change in society and its fundamental institutions (Mullaly, 2007). In order to completely eradicate alienation within the working environment it would require the downfall of the capitalist system.
Depression does affect men and women of any age, education and status; at any time 1 in 20 employees may experience depression (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2011). Large industries are implementing supportive systems into the welfare state to help individuals with mental illness. This can be one example of capitalisms’ evolutions. By helping employees with mental disabilities they will not be vulnerable to long-term work impairment (Gilmour & Scott, 2007). The welfare state is beneficial for both employers and employees because it’s working towards greater degrees of human well-being.
Tending to the immediate needs of individuals is an effective way of enabling them to continue to improve work productivity. (Mullaly, 2007). When employees are provided with help for a mental illness that originated from the capitalist system’s work environment, it stabilizes class conflict. This in turn impacts the working classes ability to continue and improve work productivity. This relationship can be exemplified by the growing need of mental health disability days within the working class (Gilmour & Scott, 2007). Depression is associated with personal and workplace challenges that people must over come in order to be a productive employee.
Individuals can not diagnose their own problems through the welfare system. Employees can be directed through social work practices towards different types of supports such as counseling, self-help groups, family and peer support, or referrals to specialists (Canada Mental Health Association, 2011). When genuine relationships form in the workplace it creates an environment that promotes work productivity. Whether people have a severe or minor case depressive episodes, they can recover from the affects of their mental disability if they receive help. Co-workers may also have a role in helping individuals who are showing signs of depression by offering encouragement and supporting their recovery process (Gilmour & Scott, 2007). There are a variety of different options for individuals to receive help managing their personal and work place challenges. This illiterates that social work practices within the working environment help improve individuals with mental illnesses work productivity.
A broad scope of the welfare states role in the workforce shows that it supports people in coping with mental illnesses in relation to the capitalist system. Capitalism has been able so far to mutate and co-opt many of its own negative attributes such as alienated individuals (Mullaly, 2007). In the capitalist society today, people are motivated to reach their full status sequence potential within the working environment. The reason why mental illness has not been the downfall of capitalism is due to the welfare states role in the reinforcing of employees purpose within the system.
-Chandra B
References
Gilmour, H. & Patten, S. (2007). Depression and Work Impairment. Health reports / Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Health Information, 18 (1), 9-22.
Mullaly, B. (2007). The New Structural Social Work (3rd ed.). Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press Canada.
Canadian Mental Health Association. (2011). Depression in the Workplace. Retrieved from: http://www.cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=3-86-87-91&lang=1
Very informative post. I notice more than ever people are taking some medication or another for something. Do you think it is because problems are being given a name and a diagnoses now when before they went unnoticed or do you think it is because of the changes in society that are creating more mental illnesses.
ReplyDeleteBrittany
Thank you. This is a good point, depression is a very real problem for people in todays society. So using anti-depressants may be sought after by some people as 'quick fix' to solving personal challenges. The search for a solution for mental illnesses is very complex and have to be treated with therapy and in sever cases with medication. I do think that societies advertisements for anti-depressant medication can be misleading to people who have not looked into alternative options. Although, these medications are for people who have been diagnosed with depression by a professional, they are also advertised to give people the belief that by buying into that specific product is the best solution for their problem. This is why I feel that people need to realize that depression is normal for humans to experience from time to time. So in conclusion, I do agree to some degree that people in todays society are creating their own mental illness. This is because of the belief that by showing signs of depression people are in need of medication to stop this from happening. The problem of this issue comes from people who self-diagnose their own symptoms of depression. To diagnose mental illnesses people need to seek help from a professional before drawing conclusions of depression.
ReplyDeleteChandra, B