VoV 087: There is No Shame in Mental Illness

Nov 12, 2019

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In this episode of Views on Vue panel discusses mental health. They start by sharing what they do in their free time and consider the value of having a balanced life with hobbies and time spent doing non-code related things. They discuss the importance of respecting your mental health and being aware of where you stand. It is possible to stay aware of things going on in the coding community and to be successful without coding in all your free time. The panel shares strategies and techniques they use to alleviate burn out. Taking breaks and days off. They stress the truth that a mental health day is a sick day. Focusing on the reason you are coding, the people. The panel warns against obligations that trap you in a toxic environment. Inspiration is the next topic the panel discusses. Some of the things to keep their fire burning are considered. Ari explains how Views on Vue helps her stay inspired. Listening to other podcasts and connecting to people. They consider the value in building stupid and crazy tutorials. They discuss how relationships affect mental health. Diagnoses and labels and how they affect us are considered. The panelists open up and explain how being diagnosed affected their mental health. Ways to support those around us with mental illness are explored. Ben explains three things to remember when dealing with anyone not just those with mental illness; be empathetic, ask questions and do not make assumptions. When discussing ways to recognize when a coworker is struggling, Ben introduces red, yellow, green check-ins. He explains that at his work they all share where they are red, yellow or green. This way their team can be aware of their mental state. The panel explains how this activity could benefit them and their teams. Panelists

Ben Hong
Elizabeth Fine
Ari Clark