Mental Health Awareness in Construction

By Cayden Wemple. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and focusing on mental health has never been more important in the construction industry. 

When you think of a construction worker, you may think of a strong person who doesn’t let anything get to their head. You might be surprised to know that according to  Level-Up Consultants, 83% of construction workers admitted experiencing past or present mental health issues. America is experiencing a mental health pandemic and no industry has been hit harder than construction. That’s why it’s so important to have mental health first aid skills under your belt. 

One of the first things you will learn when studying mental health first aid will be the ability to notice signs in someone struggling with a mental health issue, one of which can be a substance use disorder. You will also learn how to navigate conversations about mental health issues and substance use disorder concerns, as well as tackling the stigmas of those conversations in the construction industry.  

The facts about mental health issues in the construction industry are alarming. In a handout from Level-Up Consultants, reports from the CDC, American Addiction Centers and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations (SAMHSA) found that: 

• Employees in the construction industry are almost twice as likely to have a substance abuse problem than the average American. 
• 12% of construction workers experience an alcohol abuse disorder compared to 7.5% nationally. 
• Every twelve minutes, a construction worker dies via suicide. 
• Construction workers are more than 7x more likely to die from an opioid overdose than the average American. 

Construction is often seen as dangerous for the physical hazards that workers find themselves surrounded by, but there hasn’t been as much of an emphasis on the mental strain that they find themselves enduring. If you or a loved one are in the construction industry and are looking for resources to help with your struggle, these are great places to start: 

• Man Therapy 
• Center for Workplace Mental Health 
• Peer-to-peer support 
• Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention