Links between skin conditions such as psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema and poor mental health will be among the topics discussed at an upcoming conference organised by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).
Taking place on Monday 3 December, the conference, ‘Mental wellbeing – the next step’, has been organised by IOSH’s Thames Valley and South Coast branches and will provide delegates with the necessary tools to identify issues with mental wellbeing in the workplace and help individuals who need support.
An expert talk by Dr Helen Taylor, an Associate Member of IOSH and a Partner at EnviroDerm Services, will explore how poor mental health can have significant effects on the condition of our skin.
Dr Taylor said:
“Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression can have a profound influence on the condition of our skin. Skin is often described as the ‘window of the soul’, as it reflects how we’re feeling on the inside as much as it shows how we’re feeling on the outside.
“A number of skin conditions including psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema can be caused or exacerbated by poor mental health. Our skin is a barrier to external illness, so when it isn’t faring well it impacts our defences. Sadly, despite skin being our largest organ, skin diseases are often overlooked, as people do not view them as the top priority. This can have a snowball effect, as failing to treat skin conditions can affect us in other ways, including having negative impacts on our mental health and causing sleep deprivation due to being uncomfortable in bed.
“My talk will discuss the origins of our skin, how our skin links with the nervous system and the relationship between skin, health and disease.”
In a separate speech, Joscelyne Shaw, from Mates in Mind, will be discussing the importance of mental wellbeing in the UK construction industry.
Mates in Mind aims to raise awareness, address the stigma of poor mental health and improve the positive mental wellbeing of construction workers.
Poor mental health in the construction industry was recently described during IOSH’s first annual construction conference as ‘the silent epidemic’, with work-related stress, depression and anxiety overtaking musculoskeletal disorders as the most reported workplace health issue in the sector and the construction industry having more suicides than any other profession, with 454 construction workers taking their own lives in 2016.
During the conference, a panel of speakers from HR, occupational health and procurement will also discuss and take questions about mental wellbeing in the workplace and what employers can do to support their staff.
The conference, on Monday 3 December at the Ark Conference Centre Ltd, Dinwoodie Drive, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG24 9NN between 8:00 –16:30.
