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accessHealthNews.net
May 2025
Volume 11 | Issue No. 96
Mary Beth Taranow, a retired operating room nurse
Mental health in the workplace has moved
from the margins to the mainstream. As of
2023, nearly one in four adults in the United
States—about 58.7 million people—live
with a mental health condition, according
to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
In the workplace, these conditions can
manifest as difficulty with engagement,
communication, performance, and even
physical symptoms like fatigue, nausea, or
pain. The effects are particularly disruptive
in high-pressure industries, where untreated
conditions contribute to burnout and
absenteeism—and increasingly, to long-
term disability and resignation.
In early 2023, the Kaiser Family Foundation
reported that 34.3% of adults in Missouri
reported symptoms of anxiety and/or
depressive disorders, slightly above the
national average of 32.3%. Kansas has
seen improvements in mental health
rankings, moving from 51st in the nation
in 2023 to 22nd in 2024, yet challenges
persist, particularly among youth, with
about 20% experiencing major depressive
episodes.
Executive dysfunction is one of the most
common workplace hurdles reported by
individuals with conditions such as anxiety,
depression, bipolar disorder, and attention-
deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
These disorders interfere with cognitive
skills like memory, planning, organization,
and focus—often referred to as executive
functioning.
Without support, employees may struggle
to process instructions, prioritize tasks,
or meet deadlines. What's more, many
adults only receive an ADHD diagnosis
later in life, meaning they've often spent
years internalizing feelings of failure,
underperformance, or confusion without
knowing the root cause.
READ MORE
Among women, ADHD has historically gone
undiagnosed, as symptoms are frequently masked by
anxiety, perfectionism, or internalized stress.
