Sofis Solutions employees participated in a Mental Health Workshop

Montevideo, October 16, 2024. 

Sofis Solutions employees attended a Mental Health Workshop addressing anxiety, depression, and suicide.

Today, Sofis Solutions employees participated in a Mental Health Workshop, an activity aligned with Sofis Solutions’ Workplace Health Program. This program aims to comprehensively promote the physical and mental health and well-being of its human capital, to prevent risks related to skill development and the environment where they perform their daily work.

The workshop’s objective was to provide employees with practical tools to properly manage life situations, in order to improve their emotional well-being and foster a culture of support within the workplace.

This session was led by Salomé Rodríguez, a psychology specialist, who discussed the importance of consciously promoting and understanding what mental health is. She also explained related illnesses and coping strategies to help oneself and others through guidelines that contribute to self-care.

The main topics covered in the workshop were anxiety, depression, and suicide. Rodríguez explained that depression is a risk factor for suicidal behavior, resulting from complex interactions between social, family, psychological, and biological factors.

She indicated that during a depressive episode, people experience sadness, irritability, a sense of emptiness, or a loss of pleasure or interest in general activities. Additionally, she emphasized that 90% of people with suicidal behavior may have a mental illness or comorbidity with substance use, but it is not a condition per se; therefore, awareness and sensitization are necessary.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 700,000 people die by suicide each year. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in the 15 to 29 age group. Given this alarming figure, Rodríguez highlighted some guidelines that can help prevent suicide, including empathetic listening, not dismissing or minimizing, not leaving the person alone, reaching out to support networks (family, friends), seeking emergency help, and providing accompaniment.

Furthermore, Sofis Solutions employees learned how to care for their thoughts, recognize symptoms and presentation of anxiety, panic, and depression disorders, as well as how to prevent and detect risk factors associated with suicidal behaviors.

According to the company, conducting these workshops not only raises awareness about mental health but also strengthens collaborative work to create inclusive and healthy environments for its employees.