Stronger Than Fear: Mental Health in the Developer Community

STRONGER THAN FEAR  MENTAL HEALTH IN THE DEVELOPER COMMUNITY Ed
Finkler • @OSMIHelp • OSMIhelp.org WCSEA • November 2017 • #osmi

@osmihelp WHO DIS?

@osmihelp “WEBMASTER”

@osmihelp OPEN SOURCING MENTAL ILLNESS Since 2012

@osmihelp UNCOMFORTABLE AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION SECTION

@osmihelp BACK TO ME

@osmihelp GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER

@osmihelp ADHD

@osmihelp I TAKE MEDS

@osmihelp I SEE A THERAPIST

@osmihelp IT IMPACTS MY WORK EVERY DAY

@osmihelp SOMETIMES IT GIVES ME SUPERPOWERS

@osmihelp SOMETIMES IT RUINS ME

@osmihelp IT CAN TAKE EVERYTHING

@osmihelp ALONE

@osmihelp THE WORLDWIDE COMMUNITY

@osmihelp W.H.O. STUDY GLOBAL BURDEN OF DISEASE

@osmihelp BURDEN OF MENTAL DISORDERS IS THE LARGEST OF ALL
DISORDER CATEGORIES IN NORTH AMERICA GREATER THAN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE GREATER THAN CANCER (W.H.O. 2008)

@osmihelp “In all regions, neuropsychiatric conditions are the most important
causes of disability, accounting for around one third of Years Lost to Disability among adults aged 15 years and over” (W.H.O. 2008)

@osmihelp 1/3 OF YEARS LOST TO DISABILITY

@osmihelp THE TECH COMMUNITY

@osmihelp BASICALLY NO RESEARCH

@osmihelp SO WE DO IT

@osmihelp MENTAL HEALTH IN TECH 2016 SURVEY RESULTS US Non-self
employed only; as of 11/16/2016 osmihelp.org/research

@osmihelp Do you think that discussing a health issue with
your employer would have negative consequences? Mental Physical osmihelp.org/research

@osmihelp Would you bring up a health issue with a
potential employer in an interview? Mental Physical https://osmihelp.org/research

@osmihelp Does your employer provide resources to learn more about
mental health issues and how to seek help? osmihelp.org/research

@osmihelp Do you feel that being identified as a person
with a mental health issue would hurt your career? osmihelp.org/research

@osmihelp Have you been diagnosed with a mental health condition?
osmihelp.org/research

@osmihelp SICK WORKERS DON’T WORK

@osmihelp WHAT’S THE UPSIDE?

@osmihelp MENTAL WELLNESS = BETTER EMPLOYEES http://www.taadas.org/publications/prodimages/A%20Mental%20Health%20Friendly%20Workplace.pdf

@osmihelp PEOPLE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU http://www.taadas.org/publications/prodimages/A%20Mental%20Health%20Friendly%20Workplace.pdf

@osmihelp “We talk about 10x developers as being a fairy
tale, but you take a developer with crippling depression, get them to the right treatment, and they will literally be 10x more productive.” Greg Baugues

@osmihelp CHANGE IS HARD

@osmihelp 1. GET THE OSMI HANDBOOKS

@osmihelp 2. SPEAK OPENLY ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

@osmihelp 3. TELL PEOPLE THEY MATTER

@osmihelp …

@osmihelp “It really sucks to have a brain that wants
to continually sabotage you and keeps you from reaching your potential.”

@osmihelp “I always want to go out and meet others
in the development field, but I can't get myself to go to any of the meetups or conferences. I'd gone to one day conference but was too nervous to talk with any of the other attendees. I left feeling like an idiot for not introducing myself to anyone.”

@osmihelp “I deal with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and take the
same meds you do. I first noticed this condition as a teenager, and I'm almost 30 now. I'm still incredibly embarrassed about the condition and most likely will not tweet about this topic out of pure shame, unfortunately.”

@osmihelp COMMUNITIES ARE ABOUT PEOPLE NOT CODE

@osmihelp OUR COMMUNITY

@osmihelp OUR COLLEAGUES

@osmihelp OUR FRIENDS

@osmihelp OUR PEOPLE

@osmihelp SUFFER IN SILENCE

@osmihelp DISAPPEAR

@osmihelp ONLY FEAR ALLOWS THIS

@osmihelp CHOOSE

@osmihelp WE CAN CHOOSE TO GIVE IN TO FEAR

@osmihelp MEET INACTION WITH ACTION

@osmihelp MEET CONFUSION WITH UNDERSTANDING

@osmihelp MEET INDIFFERENCE WITH COMPASSION

@osmihelp Choose Now. osmihelp.org/donate STRONGER THAN FEAR

@osmihelp WE NEED VOLUNTEERS SOCIAL MEDIA LEAD FUNDRAISING LEAD PUBLIC
RELATIONS LEAD DESIGNERS FRONT-END DEVS WRITERS

ED FINKLER FOUNDER OPEN SOURCING MENTAL ILLNESS @OSMIHELP • OSMIHELP.ORG
PATREON.COM/OSMIHELP OSMIHELP.ORG/DONATE

Stronger Than Fear: Mental Health in the Develo...

Stronger Than Fear: Mental Health in the Developer Community

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