Mental Health: Take It Seriously Before It Gets Serious

There are those phases when everything comes at once. Projects need to move forward, ideas need to be developed, clients need to be supported, and deadlines need to be met. And sure, hitting the gas is fun. Getting something off the ground together, making things happen, achieving something as a team… That’s exactly why we do this. That’s what we love.

And then, right in the middle of juggling meetings, deadlines, and projects, it sometimes happens quietly and unnoticed: something changes, at first almost imperceptibly. Focus and ease start to fade, the days feel heavier, your mind gets tired, and tasks that usually come easily suddenly drag on like chewing gum. A lingering feeling of being overwhelmed sets in.

Maybe you brush it off at first. It was a tough week, after all. Things will get back to normal. And yet, something keeps gnawing at you.  

At night, as you’re falling asleep, you can still push it aside - that vague feeling that something isn’t right. Like a soft hum in the background that you can’t quite pinpoint, but that’s definitely there. It’s actually impossible to ignore - if you listen closely. Something you sense you should get to the bottom of. Someday, when you might have a little more time and peace of mind, when your head is clearer, when the timing is better than it is now. Maybe it’ll just go away on its own, disappearing just as suddenly as it seemed to come.

That’s quite possible.

Sometimes, though, it lingers, becomes more persistent, and makes itself known more and more often. It tends to happen right when you’re actually trying to wind down.
Until it wakes you up at three in the morning and won’t let you fall back asleep - wide awake, heart pounding, thoughts spinning in a whirlwind. Things you replay in your mind over and over again without ever reaching a conclusion - brooding, doubting, tossing and turning. Your mind is running nonstop. I must have misplaced the off switch recently. Relaxation? It hardly ever happens anymore.

And because you don’t want to think about it either, you simply throw yourself even deeper into your work during the day. Just keep going, carry on, don’t stop for a second - and that’s exactly where the risk lies.  

That vague feeling - one you may have experienced before - isn't getting any less intense (this time). And it isn't going away either; it's growing. 

Mental stress can manifest itself in completely different ways for each person.
But there are almost always warning signs.
You might notice that you lack your usual energy or that your concentration is crumbling away on trivial matters. Everyday tasks become increasingly difficult, or you feel a leaden fatigue as soon as you get out of bed in the morning - you sleep, but you never feel refreshed. Your mood swings more quickly; you become more sensitive and irritable, or you may even withdraw from others. And at some point, you realize that you can no longer truly unwind - even on the couch or in bed, your mind races while your spirit grows increasingly exhausted.
Some of you may be familiar with this; these signs are not uncommon. At the very latest, when they start to interfere with daily life, you should take them seriously.

The fact is: What initially feels like a bit of tiredness or a “rough patch” can quickly and “unnoticed” develop into a truly serious issue. I’m familiar with these warning signs from my own experience. That’s precisely why it’s important to me to write about them - without dramatizing the situation, but also without downplaying it.
The sooner you recognize the signs and seek support, the sooner you can take steps to address the problem.

Mental health conditions are no longer a marginal issue; today, they are among the most common causes of absenteeism. According to the 2026 Absenteeism Report by the AOK Scientific Institute, mental health-related absenteeism among AOK-insured employees has risen by nearly 42% over the past ten years. From 284 days of incapacity for work per 100 members in 2016 to 403 days in 2025.

The duration is particularly noteworthy. In 2025, the average was 28.5 days of absence; for respiratory illnesses, it was 5.7 days. According to the report, diagnoses of burnout have also risen by 77% since 2016.

It is devastating for everyone it affects - friends, partners, and family alike. But it also impacts colleagues who have to pick up the slack, teams that lack energy and stability, and ultimately, companies as well. When burnout leads to illness, it results in a shortage not only of people but also of ideas, skills, and productivity. And costs arise. Mental health is not only a human issue but, unfortunately, also an economic one.

According to the DGPPN (German Society for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics, and Neurology), productivity losses due to mental health-related absences amounted to 35.4 billion euros in 2023.  

Today’s (work) world has become faster, more complex, and more confusing. Information flows in nonstop through a wide variety of channels; being reachable doesn’t automatically end when the workday is over; and values & priorities change or shift. Added to this are growing economic uncertainty, social crises, and personal stresses. Stress, time pressure, high expectations, the pressure to change, self-improvement, and increasing digitalization can all combine to create a constant underlying strain. Often, there isn’t one single major trigger, but rather many small things that gradually add up.

And then just one of them is enough to throw one’s balance off.
The tricky part is this: internally, you often don’t want to admit it to yourself at first, and externally, it isn’t necessarily recognizable. No one walks around with a cast or crutches when their mental health is failing. And yet, the strain can be just as limiting as a “classic” illness.

Not every mental health crisis can be prevented. But there are ways to act quickly - by recognizing early warning signs and creating a space and environment where people can openly discuss stress and seek professional help in a timely manner.
Here at ottomisu, we’ve decided to actively support our team in this regard.

Together with Techniker Krankenkasse, we’ve created a program for our employees that offers concrete support - before things even reach a critical point. This includes various low-threshold resources, such as the WorkLifePortal app (WLP for short), as well as various webinars and workshops. Here, everyone has the opportunity to choose exactly what suits their individual situation.

The program focuses on prevention - finding ways to better manage stress, strengthen personal resilience, and recognize warning signs early on - both in oneself and in others. And if things do get overwhelming, there’s quick, straightforward help available - professional, confidential, and without a lot of red tape.

In addition, we already have two mental health first responders at the company: Sanda and Birgit. They are not a substitute for professional counseling or therapy. But they can listen, provide initial guidance, and help people figure out the next sensible step to take. What matters most to us is that our team knows support is available and that they’re welcome to reach out for it whenever they need it.

It was especially important to us to find something that actually works in everyday life - something that’s easily accessible, practical, and, above all, effective. What measures are helpful always depends on the individual. Everyone has to figure out for themselves what works best. TKK offers a wide range of options for this. And by doing so, we’re bringing mental health challenges into the open, talking about them frankly, and working together to find solutions.

That’s why we urge you: Take warning signs seriously. Talk about them. Take preventive action. For yourselves and for others. Seek support before a faint buzz turns into a deafening, constant roar. Prevention isn’t a luxury; it’s the best investment - in your own health, in stable teams, and in lasting success. Because sometimes, all it takes is a little help and attention to keep you from losing your balance.

Sources:
AOK-Bundesverband: Fehlzeiten-Report 2026, (Published on October 8, 2026).
AOK-Bundesverband: Artikel "Psychische Belastungen senken"
Techniker Krankenkasse, IFBG und Personalmagazin: #whatsnext 2025: Gesund arbeiten in herausfordernden Zeiten.