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Rising number of accountants seek mental health help

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26th Mar 2015
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More accountants are seeking help for mental health problems and stress, according to chartered accountants charity CABA.

CABA supports current and former members of the ICAEW. In this years' annual Impact Report, figures show it has helped 5,500 chartered accountants and their families in 32 countries in 2014, up 57% from the previous year.

Employment support (24%), mental health (18%) and legal advice (16%) were the most common problems.

In addition, the charity gave counselling to more than 200 chartered accountants in 2014, up 33% on the previous year, and also started a life-coaching service done over the phone.

CABA said it had received "significant investment" and as such increased the variety of courses. It has added three new ones including an introduction to mindfulness. 

There has been a 60% increase of course attendance on the previous year. Over 1,277 delegates attended a course in the UK or abroad in 2014. 

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By Tim Vane
26th Mar 2015 14:11

"An introduction to

"An introduction to mindfulness" ??

Yep, that would send me to the moon house.

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By Sam Beedle
27th Mar 2015 11:56

Work life balance or losing stigma

As an accountant who has worked for several mental health organisations and been a user of mental health services, I can't help but be surprised and a little shocked at the increase in uptake of the CABA services.

I’m personally hoping this is due to a decrease in the stigma attached to mental health making normal people who just need a little help more willing to seek this through available services.

However I suspect this is actually due to increased workloads and therefore stress and anxiety levels increase heaped onto us by the need to always make more profit or reduce those costs!!

Keep up the good work CABA!!

                                                                                                                                                    

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By Paul Dunn
27th Mar 2015 14:27

Mental health issues
It's a similar (and equally sad) story in Australia. The main NGO for Depression - it's called 'Beyond Blue' - reported the biggest increase in its clients coming from Professional Service Firms. And most significantly, the CEO at the time made the point very, very forcibly that the reason was, believe it or not, the billable hour. She said forcing people to keep time was the root cause. She said it much more strongly than that, "The Timesheet seriously is a major cause of depression in the profession. People are chained to time sheets." And as John Chisholm so eloquently puts it: "time recording is the real cancer in our profession."

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Replying to insolventnl:
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By wilcoskip
27th Mar 2015 20:08

Timesheets

Kent accountant wrote:

Paul Dunn wrote:
"time recording is the real cancer in our profession."

Rubbish!

Whilst I'm not a timesheet advocate this really is misplaced and belittles the real issues which lead to increased stress levels- i.e. workload, inadequate budgets, working hours, fear of loss of employment etc.

In the bad old days, when I worked for a twisted boss, these issues were all inextricably bound up with timesheets.  I appreciate that's not everyone's experience, but it was mine.

WS.

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Man of Kent
By Kent accountant
27th Mar 2015 18:32

Really?

I'm not convinced that the increase in those seeking help is due to increased stress levels.

I think it has more to do with people being more aware of the help available (especially as the article mentions that more help is available) and the fact that seeking this type of help is considered more acceptable now.

A few years ago there would have been more of a stigma associated with seeking help and that a person would be considered 'weak' whereas the truth is its the exact opposite - they recognise that they have issues which they need help with.

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By Steve McQueen
29th Mar 2015 21:42

As the very good friend of someone with mental health issues...
... I can confirm that CABA ran away very very quickly and did absolutely nothing when presented with an ICAEW member who desperately needed their help.

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