The Call That Changed Everything: My Mental Health Journey
Eileen, a process support officer at SSE, shares her mental health struggles and the support that has helped her get through.
In 2017, I began to realise just how much my mental health had suffered. I was frightened to ask for help because I believed that if I did, the life I had built around my girls could be taken away from me.
My story
In 2016, my brother Jim sadly passed away following struggles with both physical and mental health challenges.
At that time, I was a young mum of two, working across financial contracting roles while, like many families in Ireland and across the world, trying to recover from the aftermath of the financial crash.
What I didn't realise then was how heavily all of this was weighing on me. The pressure, grief, stress, and emotional exhaustion quietly built up over time. I joined SSE in August 2016, but it wasn't until Christmas 2018 that I truly recognised I had reached breaking point.
As a mum, you know when something has to change. You know you need to reach out for a lifeline before everything becomes too much.
Getting Support
I remember sitting there holding the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) card in my hand, staring at the contact number before finally making the call, tears streaming down my face.
To the person who answered that phone - Thank you.
I was overwhelmed, emotional, and completely lost in that moment. I could barely remember my own name or where I worked. Years of built up emotion simply poured out of me.
Making that call became the turning point in my life, and I have never regretted it.
I received the professional support I needed and began learning the tools and coping skills that continue to help me every day. I'm still learning, but one of the biggest lessons for me has been the importance of opening up to people I trust and learning to be kinder to myself.
By nature, I'm an optimistic and bubbly person with a real lust for life. But life can throw unexpected curveballs at any of us. That's why it's so important to discover the coping mechanisms that work for you personally and to never feel ashamed of needing support.
I'm grateful to SSE for being a company that supports diversity and flexibility, both of which have helped me maintain a healthier work-life balance. I'm also incredibly thankful to my colleagues for their support and understanding.
If you're going through a difficult time, please reach out. Speak to your line manager. Talk to a colleague, a friend, or someone you trust.
The first step is always the hardest - but it could also be the most important one you ever take.
