You can call office and tell them about a severe stomach ache, headache, fever and cough–you can easily claim your leaves. But very few offices will understand ‘I am feeling low’. The retort will usually be, come out, work and the distraction will help. But depression or any other mental health issue isn’t just a momentary phase that can be dealt with distraction. It is more than that. Most offices, and most of us only understand physical ailment.

But here is a firm in Bangalore called DocsApp that is a little hatke with it’s policies. It has introduced mental health care as part of the sick leaves given to its employees. The recognition goes a long way in changing mindsets. And we can’t help but applaud such firms that are trailblazers. “We wish to ensure that everyone counts mental health as a part of overall health. With this initiative, we expect that people will overcome their fear and come forward to address their mental health issues with the same level of importance as physical health. Peace of mind is an important aspect of a person’s overall health that impacts his/her happiness and productivity,” says Supriya Rathi Growth, Alliances & Design, DocsApp.

The concept of Stress Day Off to it’s team is slowly catching up with many multinationals who are realising the importance of mental health and its effect on work. “We automatically associate ‘sick leave’ with someone being physically ill. It has been drilled into us that when we’re sick we need to consult a doctor and take the prescribed medicines. However, we never associate a person being sick to a mental health issue,” says Satish Kannan, Founder.

He adds, “Seeking help from a specialist and following the treatment is vital. With our fast-paced lives and constantly evolving work environment, it is crucial for every company to recognize that mental health issues are very much solvable and their support can win them even more productive and loyal employees in the longer run. It is no more about no. of working hours, but more about the state of the mind, you keep that happy and your employees do their best at work.”