Recognizing the 10 Subtle Signs of Mental Health Crisis

Recognizing the 10 Subtle Signs of Mental Health Crisis

1. Changes in Behavior: 

• A normally outgoing server becoming unusually quiet or short-tempered with customers or colleagues.

2. Decline in Performance: 

• Making more mistakes with orders, forgetting customer requests, or struggling to keep up with the pace of service.

3. Physical Symptoms: 

• Complaints of frequent headaches or stomachaches, or visibly appearing fatigued or rundown during shifts.

4. Increased Absenteeism or Tardiness: 

• Being consistently late for shifts or calling in sick more often than usual.

5. Decreased Engagement: 

• Showing less enthusiasm during pre-shift meetings, avoiding team-building activities, or contributing less to brainstorming sessions.

6. Changes in Communication: 

• Difficulty maintaining focus during conversations with customers or coworkers, or seeming less responsive to feedback or instructions.

7. Heightened Emotionality: 

• Reacting strongly to minor mishaps, such as dropping a plate or spilling a drink, with frustration or tears.

8. Physical Self-Care Changes: 

• Neglecting to tie back hair properly, appearing disheveled in uniform, or not keeping up with personal grooming standards.

9. Isolation: 

• Preferring to take breaks alone or avoiding staff gatherings after work.

10. Uncharacteristic Behavior: 

• Engaging in risky behaviors like drinking excessively after shifts or becoming overly defensive when receiving feedback from supervisors.