Crikey, it’s dark when you get to work before 8am. For my mental well-being, I walk at least part of the way to work, do it early, and then leave correspondingly early for the return walk. This is a wee routine that I need to look after myself.
Today it also meant I was in my office for a radio invitation to talk about Kiri Allan’s resignation from her ministerial portfolios. What commentary might I have about whether we expect too much of our MPs? What mental-health supports are in place for our MPs?
The call was framed around mental health, rather than alleged careless driving, or failing to accompany a police officer, because Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ press release goes on to place Allan’s case in a context of mental well-being. I shall be interested to see how the Opposition choose to frame this. It wasn’t so many years ago (2015) that Act leader David Seymour appeared to say depressed or anxious people, specifically students, should “harden up”.
Personally, I think mental health is an important factor in helping us understand why someone might appear to go off the rails, but in many cases, it’s also not an excuse. Whether or not Seymour was taken out of context, as he and generations of politicians have argued, I don’t believe it’s the sole burden of the person involved. “We”, as in people, our institutions and the state, share a responsibility to support folk experiencing tough times.
I appreciate that politicians are among the least trusted, and least liked, of our people. I’m not suggesting we should feel sorry for them but that it’s not easy trying to make the world a better place knowing that people don’t trust or like you.
In 2019, psychiatrist and Tory MP Dr Dan Poulter published the results of a survey of British MPs’ mental health in the British Medical Journal. About 40% reported “suboptimal” mental health, and a further third met criteria for probable ill health. Large-scale community studies using the well-validated General Health Questionnaire, which assesses for common mental disorders, suggest that just under one in five similarly highly paid non-politicians meet the same cutoff – MPs are about twice as likely to report problematic ill-being.
Female MPs were even more likely to report probable ill health.
Poulter suggests political lives are inherently stressful and are characterised by chronic overwork. The paper pointed me to a comparative study of British, Queensland, Norwegian and New Zealand politicians (we had the highest response rate – good on us). It shows more than half had experienced harassment that meets the legal definition of stalking, with one in five or more experiencing damage to their property, being threatened or actually attacked.
Just as there continues to be a stigma associated with disclosing mental distress for New Zealanders in general, Poulter reports that half of MPs didn’t feel comfortable disclosing their distress to colleagues. Even more were unaware of any mental health supports available to parliamentarians. More recent research has shown a similar picture for people who work in support of government – the backroom staff who keep the wheels spinning.
In 2022, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association published a Mental Health Toolkit for Commonwealth parliaments, with a foreword by ex-MP Louisa Wall. She notes that the UK parliamentary counselling helpline received about three calls a day from distressed MPs.
Among other things, the preamble points out that parliamentarians need to be supported because of the importance of the job they do. When people are unable to work because of mental distress, those absences tend to be longer (on average) than for physical illness.
I’d also argue it’s important for MPs to role model acknowledging mental distress, seeking appropriate support and taking time out. I’m sad to see Allan leave her portfolios in this way, and I’m sad for others similarly finding life tough. The key thing is being able to get time away in a supportive environment.
Where to get help:
If it’s an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
· Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor
· Suicide Crisis Helpline – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
· Lifeline – 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP)
· Youthline – 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
· 0800 What’s Up - 0800 942 8787
· Samaritans – 0800 726 666
· Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or free text 4202 to talk to a trained counsellor, or visit depression.org.nz
· Anxiety New Zealand - 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY)
· Healthline – 0800 611 116
· Additional specialist helpline links: https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/get-help/in-crisis/helplines/
