Imagine your best friend in the office. Can you see their face? Even if you have never socialized with them outside the office, you probably know a fair amount about them. What time they arrive at work, or what causes the occasional tardy. You probably know their marital situation, something about their children, what they do for fun, where they like to eat lunch, and who they enjoy spending their time with.
And if you know all of those things, you would probably also notice if suddenly your expectations of them were circumvented. They no longer leave 30 minutes early on Tuesday to get their daughter to soccer practice. They are now chronically late, always have their office door closed, and have started putting on weight. And if you were to ask them about any of this, they either act like nothing has changed, or they make up some excuse that you know is not true.
Sudden behavioral changes may be a sign that a person is struggling with a mental health concern. It may not be an illness – yet – but if these changes are ignored, they may very well turn into more than just a verbal warning from HR and a larger pair of pants. Looking for these drastic, short-term personality or behavior changes is a valid – though not infallible – litmus test not only for co-workers, but for friends, family members, or anyone else that you may care about. And it may give you an opportunity to engage in an important conversation at a time when that person feels like no one else sees them or cares about them.
It may be an uncomfortable conversation, but consider the implications of choosing to ignore those signs.
