Why We Need to Rethink Mental Health Treatment: The Power of Employment

By: Christopher Jackson, MD

Imagine if we viewed employment as essential to mental health recovery as medication or therapy. In their eye-opening article, Robert E. Drake and Michael A. Wallach propose just that: work should be a central part of mental health care. Their argument challenges us to rethink how we approach recovery—moving beyond symptom control to empowering people with purpose, stability, and community.

Here’s why integrating employment into mental health treatment isn’t just a good idea—it’s revolutionary:

1. Employment Supercharges Mental Health

Work heals. Research shows that holding a job can significantly boost mental health—even for those with serious conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or depression. Employment provides structure, purpose, and a sense of achievement. It’s more than just earning a paycheck—it’s about rebuilding confidence and identity, two critical components of recovery.

Imagine the shift: instead of isolating individuals based on their conditions, we empower them through work, showing them they are capable, valuable, and part of something bigger.

2. Supported Employment: A Proven Game-Changer

Programs like Individual Placement and Support (IPS) are turning lives around. Unlike traditional job programs, IPS focuses on getting people into competitive, meaningful jobs—and it works. With a success rate around 60%, people who were once sidelined are finding stability and growth in the workforce.

These aren’t just jobs—they’re lifelines. With ongoing support, individuals find roles that match their strengths and passions, igniting a path toward both recovery and purpose.

3. Beyond the Paycheck: The Ripple Effect of Work

Employment creates a ripple effect of benefits:

Boosted self-esteem: Every completed task and every paycheck is a reminder that you matter.

Symptom management: Being engaged in meaningful work reduces mental health symptoms, stabilizing individuals.

Community integration: Jobs connect people, bringing them out of isolation and into networks that foster belonging.

Work isn’t just about the economy; it’s about restoring lives.

4. A Startling Employment Gap

Here’s the reality: Only 10-15% of people with serious mental health conditions in high-income countries are employed. This gap is staggering, especially considering the clear benefits work provides. Despite progress in mental health treatment, employment rates remain shockingly low because most systems still focus narrowly on medication and therapy, ignoring the bigger picture of what recovery truly looks like.

We need a paradigm shift—from focusing only on symptom management to helping people achieve real-world goals.

5. Work is Both Effective and Cost-Saving

Supported employment isn’t just powerful—it’s cost-efficient. The math is simple: helping people stay employed reduces their need for expensive hospital stays and long-term mental health services. In the long run, employment not only enhances individual lives but also saves resources for mental health systems.

It’s a win-win: healthier individuals and healthier systems.

6. A Legal and Moral Imperative

In countries like the U.S., employment rights for people with mental health conditions are protected under laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). People want to work, and they have the right to access meaningful employment. Creating these opportunities isn’t just a best practice—it’s an ethical duty.

Imagine a society where we see work as a tool for healing, not just survival.

7. A New Focus for Mental Health Care

Drake and Wallach call for a fundamental shift: Mental health treatment should focus not just on reducing symptoms, but on helping people live meaningful, fulfilled lives. For many, that means work. A job provides hope and a sense of purpose, even when some psychiatric symptoms persist.

It’s time to embrace the idea that recovery is more than “getting better”—it’s about living fully. And employment is key to that journey.

In Conclusion: Why Employment Must Be at the Heart of Mental Health Care

The message is clear: employment is essential to mental health recovery. It empowers individuals, restores dignity, and helps them reclaim control over their lives. Beyond managing symptoms, it offers the chance to thrive. It’s time to prioritize work as a core element of mental health treatment—creating not just healthier individuals but stronger, more inclusive communities.

Work heals. Let's make it part of the recovery story for everyone.