'Economic turmoil' takes mental health toll on CEOs; new treatment program aims to counter high stress levels.

Between the e-mail boxes stuffed with messages, the stacks of unread papers and the phone calls to be made lies a lesser-known item on the executive to-do list: improve mental health.

A program that has gained attention in executive circles for combining psychiatric services, coaching and other holistic programs has been helping San Diego executives deal with the kinds of troubles they're not likely to talk about in a boardroom.

Dr. Mounir Soliman, who heads UC San Diego's Executive Mental Health Program, said the program has graduated a couple hundred executives, their associates and family members since it began four years ago.

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He said it helps executives deal with increasingly high levels of stress, which can often lead to more serious problems such as substance abuse, drinking problems, gambling and impulsive behavior.

"The amount of stress level in the workplace is increasing tremendously for executives," Soliman said. "We have the economic turmoil and pressure on CEOs to improve the bottom line. All of this is adding to the levels of stress."

The costs related to untreated mental illness have significant impacts on the U.S. economy. One study that examined the effects of depression on the workplace found that reduced productivity, stress and absenteeism caused a loss of $44 billion a year.

But stigmas associated with mental illness have kept some from seeking the help they need, according to Scott Suckow, chief executive officer of Mental Health America of San Diego County, formerly the Mental Health Association.

"We've seen some improvements over the past 10 years, which is great, although people still see depression or mental illness as signs of weakness," he said.

Michael Kahn, a licensed Maryland psychologist and executive coach, wanted to identify effective strategies for dealing with stress at the executive level. In 2004, he began interviewing more than 60 executives as part of the CEO Stress Project.

His findings showed that some executives possessed natural skills for handling intense pressures, and others simply needed guidance for dealing with high levels of stress. He referred to it as the "'hardiness factor," or a measure of how well executives performed under pressure.

"People were already downsizing 10 years ago; now they're expected to do more with less staff so indeed they're feeling the pressure," he said. "Some people just don't have what it takes to do it."

One executive enrolled in UCSD's mental health program said he found difficulty balancing work with personal struggles.

Between a 60-hour workweek with mornings beginning as early as 6:30 a.m. and classes to earn a master's degree in business administration, the man said he was struggling to cope as he battled severe depression. Today, he practices meditation, has modified his medicine and says he hasn't had an episode in at least three months.