The Experience from Working with Garment Industry Workers as a Mental Health Social Worker

This study presents the experiential reflections of a Mental Health Social Worker (MHSW) engaged with garment and allied dyeing industries across seven districts of Tamil Nadu — Karur, Dindigul, Tirupur, Hosur, Shoolagiri, Chennai, and Gobichettipalayam. Over 10,000 workers were reached through psychosocial awareness and stress-management initiatives, and 90 workers were trained as Peer Counsellors to extend first-level mental health support within factories. Using a qualitative descriptive design, this paper explores the psychosocial stressors affecting workers, the dynamics of peer-led intervention, and the challenges of integrating mental health into industrial systems. The findings indicate that long working hours, financial insecurity, gender bias, and workplace harassment significantly impair mental well-being. The peer-support approach proved effective in improving emotional resilience, communication, and early detection of distress. The author’s reflection highlights that mental health practice in the industrial sector requires cultural sensitivity, participatory empowerment, and systemic advocacy. This experience underscores that industrial mental health cannot be achieved through clinical counselling alone but must involve collaborative partnerships among workers, supervisors, management, and social workers to ensure sustainable well-being