Racing thoughts, dizziness, increased heart rate, excessive worry and other symptoms of anxiety don’t just affect people at home; anxiety can affect nearly every aspect of a person’s life. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), 72% of people who have daily stress and anxiety state that it interferes with their lives at least moderately, with approximately 56% saying their anxiety most often impacts their work performance. Work-related anxiety may be caused by a demanding boss, a toxic workplace environment, heavy deadlines, or something else. No matter the cause, anxiety can certainly cause people to not only become less productive at work but can cause them to despise showing up for work altogether.
A 2017 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health emphasized that employees with anxiety experience lower employment rates, long-term unemployment, increased risk of exposure to inequalities at work such as lower salaries or discrimination, decreased participation, increased absenteeism, and more compared to those without anxiety. If you have experienced these outcomes of work-related anxiety, it’s important that you seek help today. What are some ways that you can better manage your anxiety at work? There are a few things that you can do to potentially help your work situation:
- Speak with a trusted coworker so that you have someone at work who understands what you’re going through
- Share your concerns with a direct manager above you so that you can identify some solutions to work-related issues
- Talk to someone at your work’s Human Resource Department to see what options the company can offer to help you better manage your anxiety
Treatment can be a great option for you if anxiety has taken over your life in a significant way. Therapy can give you an opportunity to develop new tools towards better managing your anxiety, with some clients taking medication as well to help them get a clear sense of mind while focusing on their recovery. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common therapy technique to help clients change unwanted, negative thought patterns into newer, more positive and productive ones.
A 2018 study published in the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation assessed the effectiveness of either work-related cognitive behavioral therapy (W-CBT) or regular CBT on 168 participants who were on sick leave from work for anxiety-related reasons. While either could be very helpful to someone with anxiety, the study suggested W-CBT as a more relevant form of therapy for this issue.
Avalon Malibu is a world-renowned, California state-licensed mental health and substance abuse recovery center. If you are ready to seek treatment to develop the tools you need to overcome life’s obstacles and be on the road towards happiness, health, and well-being, call us today at 888-958-7511 for a consultation. It’s never too late, and there are people here ready to help you.
References
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/5/466/htm
