Who can help when you are struggling with anxiety at work? From staff mental health first aiders to approaching your boss, support should always be available.
It’s never ‘just’ Anxiety – and you don’t have to feel alone.
Mental health struggles, such as depression and anxiety, can have a serious impact on your life, and this includes your life at work. They are also tremendously common. According to the Mental Health Foundation, 28% of young people (aged 16-29) were suffering from some form of anxiety as of 2021. So if you struggle with anxiety some or all of the time, you are far from alone.
In this article, we will take a look at what to do if you are struggling with anxiety at work.
What is Anxiety?
According to the NHS, “Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe.” Everyone struggles with anxiety sometimes, and it can be caused by life events or circumstances such as personal problems, health worries, sitting exams, or being stressed at work.
Some of the symptoms of anxiety might include persistent feelings of worry or restlessness, panic, difficulty concentrating, and trouble sleeping. It can also manifest in physical symptoms such as dizziness, a racing heart, tense muscles, or an upset stomach. Not everyone who is suffering from anxiety will have every symptom, and your anxiety might look very different from someone else’s.
Where to Get Support for Anxiety at Work
Low levels of situational anxiety are usually fairly manageable and you can use various coping strategies to deal with them. But if you find it difficult to control your anxiety at work, or if it is starting to impact your job in a negative way, it is important to reach out for help as soon as possible.
Read on to learn about some of the places you can go for support.
Speak to Your Boss, Mentor, or a Trusted Colleague
A good workplace accepts that people are human and will sometimes have struggles. If you feel safe and comfortable doing so, it can be helpful to speak to your boss about your anxiety. This will help them to understand you, give them context for any changes they’ve noticed in your behaviour or your job performance, and allow them to signpost you to appropriate support.
If you have a mentor at work, or even just a trusted colleague you get along with, they can also be great sources of support. Don’t be afraid to ask for that support. You might even learn that they have struggled with anxiety at work at some point, too. As we mentioned above, it’s extremely common.
See a Mental Health First Aider
Mental health first aid means giving aid to a person who is struggling with mental health at work. Mental health first aid is beginning to be understood and used more often in workplaces. Mental health first aiders are trained to spot the signs that someone is struggling with mental health at work, and to provide non-judgemental support, a listening ear, and signposting towards resources.
Check your employee handbook or intranet pages to find out whether your workplace has mental health first aiders and, if so, how you can contact them.
Check Whether Your Workplace Has an EAP
EAP stands for Employee Assistance Programme. This workplace benefit provides support and resources to employees facing personal or work-related challenges. In many cases, you can access the services of a counsellor or therapist through your EAP.
An EAP is completely confidential, meaning that nothing you share will be disclosed to your employer, and the support comes from providers outside of your company. This means that anything you say cannot impact your standing at work, even if you talk about problems you are having in the workplace.
EAPs play a crucial role in keeping employees happy and healthy at work, and are one of the first and best resources you should tap into if your workplace has one.
Make an Appointment with Your Doctor
If you are struggling with serious anxiety, your GP should be your next port of call. They will be able to advise you on ways to manage your anxiety and, if appropriate, refer you to other services such as counselling or therapy.
In some cases, anxiety can be managed with medication. However, doctors usually prefer to explore other modes of treatment first. Your GP will be able to advise you on whether medication is right for you.
Join an Anxiety Support Group
Because anxiety is so common, there will always be other people who are going through (or have been through) the same things that you’re dealing with. An anxiety support group can give you the opportunity to share your experiences in a safe place and get support from people who understand how you feel.
Anxiety UK is a charity dedicated to helping people living with anxiety. The organisation offers a range of courses as well as twice-weekly online support groups that take place over Zoom. You can also find in-person anxiety support groups in many towns and cities, or use a search engine to find an appropriate online support group for you.
Young Minds is an organisation with lots of research, info and support available for young people with anxiety.
Explore Anxiety Management Techniques
There are lots of things you can do to help you manage your anxiety. Learning some anxiety management techniques can help you to cope in the moment when your anxiety is running high, but they can also help to treat it in the long term.
What works for you will be personal, and may require a little trial and error. Breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, mindfulness, CBT techniques, exercise (such as walking, running, or lifting weights), journaling, and distraction techniques are just some of the things you might want to try. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all here.
Don’t Panic
Anxiety can feel overwhelming but, with the right support and resources and a little know-how, you can get through it. Take a breath, and don’t panic. You’ve got this.
Mental health tips
