Informing manager / superior about anxiety
I have been suffering from work related anxiety for the last 3-4 months. I have recently started taking medications for it. I am supposed to move to Bengaluru as my wfh has ended. My parents think it's a good idea as it will help change my environment. I am wondering if it's a good idea to share about it at my workplace with my manager/superior. I know it's subjective, but still. Because I am worried this has started to affect my performance. Also, I am a talkative and emotional person and may end up slipping these things anyway.
Don't share this with anyone in workplace unless you really trust your manager who you know will always have your back
But please start seeking therapy regularly and actively, and do have faith in the process. You'll be available to cope with it better hopefully
Would be better if you could find a therapist via referral. The one I contacted just wanted to rip me off with non stop sessions, no good advice. Find a good one
This is very close to heart, let me share my personal experience.
I joined a new job and found it extremely hard to cope. A new city, a taxing role, and got hit by anxiety.
I didn't want to tell my manager because I would look weak. But after a point, it became bad. I would have to walk out of meeting rooms because of cold sweats and high heart rate.
I ultimately told my manager, cuz it looks almost like I'm a casual college student.
Started the pills, solved it somehow in 2 weeks (under). Never happened again. But for those 2 weeks, I was relieved I told them. It just made the anxiety lesser too, cuz I knew they knew.
Whatsinthename
Stealth
7 months ago
It's nice that you have identified and accepted that you have work related anxiety , that's the first step to help yourself, please work on your anxiety and try to figure out the root cause , medications will help in short term.
While the response is subjective based on facts. Your manager is not your friend and your office is not your family, it's not helpful to discuss these matters with them unless the Company culture and your manager is supportive of it.
Moonknight
Stealth
7 months ago
Please don't share! This will be held against you. This is too personal and you can take all the help you want but corporate doesn't vibe with this. Unless you've a godsent manager, it's best to keep this with you.
I too had this a long ago, it got better with time in my case. Not sure how your environment is, for all I know work on yourself/take help. Don't divulge.
How much trust you’ve on your manager?
If anything < 100%, don’t share. It will lead to many insecurities related to your profile.
Woah, hold on, get a room, chilled beer, take a paper, pencil, eraser (not a pen)
Draw a vertical line in the middle of the paper, left column says, GET *insert V2 verb* BY. Right says, NEED TO *insert present future tense* FROM.
Those inserts - you'll put them on your own.
Try it and update later
bestbachelorcook
Stealth
7 months ago
Fellow with the same history here.
If you have good friends in Bangalore, hangout with them regularly. Workout, yes it helps a ton.
I had work related anxiety when I was wfh, leading upto to panic attacks, got medication for them. I have to use them once a month or in two months, but having friends to talk to, being physically present with them has helped. Avoid telling your manager about these issues completely, you don't know how they might start taking this information. Try to stay in the sunlight more, even if it tans you. Sunlight is therapy for anxiety. Check if your vitamin d is low, make sure you take supplements and proper sunlight for that.
Eat healthy. Work out, stay in presence of people you feel great around. Do stupid shit, laugh. Everything will get normal.
Bro no matter what try your best to keep this limited to you unless you trust your manager/colleagues like a mentor.
And if you feel like sharing your thoughts with someone, don't hesitate in calling up your friends/family.
For work related anxiety, try to figure out what sorry aspect exactly is causing this anxiety. And try to discuss the underlying problem openly with your manager in a 1-1
- learn to say No
- set boundaries
- see if there's impostor syndrome and get out of it
- don't buy if someone is gaslighting you
- learn the most effective term 'bandwidth' 😂 and how to use it.
SociallyClueless
Stealth
7 months ago
While you have understood that you suffer from work related anxiety, try and understand the specific triggers. Knowing the triggers and being able to predict the onset will prove immensely helpful. Meanwhile therapy, meditation and medication will help in the short term.
As far as letting the office know, I wouldn't recommend it at this stage. If you have a buddy at work, you may confide in them. Just to ensure that you have someone who can help if things get bad. As far as officially informing, contemplate that a couple of months down the line. I wish you all the very best! Take care.
Don't share it at all.
It happened with me due to one toxic person I was working with. I ask manager to pull me out from that project and while explaining him the matter I broke in front of him. Somehow he manage to handle the situation by agreeing that one more person will work with. ( Because manager was friend with that person and manager specifically told me that s/he received various complaints against that person but s/he can't me pull me out of that project because it will show a negative part of that person to director and partner)
I also decided to give one more chance to that person and agreed with manager.
But from that onwards I started receiving very personal irrelevant comments from that person like I am mentally unstable, I am doing this because I want to avoid the work, I can't do anything all I have to do is sending mails, do copy paste work and what not.
It was all getting very bad and affecting me badly so I quit from that organisation.
Try to overcome your anixty at your personal level. Share it with your manager only if you have exceptional culture where people talk on these topics openly and in past people have actually get the help they needed.
Wish you all the good luck and hope you soon find yourself in better position.
Be calm stay happy.
Harvey_Specter
Stealth
7 months ago
Mate, I have been in your situation. I know how it feels.
I suffered > I took a break from my job > I shared with the manager > It did not work out > The Situation became bad, I did not get any relief from him & I couldn't handle it > I left my job or they removed me > Again I took some time to understand and heal > Now looking for a new opportunity.
I suffered from general anxiety disorder and I do not know in future will it strike again or not but I sure will handle it with grace.
My advice:
- Don't share, unless and until you know your manager gives a shit to these things.
- Take care and be with your loved one who cares for you.
- Very few will understand your situation
- Do the new things outside of your work that scares you.
- And basic things eat healthy, work out, good sleep.
Remember you will be able to manage with little embarrassment.
Gohan_goku
Stealth
7 months ago
Rule 1: don't tell your manager if he/she isn't really involved at family level with you. Like my manager is involved at family level means I know his wife, mum, in laws and the same is with him. In such cases level of trust and understanding is at next level.
Rule 2: don't share it with your HR for sure. I have seen HR's to be HR for namesake but lacking human touch primarily and they're the largest gossip mongers.
Therapy is actually subjective and is helpful only if you have a good one otherwise there are therapist who just talk and try to keep extending the sessions to make their fat bills.
I can suggest some alternate options - meditating, connecting with nature, travel etc.
Since yours is a work related anxiety taking a break for a week or so would be really helpful. When I say break it's total cut off. I had also gone through this situation just after covid in early 2023 and then took break for almost 5 days and told my manager that I may extend it if I don't feel better or peaceful. Fortunately for me I was better after 4 days.
What worked for me was travel. Since I'm traveler I traveled by road and drove non stop for 10-11 hrs which de-stressed me.
Figure out what you like and take break to do that and u will feel better.
Also, lately I have started realise that one needs to take a break every 2-4 months and these breaks need to be real breaks for atleast 4 days then this stress doesn't add on.
As a very anxious person. Please never disclose this to your colleagues. You never know when things will backfire and they can tell that you are incompetent because of your anxiety.
Take medicine, try looking for jobs, lock yourself in room, cry out loud till your eyes are swollen but never tell anyone in office that you suffer from anxiety
Speaking from experience, don't share
I had a similar experience, loss of focus, forgetting stuff as I was dealing with some personal health issues which disturbing me. I made some mistakes at work, My manager to cover up blamed it all on me, and I have to get on calls and explain myself to senior manager.
I trusted my manager blindly, which was a problem.. Know this I know my manager on family level, we visit each other house, I have even stayed back in my manager house. Manager is always manager never a friend.
My manager discussed my issues with other colleagues, they started treating me differently. With the current market I want to quit, not sure if should quit without an offer.
Polyglot
Stealth
7 months ago
Most people will use it as an excuse for low performance or unfit for the role. It's just like saying no to work pressure or you can't perform under pressure. Chances are that it will backfire. Very few people are kind. Also, why do you want to mix personal and professional? Good luck to you.
It totally depends on how much of an empath your manager is. One of my teammate was suffering from anxiety and we all could see it in his performance, and my manager did share about his anxiety with a few folks in our team to ensure we understand his situation, don't judge him and go easy with him.
Having said that, not all managers are alike because the deliverables are at stake and they have to justify why a certain team member is not able to perform to his full potential.
I think it would be better that you analyze your team/manager for a few days after starting WFO as the dynamics change a bit when you start interacting with a person face to face and then share if you feel comfortable.
- try to strike at the root of it.
- do your job with honesty
- present your work often
- Do not share with employers or any colleague in the same function/department. All of them are fox in sheep's clothing. They WILL misuse the information. Speak to your friends outside of work, avoid gossiping, bitching.
- Try setting up discussion with your manager or CXOs. Talk about work, not your issues. Their vision can often align you more easily and also ease out some pain problems caused by ambiguity.
-3-4 months constant is really a long time to be suffering from work anxiety. Change what you can and if not possible, get out of that place. Not worth it.
- if you're a fresher, like <2 years, hang in there and suck it up. Gets better.
Funny how this post has the most engagement I've seen on a day old post AND it's mostly dudes. But it's still weak to talk about mental health openly. Nothing but supportive comments here. W community
I am really sorry. I am sure most of them might have work anxiety but dear i will tell you one thing, just dont stress about the things you cant control thats it, be honest and give your best in your work! I am repeating DONT STRESS ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARENT UNDER YOUR CONTROL, it can apply to anything from your work to your personal life. Dont think too much abt what will happen if u dont complete the work and all those stuffs, which are the causes of the anxiety
Discover More
Curated from across
