Looming deadlines, increased workloads, high-pressure presentations, and other job demands can leave workers feeling understandably overwhelmed and stressed out. In fact, according to a recent national survey from the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA), 79 percent of U.S. workers suffer from stress and anxiety daily.

While a certain amount of stress on the job is normal, some people experience stress and anxiety that is persistent, irrational, and overwhelming, impairing their ability to function at work and at home. These people may have an anxiety disorder. Perople who live with an anxiety disorder may turn down a promotion or other career opportunity because it involves travel or public speaking; make excuses to get out of office parties, staff lunches and other events or meetings with coworkers; or be unable to meet deadlines. Read on to learn more about the impact of anxiety disorders in the workplace.

What is an anxiety disorder?
Anxiety disorders are a unique group of illnesses that fill people's lives with persistent, excessive, and unreasonable anxiety, worry, and fear. They include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), and specific phobias. Although anxiety disorders are serious medical conditions, they are treatable. Click here to learn more.

How can an anxiety disorder manifest itself at work?
An untreated anxiety disorder can have a major impact on workplace conduct and comfort. Employees with anxiety disorders commonly report feeling fatigued or tired, having difficulty concentrating, feeling irritable, having trouble communicating with others, and being less productive when experiencing symptoms of their disorder during work. They also may experience panic attacks, phobic avoidance, excessive worry, feelings of detachment, unrelenting fear of embarrassment or humiliation, or a need to unnecessarily repeat work and other tasks over and over again.

What situations trigger symptoms of an anxiety disorder at work?
Everyone is unique and each person reacts differently to particular situations. However, some work situations are commonly cited as difficult by people with anxiety disorders. These include dealing with issues and problems (including customer, financial, and technical issues); setting and meeting deadlines; maintaining interpersonal relationships (with superiors, peers, and subordinates); managing staff (including interviewing, hiring, firing, training, and evaluating employees); and participating in meetings and presentations.

How can having an anxiety disorder affect success on the job?
An anxiety disorder can affect almost every major aspect of work life, including job performance, quality of work, ability to accept opportunities, ability to complete work on time, ability to arrive at work on time, and relationships with superiors, peers, and subordinates. This makes it important for employees with an anxiety disorder to seek help for their condition.

Should I disclose my anxiety disorder to my employer?
The decision to disclose an anxiety disorder to an employer is a personal one. Some people choose to do so because they need accommodations, others because they want to educate people about their condition, and still others because they do not want to feel like they are hiding something. Whatever the reason, disclosure can be a big step emotionally and should be thought through carefully.

Can I be fired or otherwise discriminated against for having an anxiety disorder?
If you have a physical or mental disability and are qualified to do a job, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) protects you from job discrimination. This law is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Under the law, you have a disability if you have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, such as hearing, seeing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, caring for oneself, learning, or working.

You must be qualified to perform the essential functions or duties of a job in order to be protected from job discrimination by the ADA. This means two things: First, you must satisfy the employer's requirements for the job, such as education, employment experience, skills, or licenses. Second, you must be able to perform the essential functions of the job, or those duties that you can complete by yourself or with the help of a reasonable accommodation. An employer cannot refuse to hire you because your disability prevents you from performing duties that are not essential to the job. For more information on your employment rights, click here.

Should an employee with an anxiety disorder ask for an accommodation?
While in some cases it may be helpful to ask for accommodations in the short term, as a rule it is far better for someone to get help for their anxiety disorder. In the long run, accommodations will not help people with anxiety disorders solve their problems.

While undergoing treatment, a personl with an anxiety disorder or other mental illness may want to consider asking for a reasonable accommodation in the workplace. What constitutes reasonable accommodation is decided on an individual basis. Examples include flexible scheduling or leave or extra time to learn new tasks. An employer is obligated to grant any requests for such accommodations unless it can be proved that doing so would place an undue hardship on the employer.

How can the holidays affect life at work for someone with an anxiety disorder?
The holidays are a time of increased activity, both at home and at work. Office parties, holiday lunches, and other social interactions with coworkers may be difficult for employees with an anxiety disorder, particularly social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia. It may be tempting to come up with excuses to skip these activities, but such avoidance does not help you get over your fears.

What can I do to manage normal anxiety or the symptoms of my anxiety disorder at work?
You can make life at work more manageable by taking certain measures. Try these tips:

• Keep working. Apart from the obvious financial reasons, employment is important for enhancing your self-esteem and adds to your social identity.

• Refine your time-management skills. Work on prioritizing projects and eliminating items so you only have a few things to focus on each day.

• Be realistic. Don't over-commit yourself by volunteering for projects or work you don't have time for.

• Savor success. Whether an accomplishment is big or small, congratulate yourself and others on a job well done.

• Tell a trusted coworker about your disorder. Knowing that someone at work is aware of your condition, and accepting of it, can be comforting. It can help with both anticipatory anxiety and if you are experiencing symptoms.

• Educate yourself about your disorder. Learn to recognize the symptoms and how to handle them if you experience them while at work.

• Be healthy. Eat right, sleep, exercise regularly, and cut down on caffeine. Adhering to the basics will keep your body and mind in shape to handle challenging situations.
  

For more tips on easing workplace stress and anxiety, click here.

Where can I find help at work and outside of work?
Many employers offer employee assistance programs (EAPs) that provide information on stress, anxiety and anxiety disorders. Employers also often assist employees looking for help by referring them to a mental health professional, providing them with a relaxation or stress management class or plan, or providing brochures, videos, and other materials. Check with your human resources representative or department to find out what is available.

Find a therapist in your area by clicking here. You can also search for a local support group by clicking here.

What treatments are available for anxiety disorders?
Most people who have an anxiety disorder can be helped. With treatment, most are able to live full, productive lives. Treatment is generally short term, ranging from several weeks to a year or more, depending on a variety of factors.

Although treatment is individualized, taking into account patient preference, therapist training, and other patient issues, several standard approaches have proved to be effective. Therapists may use one or a combination of the following therapies:

• Behavior Therapy. The goal of behavior therapy is to modify and gain control over unwanted behavior. The individual learns to cope with difficult situations, often through controlled exposure to them.
  
• Cognitive Therapy. The goal of cognitive therapy is to identify, challenge, and change unwanted, unproductive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The individual learns to separate unrealistic thoughts and feelings from realistic ones. As with behavior therapy, the individual is actively involved in his or her own recovery.
  
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Many therapists use a combination of cognitive and behavior therapies, often referred to as CBT, in which a patient learns recovery skills that are useful for a lifetime.
  
• Relaxation Techniques. Relaxation techniques help people develop the ability to more effectively cope with the stresses that contribute to anxiety, as well as with some of the physical symptoms. The techniques include breathing re-training, progressive muscle relaxation, and exercise.
  
• Medication. Medication is often used in conjunction with one or more of the therapies above. Sometimes antidepressants or anxiolytics (antianxiety medications) can alleviate severe symptoms so that other forms of therapy can go forward. Medication may be effective as either a short- or long-term treatment option, depending on the patient.

For more information about treatment options, click here.

Additional Resources

American Psychological Association

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

• The ADA: Your Employment Rights as an Individual With a Disability
  
• Facts About the Americans with Disabilities Act

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration