Employment can be a source of personal and financial fulfilment, giving us a great sense of achievement.
However, there are millions of people taking days off work every year due to stress, depression, bullying and harassment – with serious physical, emotional, relationship and financial consequences.
Struggling at work?
By Roger Fife, Psychodynamic Psychotherapist
There has been a growing interest recently about how mental health problems need to be more carefully considered in relation to life and work.
Recent research suggests that mental health problems are the biggest reason for absenteeism. In effect feeling mentally unwell is often the most common reason as to why someone doesn’t want to go into work!
We all can have a bad day at work, but when the idea of going into work, or dealing with your manager or colleague makes you feel paralysed with anxiety or fear, then there is a problem.
We may all have noticed becoming:
- Depressed
- Withdrawn
- Angry
- or Anxious at work.
Do we just ignore these difficulties and hope it goes away? Do we expect that at work normal human emotions and reactions are put on hold, or suppressed?
I would suggest that this is unrealistic: work is part of our lives and if someone is unhappy, depressed, anxious, panicky, or traumatised, then talking to a therapist might be important.
In essence, just like physical illness, a therapist is there to help you when you are experiencing difficulties, that left unattended could result in mental “unwellness” that undermines the ability to live, work, love and be happy.
