The rise of workplace anxiety (and how to cope)

“I had three panic attacks at work before I told my partner and started seeing a therapist,” says Renee, 32, a reporter. “I would go to the toilets to escape the office noise, but then I’d break into a sweat, with a rash all over my arms. It was so scary.”

Like 46% of anxiety sufferers, music publicist Lucy, 29, gets panic attacks before she even gets to work. “I’ll be on the train, and my legs will suddenly go weak, my vision will blur and I’ll start shaking. I’ll grab hold of something to steady myself, but sometimes it’s so bad I truly feel as if I am dying, even if it lasts just a few minutes. By the time I reach work, I’m exhausted.”

This disturbing trend isn’t simply about disliking a job, or your colleagues. “I’ve noticed an increase in female clients having panic attacks at work because of the pressure and competitive environment they work in, or the stress of juggling their jobs with their personal lives,” says clinical psychologist Dr Abigael San. Women are more vulnerable to stress, but the fact that more of us are experiencing it at such levels that it triggers anxiety is deeply concerning.

The good news, Dr San says, is that we’re “more likely to respond to the emotion and do something about it”. And taking back control starts with a deeper understanding of why that intense feeling of panic strikes. “First off, an anxiety attack is not a tantrum or a dramatic meltdown: it’s a warning sign linked to our ‘fight or flight’ survival instinct as humans.” We’re psychologically wired to respond to threats in the same way we would have responded to a sabre-toothed tiger in the caveman era. Only now, that threat is working an 80-hour week, trying to manage a cruel boss, doing the work of several people because our office is under-resourced, or routinely feeling undervalued.

The best way to deal with a panic attack is to feel it, not fight it. “Yes, it sounds strange to be OK with a sensation of panic,” says Dr San. “But once you stop struggling against it, your body will restore itself.” In the long term, though, it’s about finding ways to manage the wider impact of work-related anxiety. And if anxiety attacks are a warning sign, you need to work out what they’re trying to tell you. “I’d suggest doing a thorough emotional inventory of your working life,” says psychologist Dr Francesca Moresi. “Keep a journal or make a list of the different components of your job that could be affecting you.”

If the panic attacks are recurring and the anxiety doesn’t abate, it may be worth considering therapy. Then, you can work with an expert on long-term coping strategies. “I work with my clients to imagine a safe space, such as their favourite beach or park, and we discuss the positive ways they feel when they are there – relaxed, happy, comforted,” says Dr Moresi.
“I tell them, when they start to feel panicky, to go back to that place mentally, and imagine every last detail of that space.”

For Bella, exercise has been a huge help. “I’ve just begun training for a half-marathon and that makes me feel more in control of my body. If I start to feel overwhelmed at work, I fire off a WhatsApp message to friends to get some reassurance. It’s a little thing but, at that moment, the distraction helps. I’ve also started communicating about my workload (my panic trigger) with my boss more.” Similarly, once Lucy recognised that a packed train activated her anxiety, she began walking or cycling to work more. “I get up an hour earlier, but the headspace is worth it, as I have time to think calmly about the day ahead.”

Ironically, your place of work may be able to help. “My firm holds mindfulness classes,” says Renee. “I learned basic things, such as how to breathe from my belly, rather than through my chest. I’ve spoken to my line manager, and she’s worked with me on my time management, so I don’t feel constantly bombarded. At home, I do relaxing things, such as knitting, having a bath or walking my dog in the park. They’re simple things, I know, but they help me recover from busy days.”

That’s exactly the point. Our work lives have taken over so much that we often forget the little things that can restore us. So remind yourself of, and focus on, people or activities outside work that keep you sane and happy – these will be your biggest coping strategies. And remember these words from Bella: “Feeling anxious at work can be lonely and scary, but it is possible to recover, to function – and to thrive.”

[i]There’s always someone to help
Anxiety UK offers information and support on all types of anxiety, including work-related anxiety and panic attacks. Visit anxietyuk.org.uk or call 08444 775774. Also, talk to your GP, or you can find a registered psychotherapist at the UK Council for Psychotherapy (ukcp.org.uk).[/i]

It can be scary, but the first step to dealing with it is to acknowledge what’s happening. According to nhs.co.uk, you may experience the following during an attack:

• A racing or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)

• Sweating

• Trembling

• Shortness of breath (hyperventilation)

• A choking sensation

• Nausea

• Dizziness

• Tingling fingers

• Ringing in your ears

…think of the acronym STILL to remember these helpful tips from psychologist Dr Perpetua Neo.

Say, “I’m having a panic attack and it’s going to be OK,” to reassure yourself that nothing dangerous is happening, and that the feeling will pass.

Tackle each negative thought (‘I can’t do this’; ‘I’m going to get fired’) with the instruction “Stop” to prevent the panic from spiralling.

Interact with your surroundings (touch a wall or open a window) to help bring the focus back to your body, and out of your head.

Listen to your breathing and take a deep breath through your nose, hold for the count of three and exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat, until your breathing becomes even.

Leave the office when the panic subsides and take a short walk outside to recalibrate your system. You’ve released a lot of adrenaline, so take it easy for the rest of the day.