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Workplace Stress Triggers: How to Spot Them, How to Cope

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Sep 23, 2024.

By Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter

SATURDAY, Sept. 21, 2024 (Healthday News) -- Workplace anxiety. Who hasn't experienced it?

However, if that anxiety is so strong that it hurts your performance or lingers for months, you might have a problem, one expert says.

Dr. Asim Shah, executive vice chair in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor Colege of Medicine in Houston, explains what can trigger workplace anxiety, how to manage it and when to seek professional help.

“The goal is not to suffer and not let your anxiety affect work performance. About 60% of people experience workplace anxiety. It is common, which means you can do something about it,” Shah said.

Workplace anxiety can be caused by surly co-workers, a demanding supervisor, small, annoying tasks or overwhelming major projects.

If you have workplace anxiety, you might notice signs like:

“The anxiety becomes so overwhelming that you are unable to focus and concentrate,” Shah noted in a Baylor news release. “These feelings can impair your daily work functions.”

If that continues for more than six months, Shah said it might be time to seek professional help.

“Some employers might offer an employee assistance program where you can go for help. You can also start talking to a therapist through psychotherapy or look into medication management for your workplace anxiety,” he said.

To manage it and help to reduce stress, Shah recommends:

SOURCE: Baylor College of Medicine, news release, Sept. 16, 2024

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

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