Nearly every company has at least one person who is difficult to work with, but that does not mean you should put up with abuse, especially if it is impacting your emotional health. As you and other Wisconsin residents may know, chronic stress and anxiety relating to an ongoing situation may make life miserable. It can also affect your work performance and even your physical health.
The Mayo Clinic explains that we are connected physically to our emotional state. If you suffer from depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder for an extended period of time, it may begin to take a toll on your body. Some of the common physical effects of an emotional injury include pain, inflammation, high blood pressure, obesity and heart disease. These symptoms, as well as pervasive feelings of anxiety, anger or despair while working in a toxic environment, can make it difficult to function each day and properly do your job.
How do emotional injuries tie in with a toxic work environment? You can develop depression or post-traumatic stress disorder from working with a supervisor or coworker who belittles, demeans and undermines you at work or curses and yells when he or she is angry. If you have a prior emotional condition, a toxic environment can exacerbate it.
You should feel safe and supported while at work, and this includes your mental wellbeing as well as your physical safety. If a job-related emotional illness is impacting your health, you might be eligible for workers’ compensation. The information in this blog is intended to educate you but should not replace the advice of a lawyer.
