Overcoming Anxiety & Depression in High Stress Jobs

Have you ever felt like you’re barely holding it together, constantly teetering on the edge of a breakdown? Some people subconsciously manifest all manner of illnesses and sabotage just to take a break and make it stop because they feel so guilty doing what’s best for them. Can you relate?

If you’re working in a high- stress job, this might be more than just a feeling—it’s a reality. Anxiety and depression are silent companions in many high pressure professions, but no one truly wants to admit it. The culture often virtue signals, proclaiming “mental health is so important”—until you can’t perform, show up to meetings, and do all the things that got you in this bind in the first place. It can feel like the Hunger Games, office style, where you’re competing for your sanity. The stigma surrounding mental health, especially in fields like front line work, content moderation and the military, often forces people to suffer in silence.

What is it?

High functioning anxiety and depression are particularly insidious because they often affect high performers—people who seem to have it all together. These individuals might be excelling at work, juggling a busy social life, and projecting an image of success, but inside, they are battling relentless worry and a profound sense of emptiness. They constantly push themselves to achieve more, hoping it will fill the void or silence their inner turmoil. This facade of competence makes their mental health struggles even harder to identify and address, leaving them feeling isolated and misunderstood- mostly by themselves.

Beyond Toxic Positivity

Anxiety and depression in their milder forms, are normal parts of the human experience. We shouldn’t strive to rid ourselves of all negativity. Negative emotions are a welcomed and important part of life. Toxic positivity refers to the excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state across all situations, which can invalidate real and painful emotions. There are certain things you can’t “love and light” your way out of. Those who avoid addressing their negative emotions for fear of being overwhelmed often pretend to feel better than they do, masking their true feelings with toxic forms of positivity and projecting their negativity onto others. Melania Beattie, in her book The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, covers this very well.

There’s no benefit to expelling negativity like it’s a demon or thinking that some external force is out to get you. Often, you’re doing it to yourself through layers of denial and fear of truly acknowledging how you feel. To move past it and gain strength, you must face it first.

This advice applies differently for those who have experienced extreme trauma—such as growing up in a war zone, surviving sexual assault, enduring sustained abuse and neglect, dealing with an incarcerated or criminal family member(s), or navigating the foster care system—these responses are deeply ingrained survival mechanisms. Sometimes, numbness is necessary to survive, and that’s okay. It’s important to understand that the path to healing for those with severe trauma is different and often requires specialized support and interventions.

Even so, when these feelings become chronic and interfere with fulfilling your purpose, leave you living your life for others, shrink your sense of self, obscure your voice and capabilities, kill your dreams, or leave you feeling chronically sad, fearful, and worried, then it’s time to seek help. High functioning depression and anxiety can look like achieving everything on the outside while feeling empty inside. Recognizing this and seeking support is a crucial step toward reclaiming your life and well being.

Why You Should Keep Reading

You’ll recognize when you or someone you care about needs help with practical steps to create a supportive environment, whether at work or home. For those in positions of influence, this can help you take that first small step to inform and transform your organization’s culture.

What Anxiety & Depression REALLY Feel Like

Anxiety is a constant state of worry or fear that interferes with daily activities. It can cause physical symptoms like a racing heart, sweating, and fatigue.

Depression is a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems, affecting how one thinks, feels, and handles daily tasks.

High Stress Jobs

Studies show that those in high stress jobs are significantly more likely to experience anxiety and depression than the general population. For example, law enforcement officers are nearly three times more likely to suffer from depression compared to the average citizen (Violanti et al., 2017). These jobs often involve exposure to traumatic events, long hours, and immense pressure, which contribute to the development of these mental health issues.

Hidden Impact of Unresolved Trauma

Unresolved trauma can lead to chronic PTSD, severely impacting job performance and personal relationships. Veterans, for instance, report high levels of PTSD, with symptoms persisting long after active duty (Fulton et al., 2015). Trauma can stem from various sources, including childhood experiences like emotional neglect or abuse, which can resurface and worsen under workplace stress.

Why Early Intervention Matters

Early psychological intervention can dramatically reduce the long term effects of trauma and stress. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness practices have been shown to be particularly effective (Hofmann et al., 2012). Organizations need to recognize the signs early and provide accessible mental health resources to their employees.

Organizational Support

Organizations that provide robust mental health support see improved employee well-being and productivity. Comprehensive Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that include mental health resources can lead to lower absenteeism and higher job satisfaction (Attridge, 2009). Creating a supportive environment where employees feel safe to seek help is crucial.

Stigma – The Silent Barrier

Stigma remains a significant barrier to seeking help. Many individuals fear that admitting to mental health struggles will negatively impact their careers (Corrigan & Watson, 2002). Combating this stigma through awareness and education is essential for encouraging people to get the help they need.

How it Plays Out at Work

Decreased productivity: Persistent anxiety and depression can lead to difficulty concentrating, decreased efficiency, and lower overall productivity.
Increased absenteeism: Employees struggling with mental health issues are more likely to take sick days, contributing to higher absenteeism rates.
Poor decision making: Chronic stress can impair cognitive functions, leading to poor decision-making and increased mistakes.
Strained relationships: Anxiety and depression can cause irritability and withdrawal, straining relationships with colleagues and supervisors.
Burnout: Prolonged stress and unaddressed mental health issues can lead to burnout, resulting in emotional exhaustion and detachment from work.

Why Getting Help is So Hard

Stigma and shame: Many people fear being judged or viewed as weak if they admit to struggling with mental health issues.
Perception of invincibility: There’s a common misconception that high performers should be able to handle stress without showing vulnerability.
Lack of time: High-stress jobs often come with demanding schedules, leaving little time for self-care or seeking professional help.
Fear of repercussions: Some individuals worry that admitting to mental health struggles will negatively impact their career progression.
Downward spiral: The symptoms of anxiety and depression can create a vicious cycle, making it even harder to take the first step towards seeking help.

What Do I Do About It?

Taking care of your mental health is not a quick fix, it requires commitment and consistent effort. In today’s culture of instant gratification, it’s important to understand that true mental well-being takes time and dedication. Many people use coping mechanisms as band-aids for deeper issues, but this approach doesn’t address the root causes. It’s time to take your mental health seriously.

1. Take Three Deep Breaths: Start by grounding yourself in the present moment. This simple act can help reduce immediate stress and create a sense of calm.

2. Reflect on Your Patterns: Think about why you might be stuck in a cycle of stress and anxiety. Ask yourself how this is impacting your life and acknowledge that there is an issue.

3. Commit to One Action Step: Choose one small action to improve your mental health. This could be investing in therapy, utilizing EAP resources if available, or trying a mindfulness practice. Remember, therapy might not resonate with everyone, and that’s okay. Explore other options like somatic experiencing, moving your body, or even activities like screaming it out in a safe space. Building the courage to follow your intuition and truly listening to yourself is key.

4. Understand the Commitment: This journey is not about finding an “instant coffee” solution. It took years to develop these patterns and habits, and it will take time to rewire and feel the effects. Some techniques, like Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), can offer quick relief, but others require repetition and patience. Most importantly, don’t fall back into the comfort of suffering. Push through the initial resistance and keep trying until you find what works for you.

Real Life Stories

Case Study 1: The Police Officer

John has been a police officer for 15 years. Over time, the daily exposure to violence, death, and suffering has taken a toll on him. He began experiencing severe anxiety and bouts of depression. John’s performance at work started to decline; he found it hard to concentrate, made mistakes he never would have made before, and felt constantly on edge. Despite the clear signs, John was reluctant to seek help due to the fear of being perceived as weak by his colleagues. It wasn’t until his department implemented a comprehensive EAP that John felt safe enough to reach out for help. With regular therapy sessions and support from his peers, John managed to regain control over his mental health and saw a significant improvement in his overall well-being.

Case Study 2: The Corporate Executive

Monique is a high-level executive at a major corporation. She had a difficult childhood with emotionally absent parents, which left her with unresolved issues of abandonment and rejection. Monique’s coping mechanism was to throw herself into her work, often working 70-hour weeks. This intense workload, coupled with her unresolved trauma, led to severe burnout, anxiety, and depression. Monique started experiencing panic attacks and found it increasingly difficult to manage her responsibilities. Recognizing the signs and as a senior leader wanting to lead by example she participated in the company’s mental health program, which included therapy coaching and mindfulness training. Through these interventions, Sarah learned to manage her anxiety, address her childhood trauma, and slowly create a healthier work-life balance and released the need to push and prove her self worth through performance.

Case Study 3: The Content Moderator

Ahmad works as a content moderator for a social media company. Every day, he sifts through disturbing and graphic content to keep the platform safe for users. Over time, the exposure to such distressing material has left Ahmad with frequent nightmares and flashbacks giving him anxiety. He finds it hard to disconnect from work, and his personal relationships are suffering as a result he is more short tempered, more irritable and can’t fully connect with his family. Despite the constant stress, Ahmad feels that admitting his struggles would jeopardize his job. After a particularly bad episode, Ahmad finally decided to try out a counselor who specializes in trauma related to digital content, and he started to see improvements in his mental health.

Case Study 4: The Healthcare Worker

Lisa is a nurse in a busy hospital. She has always been the caregiver, both at work and at home, where she grew up with an alcoholic parent. The constant high-pressure environment of the hospital, combined with her unresolved childhood trauma, led to Lisa experiencing severe burnout. She started to dread going to work and felt emotionally numb. Her performance at work suffered, and she began to make mistakes that put patients at risk. Lisa’s hospital had a wellness program, but ironically, she was so overwhelmed and stressed she didn’t have time to de-stress. After a close friend at work shared their own struggles and how the program had helped them, Lisa decided to give it a try. Lisa tried therapy once and she didn’t feel ready for it at that time and instead persisted with peer support groups which she found helpful. Lisa started to heal from her past and learned new ways to cope with the stress of her job and is more open to therapy now.

Case Study 5: The Imposter Syndrome Sufferer

James is a successful software engineer, but he constantly feels like a fraud, attributing his success to luck rather than skill. Growing up with a critical and highly stressed mother and absent father. His achievements left him with deep-seated insecurities. These feelings of inadequacy intensified with the high demands of his job, leading to chronic stress and anxiety. James often worked late into the night, fearing that he would be exposed as incompetent. The turning point came when a mentor noticed his distress and shared their own experiences with imposter syndrome. Encouraged, James sought therapy and began to understand the roots of his feelings. Through this journey, he started to build self-confidence and learned to appreciate his achievements genuinely.

Call to Action

Don’t wait for a crisis to act. Start by educating yourself and your team about the realities of mental health in high stress jobs. Implement practical support systems and challenge the stigma head on. Your proactive steps can lead to transformative change, not just in your organization, but in the lives of those who dedicate themselves to these demanding roles.

References

Attridge, M. (2009). Employee Assistance Programs: A Research-based Primer. Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 24(3), 247-258.
Corrigan, P. W., & Watson, A. C. (2002). Understanding the impact of stigma on people with mental illness. World Psychiatry, 1(1), 16-20.
Fulton, J. J., Calhoun, P. S., Wagner, H. R., Schry, A. R., Hair, L. P., Feeling, N., … & Beckham, J. C. (2015). The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans: A meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 31, 98-107.
Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427-440.
Violanti, J. M., Andrew, M. E., Burchfiel, C. M., Hartley, T. A., & Charles, L. E. (2017). Police work and subclinical atherosclerosis. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 59(1), 44-49.