How to Overcome Workplace Trauma

The pandemic has forced many people to reassess their lives, including stepping away from toxic workplaces. Unfortunately, toxic workplaces leave a lasting impact so even in a new job and company, you may find yourself triggered by past experiences. Working in an unpleasant environment can be traumatic, and it can take time and effort to heal.

The pressure of protecting your reputation, securing your job, and appearing competent make triggers at work even tougher to handle. If you have no supportive coworkers who understand you are suffering from PTSD, you may feel isolated and alone. 

Triggers are anything that might cause a person to recall a traumatic experience they’ve had.

PTSD is an anxiety disorder that may develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal. Events that can trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, catastrophic accidents (including those at work) or military combat.

The following tips have helped others deal with difficult situations and cope with those triggers:

Be Aware Of Your Triggers

Identifying a trigger moment is the first step. It is important to understand that you are experiencing a personal and emotional reaction and that you should acknowledge and recognize it.

Feelings like anger, fear, sadness, or anxiety may accompany being triggered. Every person has different experiences with people and how they are treated, and we sometimes react emotionally to that. It is possible to control the situation more if you are able to identify what is happening to you.

Take It Slowly 

Once you have identified the trigger,  take the next few minutes/hours/days slowly. As your nervous system is already on high alert, it is crucial to take it slowly. Remind yourself that you're in a safer position now. Rest when you can, and calm your breathing. Take a deep breath through your nose, and imagine you are smelling something pleasant. Gently exhale through your mouth and imagine you are surrounded by fresh air.  

Soften the space around you if you have the chance. You may want to dim the screen's brightness and volume, or find some soothing music.

Spend A Moment To Assess

We tend to react too quickly most of the time. You should slow down, and assess what is truly going on once you realize you are feeling triggered.

Then you can do some reflection. We are usually angry or upset if we believe the other person has done something wrong. The most important thing is to adjust the lens or frame that you are interpreting the situation through. 

When we are not triggered it is easier to attribute unpleasant events to an accident or a justifiable reason when they occur. But when we are triggered our minds immediately go to the worst case sinereo we assume the worst intentions of another and can jump to conclusions. 

When triggered, if your being micro managed it’s easy to assume that your boss is not happy with your output or doesn’t favor you.  This is partly due to past experiences. It is possible you did not perform well on your previous job when you were micromanaged or there was favoritism.  Being able to manage and recognise triggers will help you avoid assuming such a conclusion in a new situation and remembering that the past doesn’t equal the future.

Fix The Trigger

Lastly, you need to decide what you want to accomplish, and what you want to achieve. Consider how you can go about achieving your goal positively. The goal of the above example is to discuss that you work best with a different management style with your boss. It’s possible that your boss thought it was the best approach and the issue can easily be resolved by opening up. 

It's easy to focus on an event that triggers us after we leave a situation that triggered us. Distract yourself by doing something enjoyable to avoid getting frustrated again.

Make a Space

Make some space for yourself however you can. It's great if you can take some time off or adjust your schedule. Try asking a coworker or a friend to cover a task for you while you relax in the bathroom, out back, in your car, in an empty room, anywhere you can feel some space. Maybe you can find a place after work too. 

It's normal to want some quiet time after being triggered, since being triggered can be exhausting.

The effects of workplace trauma can be difficult to heal, but you can tell that you have been triggered when you feel an overwhelming emotional response. You can make a huge impact on your mood by knowing what will make you uncomfortable, or even irritated. Upon realizing what triggers you, you will be more prepared to handle being triggered.

Always know that you’re not alone. It’s normal to feel upset after being triggered. Take the time to recover gently and kindly. Be kind to yourself.  While we can't completely avoid triggers, we can learn to take better care of ourselves after they occur.

Adopting a Cat Helps with Mental Health Recovery

Cats are known for being naturally affectionate and loving, so it's no surprise that they make great pets. And recent studies have found that having pets can actually improve the mental health of their human companions.

The results of this study were published by researchers at the University of Helsinki in Finland in the journal PLOS ONE. The researchers studied data from 4,500 people who had been asked about their relationships with their pets and their symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. The results showed that people with pets have fewer symptoms of depression than those without pets.

The researchers also found that people with pets had lower levels of cortisol—a hormone produced by the body in response to stress—than those without pets or those who did not interact with their cats or dogs at all. This suggests that interacting with animals can help reduce stress and anxiety levels in humans as well as providing companionship and support during difficult times such as divorce or illness.  This is because cats are very sensitive animals and are able to sense any changes in their owners' moods or emotions. In fact, just petting a cat can lower stress levels by up to 65%.

Cats are known for their ability to help people relax, and this is especially true when it comes to cat owners. 

Owning a cat also helps people sleep better at night. If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, you should consider adopting a feline friend! Cats are great at helping their owners relax before bedtime and can even be trained to wake them up when it's time for work or school (depending on how much sleep they need).

Cats are great companions! You can train them to do tricks like fetch or sit. A cat will always be there for you, even when life gets tough. So if you need someone who'll listen while you cry over an ex-boyfriend (and then tell you how much better off without him). 

Cats are very playful animals which makes them great companions for children who want something fun to do together after school or on weekends (especially during summer vacation). They will keep each other occupied while parents get some peace and quiet from loud noises coming from outside rooms where kids were playing earlier in the day.

They're easy going pets that don't require much maintenance either; therefore there's no need to worry about feeding them every day or cleaning up after them

Cats are great for helping people feel more connected to the world around them, which can help with loneliness. And once you have a cat in your life, the benefits don't stop there: there's even evidence that cats can help people living with anxiety or other psychological conditions feel less alone and more motivated to get out of bed each morning.

Things to Say to a Loved One with Anxiety

“Don’t worry” is what we normally say to a person who feels weary and anxious.  Everyone has their own ways of dealing with anxiety attacks and sometimes saying “don’t worry” or “try not to worry” is not a good idea since these phrases could make the experience worse for the person with anxiety..

Anxiety is the only psychiatric illness that is also experienced by people without a psychiatric illness.

Saying “don’t worry” might seem helpful, but in reality, it falls short as advice for someone experiencing serious anxiety.  

Here are several things to say to a loved one experiencing anxiety:

1.“It’s okay to not be okay.”

It’s important for your loved ones to hear, “It’s okay that you feel anxious. I’m here with you. There’s no pressure for you to feel good right now.” This is different from saying, “You’re okay,” which can be incredibly invalidating. Rather, you are making it clear that it’s okay that they’re not okay. This can help them feel safer, supported and validated. It can also help them feel safe admitting they are not okay.

2.“How can I help?”

There is no need to tell someone who’s having anxiety attacks what they need to do as each person has their own techniques of coping with anxiety.  Instead, let them tell you what they need.  You can offer to join them if they want to go for a walk, for example. 

People are much more likely to accept help when it is offered than if they have to ask for it. The key is to simply offer.

3.“There is no reason to feel ashamed.”

It is acceptable that people are experiencing anxiety due to several triggers.   However, anxiety can cause people to withdraw from relationships and social interactions.  It is important to reassure a person who’s having a panic attack that there is no reason to feel ashamed, and that anxiety is a health condition and it’s not their fault.

4.“You are not alone.”

Mental illness is very common nowadays.  In fact, anxiety became even more prevalent during the pandemic as people across the globe struggled with an unprecedented health crisis, loneliness and isolation. By reassuring your loved ones that their struggles are valid and reminding them that they aren’t alone, you can help them keep perspective and feel supported.

5. “I support your decision.” (If they need counseling or medication.)

Mental illness is treatable.  You can encourage people with mental illness to seek help professionally. You should never question someone who needs professional guidance or medication for a mental illness. As a loved one, your role is not to be a doctor, nor an expert, but rather to help your loved one seek the help they need.

The best thing that you could offer or show someone with anxiety is love and acceptance, without any judgment. 

How Volunteering Improves Your Mental Health

“Volunteers make an immeasurable difference in people’s lives and often serve with the intention of helping others.”

— Mayo Clinic Health System

Can you put a price on a good deed? 

Mind & Body’s interesting article shares how one study showed that volunteering was essentially “worth” approximately $1,100. 

Researchers examined data from research participants in the Journal of Happiness Studies published last 2020 about their volunteering habits and their mental health, including their distress and functioning in everyday life. 

Researchers compared volunteering to the effects on people’s income to get a sense of how large the benefits were, and found that volunteering would make someone as happy as having an extra $1,100. 

Make a difference, even at a distance.

Greater Good shares that at a time when more than a third of Americans are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression, volunteering makes a difference not only to the communities they serve but a difference in their own lives in terms of improvement in physical and mental health.

The pandemic created feelings of isolation and stress, impacting mostly adolescents, the elderly, working parents, and people who have lost their sources of income. 

It has caused immense stress and isolation in many of us. Some groups have been hit particularly hard, including the elderly, parents juggling work and child care, and people who have lost their jobs.

New research suggests that volunteers aren’t just helping the communities they serve. People who volunteer actually experience a boost in their mental health—good news at a time when more than a third of Americans are experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression.

Mayo Clinic Health System shares that a Longitudinal Study of Aging found that individuals who volunteer have lower mortality rates than those who do not, even when controlling for age, gender, and physical health. 

Research also has shown that volunteering leads to lower rates of depression and anxiety. Volunteers reported reduced stress and an increase in positive, relaxed feelings. By spending time in service to others, most can agree how it creates a sense of meaning and appreciation, both given and received, which can have a stress-reducing effect.

Become happier over time.

Volunteer activities keep people moving and thinking at the same time. 

A published research paper featured in Springer answers a curious question, “Does Volunteering Make Us Happier, or Are Happier People More Likely to Volunteer?” 

Research suggests the same results with participants’ initial levels of well-being before they started volunteering accounted for. In other words, people who started to volunteer became happier over time.

Additional research suggests that people who start out with lower levels of well-being may even get a bigger boost from volunteering, experiencing more satisfaction with their lives and overall health.

We learn about the term, "Helper's high" from WebMD. It describes the feeling people have after volunteering - a prolonged calmness, a reduction in stress, and a greater sense of self-worth after doing something kind for someone else.

Help Guide acknowledges that human beings are hard-wired to give to others - the more we give, the happier we feel. Research studies suggest that being helpful to others delivers immense pleasure upon measuring hormones and brain activity.

Volunteering can have a profound effect on one’s overall psychological well-being. Nothing relieves stress better than a meaningful connection to another person. Working with pets and other animals has also been shown to improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety.

Take action.

Find new meaning and direction in your life by helping others. 

Volunteering can help take your mind off your own worries, keep you mentally stimulated, and add more zest to your life.

Trish Lockard published an article on National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) where she shares how her long-time friend, psychologist Terri L. Lyon, hoped to create an easy-to-follow roadmap for people to identify the cause they are most passionate about and determine how to use the gifts they already possess to make a difference for that cause.

Below is the 5-Step Activism Path from her book, “What’s On Your Sign?”.

1. Find your passion by creating a vision of how you want to change the world

2. Identify the unique gifts you can bring to this activism

3. Craft a unique activism opportunity ideally suited to you

4. Monitor your long-term effectiveness

5. Stay motivated and avoid burnout

Are you interested in becoming a volunteer? There is a wide variety of volunteer opportunities in every community, whether you are interested in youth, environmental, health, religious, or community causes. Check with local nonprofit and cultural organizations, schools, faith communities, or hospitals for options. 

Firelife Foundation supports many different programs for at-risk youth and those going through challenging situations. We produce campaigns for the prevention of suicide, bullying, and substance abuse, primarily among teens in underprivileged areas. Our live inspirational events that combine celebrity performers and inspirational speakers have reached thousands with a message of hope.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or a mentor please contact us! There's no better way to make an impact than to become an active advocate yourself. Join now and make an impact!

We can accomplish a lot of things, together.

Join the foundation and make a difference today.