Dealing with Anxiety in the Classroom and Workplace

          Just about all of us have the privilege and obligation of either going to school or work every day. We interact with peers, have assignments to complete, and meetings to attend. Despite the great opportunities that school and work can bring to us, those who suffer with anxiety may feel apprehensive about the situations that may be brought about in these settings.

          Generally speaking, anxiety cannot be turned off by simple means. Therefore, it is pretty much inevitable that an anxiety sufferer is going to experience some symptoms of anxiety in the classroom or in the workplace. Work and school often forces an individual to partake in a social situation, perform an oral presentation, or battle the stresses of an upcoming due date. Each of these situations has the potential to enhance fear, stress, or panic in someone who has anxiety.

          Although somebody who does not suffer with anxiety may claim that just about everybody will experience fear, stress, and maybe panic at work or in school at some point or another, what an outsider must understand is that an anxiety sufferer often deals with these things every single day. Additional experiences of these sensations can be very detrimental to the overall mental health of the anxiety sufferer, as well as his or her performance in the classroom or professional setting.

          So, what must be done in order to make school and the workplace a fair playing ground for those who have anxiety? It is crucial for everybody involved to have a clear understanding of anxiety and to be free from any misconceptions. Once everyone in the workplace or school is accepting of the disorder, sufferers will feel more comfortable with speaking up about situations that make them uncomfortable. It is important for the sufferer to feel confident in themselves. It is tough to be open with people about something that you struggle with, however, being clear about any accommodations you need will only help you in the long run. Finally, teachers and employers have a great responsibility to be accepting and responsive to a sufferer's needs. Diminishing the needs of an anxiety sufferer will likely lessen their success.

         Work and school is something that people put large amounts of their time and energy into. Being accepting to all and fostering a healthy environment in both schools and the workplace is crucial to great mental health and great societal success.