40% of disability worldwide is due to depression & anxiety. However, there’s still so much stigma surrounding the issue, that it rarely gets discussed. This has resulted in people with anxiety feeling like they have to suffer in silence, and employers not fully understanding the condition. Laura will share her personal experience of dealing with an anxiety disorder and how it impacted her working life. By openly discussing this issue, she hopes to diffuse some common misunderstandings of the condition, give practical advice on how anxiety sufferers can help themselves and what workplaces can do to support this, and give people the confidence to communicate mental health issues.

1. Easing the anxious mind:
Dealing with anxiety in
the workplace
Laura Nelson - Marketing Manager, cat stalker
& very anxious person
@Laura_Nelson_

2. Marketing Manager at
Pragmatic
@pragmaticweb
WordCamp Brighton 2018
lead organiser
@WordCampBTN

3. What is anxiety?
@Laura_Nelson_

4. “You know when you’re leaning back on a
chair and you lean a little too far back, and
you anticipate going down and you’re scared?
Yeah, that. But you never actually go down.”
@Laura_Nelson_

5. Numbness and tingling / dizziness / chest pain / headaches / neck tension / stomach upset /
pulsing in the ear / burning skin / fear of impending doom / nausea / shortness of breath / dry
mouth / shooting pains in the face / heart palpitations / weakness in legs / feeling like you are
going crazy / inability to rest / sleep problems / racing heart / intense feeling of doom and
gloom / light headedness / sweating / trembling / feeling like you are about to lose control /
feeling overwhelmed / sudden and strong urge to escape / heightened fear and apprehension /
increased stimulations / pins and needles / throat tightness / muscle weakness / super sensitive
senses and nerves / persistent worry / panic attacks / body aches / body shakes / increase or
decrease in temperature / itchy skin / chronic fatigue & exhaustion / clumsiness / cold chills /
craving sugar / difficulty speaking / falling dropping sensation / feeling faint / hyperactivity /
ushed face / frequent urination / hair loss / racing thoughts / excessive yawning / depression
/ blurred vision / ringing in the ears / difficulty concentrating / electric shock feeling / fear of
losing control / flu-like symptoms / depression / dramatic mood swings / emotionally blunted
/ frustration / irritability / over eating / under eating / difficulty swallowing / dry mouth /
constant lump in the throat / depersonalisation / teeth grinding / self harm / brain fog

6. @Laura_Nelson_

7. Image credit:
Jessie Cave
@Laura_Nelson_

8. How you can help
yourself.
@Laura_Nelson_

9. 1. Keep a
worry diary
A journal in which you
log all your worries (in
real time!) and give
them each a rating from
1 - 10 depending on how
anxious it makes you
feel.
@Laura_Nelson_

10. TRAVELLING BY TRAIN
8/10
What if it’s busy and I can’t get on
the train?
Or if I do, I can’t get a seat and I
have to stand and be uncomfortable for
the whole journey?
Or what if I have to sit next to a
stranger and they smell bad, or they
accidentally touch me?
What if I’m late and miss the train I
need to get?
What if the train is delayed en route
and I’m late to my meeting?
@Laura_Nelson_

11. Exhausting,
right?

12. TRAVELLING BY TRAIN: THINGS THAT HELP
Get an earlier train
Travel during off-peak times
Get a 1st class ticket
Check what resources my local
travel service offers
@Laura_Nelson_

13. @Laura_Nelson_

14. 2. Make plans
and stick to
a routine
Try to stick to a routine
at work and at home.
Schedule regular tasks by
blocking out your
calendar.
Give your brain set times
it’s allowed to think
about stuff.
@Laura_Nelson_

15. 3. Talk
about it
It can be hard at first.
But it’s so worth it.
@Laura_Nelson_

16. You are not
alone.
@Laura_Nelson_

17. 60 million people in the
EU are affected by
anxiety every year*
*That’s loads.Image credit:
DocAc (Flickr)

18. 4. Be kind to
yourself
You are awesome.
Give yourself a break.
@Laura_Nelson_

19. How your employer
can help you.
@Laura_Nelson_

20. @Laura_Nelson_
“Under the equality act 2010, there is legal
duty on employers to make reasonable
adjustments for employees with a disability*.”
- Mind
*you have a disability if you have an impairment that is either
physical or mental and the impairment has a substantial, adverse
and long term effect on your normal daily activities.

21. @Laura_Nelson_
… what’s a reasonable
adjustment?

22. 1. Flexible
working
9 - 5 doesn’t work for
everyone. A slight change
can make a big difference.
Sometimes the office is
just too much.
Giving someone the option
to work from home may
prevent the person from
having to take a sick day.
@Laura_Nelson_

23. 2. Keep a
nice working
environment
Give your employee the
option to move desks if
their working environment
isn’t right for them.
@Laura_Nelson_

24. 3. Promote a
healthy
work-life
balance
Don’t put pressure on
people to put in extra
hours.
Say no when you need to.
Be assertive. Your health
is the most important
thing.
@Laura_Nelson_

25. 4. Listen
Take the time to listen
and make reasonable
adjustments.
Don’t trivialise issues.
@Laura_Nelson_

26. Some really good resources
Mind - mental health charity
WorryWatch - a worry diary app
Headspace - a meditation app
Mental health ‘first aid’ training
EU: European Union Agency for
Fundamental Rights
US: Anxiety & Depression
Association of America
@Laura_Nelson_

27. Thanks!
Any questions?
Image credit:
Beth Evans
@Laura_Nelson_