High pressure presentations can leave anyone feeling understandably overwhelmed and stressed out. But while a certain amount of stress on the job is normal, some people experience stress and anxiety that is persistent, irrational and overwhelming, impairing their ability to function – at work and at home. These people may have an anxiety disorder.

What is an anxiety disorder?

Anxiety disorders are a unique group of illnesses that fill people's lives with persistent, excessive and unreasonable anxiety, worry and fear. They include:

• generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
• obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• panic disorder
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• social anxiety disorder (SAD)
• specific phobias.

How can an anxiety disorder show itself at work?

An untreated anxiety disorder can have a major impact on workplace conduct and comfort. Employees with anxiety disorders commonly report feeling fatigued or tired, having difficulty concentrating, feeling irritable, having trouble communicating with others and being less productive when experiencing symptoms of their disorder during work. They also may experience panic attacks, phobic avoidance, excessive worry, feelings of detachment, unrelenting fear of embarrassment or humiliation or a need to unnecessarily repeat work and other tasks over and over again.

What situations trigger symptoms of an anxiety disorder at work?

Of course, everyone is unique and reacts differently to particular situations. However, certain work situations are commonly cited as difficult by people with anxiety disorders. These include dealing with issues and problems (including customer, financial and technical issues); setting and meeting deadlines; maintaining interpersonal relationships (with superiors, peers and subordinates); managing staff (including interviewing, hiring, firing, training and evaluating employees); and participating in meetings and presentations.

Coping with anxiety disorder at work

What can a person do to manage "normal" anxiety or the symptoms of anxiety disorder at work? You can make life at work more manageable by taking certain measures. Try these tips:

• Keep working. Apart from the obvious financial reason, employment is important for enhancing your self-esteem and adds to your social identity.
• Refine your time-management skills. Work on prioritizing projects and eliminating items so you only have a few things to focus on each day.
• Be realistic. Don't over-commit yourself by volunteering for projects or work you don't have time for.
• Savor success. Whether an accomplishment is big or small, congratulate yourself and others on a job well done.
• Tell a trusted co-worker about your disorder. Knowing that someone at work is aware of your condition, and accepting of it, can be comforting. It can help with both anticipatory anxiety and if you are experiencing symptoms.
• Educate yourself about your disorder. Learn to recognize the symptoms and how to handle them if you experience them while at work. For more about anxiety disorders, visit www.adaa.org.
• Be healthy. Eat right, sleep, exercise regularly and avoid caffeine. Adhering to the basics will keep your body and mind in shape to handle challenging situations.

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