Chapter 4: “I’m Anxious but I don’t have Anxiety!”: How Stigma Exacerbates the Effect of Anxiety Disorders in the Workplace

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the world, and as the world becomes increasingly stressful, the number of people looking for help with anxiety continues to increase. However, many barriers to honest conversations surrounding anxiety disorders persist, including in the work-place. Everyday anxiety and anxiety disorders are often conflated, potentially making it harder for employees with anxiety disorders to voice their experiences or believe their experiences are serious enough to be addressed. This continued stigma surrounding mental illness can prevent employees with anxiety disorders from getting the help that they need. In this chapter, we give an overview of anxiety disorders and how they can impact employee performance, building from Cheng and McCarthy’s (2018) theory of workplace anxiety. We also discuss how mental illness stigma can exacerbate the negative effects of anxiety disorders at work, and highlight individual, ally (manager and coworker), and organizational level interventions that have been researched to treat anxiety disorders and/or reduce stigma. Future research and practical implications are also discussed.