When You are Bullied at Work

Did you know that when you are bullied at work, it might feel very much to you like the experience of a domestic violence victim? The bully (abuser) inflicts suffering and fear whenever he/she chooses.  This random targeting, keeps the victim off balance, creating a coping mechanism of hyper vigilance accompanied by fear. The bully carries out this workplace violence on a whim, at times appearing to offer support and safety.  The target (victim) of the bullying is by nature of the relationship, forced to remain close – boss to subordinate, co-worker to co-worker.

 
This repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators may take on one or more of the following forms:

• Verbal abuse

• Offensive conduct/behaviors (including nonverbal) which are threatening, humiliating, or intimidating

• Work interference — sabotage — which prevents work from getting done

“Bullying” has also been defined as repeated behavior from superiors, subordinates or peers that is intended to demean, humiliate or intimidate an individual. It is a way to make the workplace so intolerable that it may force an employee to quit. 

If the bullying is done by a group, it is called “Mobbing.” According to studies by The Workplace Bullying Institute, an estimated 53.5 million employees, or approximately 35% of the U.S. workforce, have experienced bullying. A different study released by the Employment Law Alliance and recently reported in the Wall Street Journal found that 45% of respondents had been bullied at the office (examples consisted of verbal abuse, job sabotage, misuse of authority, and deliberate destruction of relationships.)
 

The consequences of bullying are far-reaching. Although it occurs four times more often than illegal discrimination, workers are often too afraid to report the incidents. 

•  If you are the victim, you may suffer from depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, post-traumatic stress syndrome and loss of productivity.

• The responsible organization, management and supervisors experience a decrease in staff morale, profits, quality of work, and reputation.

• The responsible organization may also experience an increase in employee turnover, absenteeism, and increased workers compensation claims, including claims for stress-related disability.

What can you do if you are a victim of bullying?  Here are 5 things you can do, based on experts recommendations: 

- Document what happens to you, and when. It is important to know who has witnessed these events. Keep this journal at home, and not on work equipment or premises.

- Seek legal counsel to see if the mental or verbal harassment is actionable under the law, even if it may not constitute illegal discrimination under Title VII. Get a strategic plan in place with your attorney and put it into action;

- Consider using your company’s internal grievance system, anti-violence policy, code of conduct or ethics hotline; if you are a union member, seek out support from your union representative. 

- Get psychological counseling to help you with coping strategies and possible medical treatments and time off/leave to fortify you against the abuse; and
- Realize that you have done nothing to justify this type of abuse

And what are some of the first things you can do, if you find yourself a victim of workplace bullying?  Learn about workplace bullying, get help identifying the triggers that contribute to your stress, and find ways to feel empowered, not victimized. If the bullying is keeping you from enjoying your work, your relationships and your life, get psychological help to get you back on track.  Here are some links to websites that might help.

http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/02/07/consequences/
http://www.bgsu.edu/downloads/hr/file50881.pdf
http://www.apaexcellence.org/resources/goodcompany/newsletter/article/311
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/225955.php

Short Memory, Long Memory

Do you find sometimes that you have a ‘short memory’ for the really good things that have happened in your life – and a longer memory for the not so happy times? 

There have actually been scientific studies that help explain this  - that much or our memory for the ‘bad times’ is neurologically based. Boston College psychologist Elizabeth Kensinger and her colleagues published a study in 2007 that showed how this phenomenon occurs.  The outcomes of her research showed that when the remembered event was aversive, the negative events were remembered in much greater detail and with more accuracy than for positive, pleasurable events (for example, September 11 terrorists attacks).

In the study, the use of  Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), studies  demonstrated increased cellular activity in emotion-processing regions of the brain at the time that a negative event was experienced.

Kensinger  suggests that recognizing the effects of remembering a negative event at much greater detail and accuracy may at some point protect us from harm - by guiding our choices and allowing us to plan for similar future (negative) events.  This is especially true if we consider an evolutionary framework, where attention to potentially threatening information was key to survival.

What negative, frightening or threatening memories do you have?   And to counter those memories, what positive, supportive and good memories do you keep?  If you are struggling with the negative, use these scientific findings to give yourself a break! Acknowledge the negative, the details, the specifics and realize that they present themselves to you with more clarity because your brain is doing what it knows to do!  And ask for help –  seek out therapy -  if your memories are keeping your from experiencing joy in your life and your relationships.  

Melatonin for Sleep

If your child or adolescent is not getting enough sleep, you may notice that there are increased emotional outbursts, trouble with cognitive tasks like schoolwork and behavioral difficulties, including having difficulty with keeping on task, failure to remain alert and focused or for some, even increased agitation and anxiety.  A study in 2003 (Gruber & Raviv) determined that lack of needed sleep for one hour per day for three days may lead to significant neurobehavioral problems.  Numerous researchers have presented evidence that there is indeed a relationship between sleep problems, neuro-developmental problems, psychiatric conditions and non psychiatric conditions among children and adults. Once the pattern is set, the sleep disorder and the co-morbid conditions actually serve to support both problems. 

The prevalence of sleep problems in children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) are greater than in the typical population. Sleep issues and problems come up frequently in discussions with parents, many whom express dismay and sheer exhaustion from trying to manage.  Sometimes, the family physician may recommend anti anxiety drugs or other pharmaceutical prescription and non-prescription remedies, but most of the time these fall short in truly making a difference and helping the child establish good sleep patterns and restful sleep.  Recently, researchers have begun to address and realize that melatonin therapy may be a successful and practical help.

Melatonin is a  naturally occurring hormone (derived from serotonin) that is both endocrine (enters the bloodstream from a pineal gland) and paracrine (signaling cell phenomenon, as from the retina when light is low, when the signal is "time to sleep"). Melatonin has also been labeled an antioxidant, anti-aging agent, immunoregulator, and an  anti-depressant .  As a supplement, it is available over the counter in pill/capsule form.

What researchers are finding is that some individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may have lower than normal levels of melatonin. A 2008 study found that unaffected parents of children with ASD also have lower melatonin levels.  Multiple small studies have demonstrated that 2 to 10 mg of melatonin may benefit children with ASD who have trouble falling asleep and/or maintaining sleep.  It’s important to note that at this time, no official guidelines exist for the use of melatonin in children with ASD.  If you want to read  more about melatonin, here is one credible website http://nccam.nih.gov/health/sleep/ataglance.htm.   You may also want to check with your child’s physician, as many are knowledgeable about the possible benefits of Melatonin

Autism and Epilepsy

As a clinical health psychologist, when working with clients, I focus on the interrelationship between their behavioral, psychological and physical health problems. When working with individuals diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum, addressing any physical problems and disabilities is an important focus.   There is a unique interrelationship among behavioral, emotional, cognitive, social and biological components in health and disease and these components need to be addressed and examined in order to promote and help maintain health, prevent further problems and help to rehabilitate in the best way possible. 

With Autism, one of the more common co morbid conditions is epilepsy. Epilepsy is a common and diverse set of chronic neurological disorders characterized by seizures. Epilepsy occurs in almost one third of individuals diagnosed with ASD.  Some researchers say that this suggests an imbalance of neural excitation and inhibition.  If you are familiar with an individual with Autism, you may have noted that excitation and inhibition are two problematic areas and contribute to behavior challenges.

Management of epilepsy requires a multidisciplinary health care team effort and open and ongoing communication between the physician, psychologist and other health care providers. For the person diagnosed with Autism and Epilepsy, these co occurring conditions need to be taken into account with addressing behavioral and psychological issues.  If you are the parent, support and education about how to manage can make a huge difference in coping with the ongoing stress and challenges you face.