Anxiety is something that social workers can feel at every stage of their career. For the newbie, there is anxiety about the amount of new expectations and pressure they face. This is probably the first time they ever felt this much responsibility in their life.
Then for the social worker who has been in the field for a few years, they can feel anxiety over aspects of the job that are most difficult for them. This could include apprehending, testifying in court, confronting families etc. It really depends on the worker. Some do not like conflict while others can take it in stride.
Then there is the experienced social worker who feels anxiety about the never ending nature of the work. Many have shared stories with me about how they feel like they are drowning. They no longer feel like they can keep up and consider themselves not up to par with other social workers because of it - which is seriously not true!
Social workers can feel anxiety about the lack of supervision or feedback they get from their supervisor, especially if they are new to the position. Social workers also often take themselves to task if they make a mistake. But what can they do if they are presented with a lack of information that their employer does not give them: like what protocols to use and what measures of assessments are required for that particular area of social work.
Our anxiety levels can also be raised when we are exposed to the traumatic stories of our clients. Oftentimes they feel hopeless and so do we if we are not given much time or resources to help them. Listening to so many negative stories can make us doubt there is any humanity left in the world. It can make us anxious for ourselves, our family members and our friends when we realise all the terrible possibilities of what could happen.
If we don't get a break from our anxiety, such a having a positive work/life balance, the results can be devastating. The anxiety that we have from work often leaks into our personal lives whereby we cannot relax and just be ourselves. We can be hyper vigilant to risks and be less prone to step outside our comfort zone. In essence, we can lose what truly makes us who we are. What we get instead is a shell of worry, fear, and stress.
If sufficient breaks are not available during the working day, including taking a full hour for lunch, there is no opportunity to take a deep breath and unwind. We go, go, go and then carry that anxiety with us after work. It may then affect our sleep, our eating habits and our overall emotions. Some people resort to taking medication just for a reprieve.
So then what are our options? What can we do to relieve or manage the anxiety that we face at work? One could be asking for more support from our supervisors and co-workers if it is possible. Another step could be trying to do a relaxing activity maybe once a week and then gradually increase it. Going to your family doctor is also important as unfortunately you might need to eventually go on stress leave if your anxiety becomes so unmanageable that you can no longer handle your work tasks. You want to be honest about your situation with your doctor so that they know when you are really struggling and need help. Seeing a counsellor to discuss your feelings is also another option.
Some people find that once they take a leave from work they feel recharged, while others realise that the anxiety is inherent with that particular job and they need to find another.
Anxiety levels can also be raised with stressors outside of work such as a death in the family, marriage, move etc. Add that to your daily anxiety from work and it's a recipe for disaster! All in all, as social workers we need to take care of our own physical and mental health before we can help others as our work should never cause us so much anxiety that we can no longer function properly in our lives.
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